Victoria’s Information Commissioner recently released a report following an examination of the privacy policies and procedures in eight Victorian universities. The report found that many universities don’t have clear policies to guide staff to destroy personal information when it is no longer needed. While Universities are prioritising ICT and cybersecurity risks, in general, they have less of a focus on managing risks to personal information related to physical and personnel security. The report includes recommendations for universities to strengthen the protection of personal information by developing policies and procedures to identify and document the personal information they hold, where it is held, and for sharing information with third parties and contracted service providers. InfoGovANZ is hosting a session with Sven Bluemmel – Victorian Information Commissioner to highlight the key findings of the report and discuss the recommendations, book your ticket here. Read more about the report here.
InfoGov IAM2021 Roundtable Report
The Information Governance (IG) Roundtable had an engaged discussion covering a wide range of current issues and drivers for information governance. The discussion covered: Drivers of Information Governance in 2021, the compelling reasons for organisations to implement Information Governance, what are the current challenges and actions for protecting information and more. Participants included Roxanne Missingham, Kathryn Dan, Alex Caughey Hutt, Dr Chris Colwell, Dani Wickman, Fiona Beatty, Judy Anderson, David Brous, Genevieve Dwyer, Brandon Voight, David Church, Amanda Dolman and Simon Costello. The roundtable was hosted by InfoGovANZ, facilitated by Susan Bennett and sponsored by ActiveNav. IG Drivers in 2021 Our discussion considered key trends in IG, noting that the InfoGovANZ IG Industry Report 2021 identified the three main drivers for IG as: External regulatory compliance and legal obligations; Good business management practices; and Internal technology restructuring or transitions. The role of regulatory compliance as a mechanism to elevate […]
EU bodies call for facial recognition ban in public
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) have supported the call on the European Commission’s Proposal for a Regulation on the use of artificial intelligence technologies but expressed concern by the exclusion of international law enforcement cooperation from the scope of the proposal. The EDPB and EDPS go further than the European Commission’s proposal for a regulation issued in April — urging that the planned legislation should be broader to include a ‘general ban on any use of AI for automated recognition of human features in publicly accessible spaces, such as recognition of faces, gait, fingerprints, DNA, voice, keystrokes and other biometric or behavioural signals, in any context.’ Read the EDPB release here and the Proposal here.
Pavan Kotha
Pavan Kotha is the Manager of Forensic & Technology Services at Clayton Utz.
Pavan is an eDiscovery guru and IG enthusiast. He's had a widely varied career including roles as programmer, production specialist, data analyst, quality control specialist, review manager, and eDiscovery project manager which lends to a holistic view of IG used in his current role.
Tell us about yourself?
I started my eDiscovery career in 2010. Over the course of 10 years, I have put on many hats including - programmer, production specialist, data analyst, quality control specialist, review manager, and eDiscovery project manager. I have been fortunate to work on projects within different regions like India, USA, UK, UAE and Australia. These diverse opportunities helped me to learn and adapt to different cultures, lifestyles and most importantly work with the most brilliant minds in the industry. I finally settled in Sydney last year with my wife and 5-year-old daughter, just before the global pandemic. I am now part of the Clayton Utz FTS practice group, where I am having great time managing projects, streamlining processes, training clients and peers.
When I am not working, you will usually find me playing with my daughter, listening to audiobooks, meditating on a riverside or a top of a mountain.
What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?
Primarily, I work on managing electronic discovery projects by implementing data culling techniques and designing review workflows for regulatory, investigation and litigation matters. Most of the underlying data issues that I have seen so far during document review lead me back to the organisation’s IT data governance and record and archival system failures. When legal teams do not involve forensic or eDiscovery specialists during the initial data scoping exercise or skip data scoping exercises altogether it leads to last-minute collection sweeps, which blow budgets and create ongoing inefficiencies during document review. This motivated me to learn more about email archival systems and data governance frameworks to better help clients by identifying these issues in the early stages of collections and better assist them by designing efficient reviewer accelerator workflows.
What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?
I believe the biggest move for most organisations has been migration from the exchange server to O365. Most organisations have done this by deploying the tools like O365 cloud emails, business enterprise instant messages and collaborative tools. However, the biggest challenge now is making sure they have the right team, that is the specialised IT team who can own and maintain these systems and to make sure these are all discovery ready. What we are seeing right now is that most of IT professionals do a great job with application maintenance, system upgrades and security patches, but very few understand the need for the data to be archived or maintained in a way that it can be readily discoverable when the organisation becomes involved in litigation. To efficiently do this, we need more information governance professionals with the right skills to ensure this is done.
What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?
I think especially in the past 5 years, changes in privacy laws, such as the GDPR and CCPA have been major drivers for organisations to implement better data and information governance. This is because effective information governance is the best way for the organisations to ensure they meet all of their legal compliance requirements. The requirement to be complaint means there is increasing awareness that organisation’s need to implement appropriate policies, processes and procedures to manage information at the enterprise level.
Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?
I do not see myself as an IG guru but an IG enthusiast, so I am always curious to learn more about best information governance practices. There are many helpful resources out there but one simple and most efficient thing I do to keep myself up to date is attending InfoGovANZ webinars and newsletters. There is always a lot of valuable content and great insights from the experts shared in these venues.
With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?
If we look back 10 years, responding to regulatory investigation requests and litigation discovery orders was 100% reactive. Thanks to global privacy laws like the GDPR we have seen a more structured approach to managing data and information at the enterprise level.
Organisations are also facing legal, regulatory and compliance pressures that demand the data overload be addressed proactively to directly meet business objectives beforehand. The focus has moved from what information repositories can functionally do, to an overarching strategy to govern data and information. A solid information governance program provides accurate, consistent information controls that deliver the right information at the right time. From my perspective, it is most important that organisations be proactive and ready for discovery. Therefore, I am positive that more organisations will set up enterprise-wide information governance programs, which will also include tools including advanced eDiscovery tools, which will perform targeted searches and accelerate the collection process and cut down discovery turnaround times.
Why it is important to be a member of InfoGovANZ?
It is not easy to keep yourself up to date with rapidly changing technology and policies. As I have mentioned earlier being a member of InfoGovANZ, participating in their events, attending their MeetnGreet virtual events is a great way to expand your professional network, learn from the IG experts and most importantly stay current.
Pavan Kotha, Manager of Forensic & Technology Services at Clayton Utz.
Pavan is an eDiscovery guru and IG enthusiast. He's had a widely varied career including roles as programmer, production specialist, data analyst, quality control specialist, review manager, and eDiscovery project manager which lends to a holistic view of IG used in his current role.
Announcing new InfoGovANZ membership model
We are launching an exciting new InfoGovANZ membership model.
The new model provides even greater value for our members with global thought leadership, access to experts, exclusive events, IG insights and resources.
Membership will help keep you up to date with and on top of current thinking on important topics in the IG world, together with the opportunities to connect with the fast growing IG community.
You can find out more about the new InfoGovANZ membership options here.
Fiona Beatty
Fiona Beatty is Assistant Director Information Governance at Australian Financial Security Authority, where in 2019 she received an Australia Day award for Public Service.
Fiona started in the world of information governance while on a temporary placement in local government ten years ago. She now leads the development and implementation of agency-wide strategies and the promotion and maintenance of the AFSA Information Governance Framework.
Tell us about yourself?
I live in beautiful Brisbane with my husband, 2 dogs, cat and all the local birds! We love the leafy existence so close to the city and feel truly privileged to live here. I enjoy spending time in our garden and appreciate the bounty of the land (small as it is) with mangoes, bananas, star fruit, chocolate pudding fruit, pawpaw, guava and my fresh herbs.
I love to cook but find that I have less time to do it these days. I picked up a new favourite hobby during COVID – clothing re-purposing – where I take old garments and remodel them into new creations – mostly from my husbands’ wardrobe.
I am a mother to four grown men – and I survived! My boys are my truest joy and I hope that before too long I will gain daughters in law.
What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?
I have always had an organised view of the world and find myself happiest when all things are well-organised and efficient.
I stumbled into the world of information governance when I was on a temporary placement in local government and I started to read the administration guide for the system we were running. I began asking questions about why we weren’t utilising functionality that was OOTB and was blessed to be given an opportunity to show exactly how we could improve things. I went on to upgrade our systems and implement new platforms.
I haven’t looked back and can’t imagine being in another industry that would allow my natural abilities to shine as much as the information governance field has.
Tell us about your current role in IG?
My current role is a true IG position – at least I see it that way. I am responsible to advise direction and drive the change required to mature the existence of frameworks and practices to support the required understanding of information management and the associated business components to enable better outcomes for our staff and our clients.
My role has developed over time as I have been able to effectively communicate the broader information governance landscape to our executive.
What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?
The main pressure I see is technology driving decisions rather than business needs.
Our responsibility as practitioners is to ensure we are passing relevant information on to the appropriate decision makers to allow IG to be a leading decision point and not an after-thought.
What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?
I have witnessed a broader understanding and acceptance of the relevance of IG as being an underpinning requirement for all business. The development of the CIGO (Chief Information Governance Officer) concept has allowed an authoritative seat at the table for information governance. I see the principle that if we get our information strategy right we will be able to build on that foundation to leverage better corporate outcomes building greater backing.
Driving strategy and leveraging appropriate technologies will see Information Governance mature and flourish.
Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?
Ask questions – lots of them, never grow tired of looking at new things and don’t take it personally – when people don’t like the systems, processes, or frameworks you recommend. See it as a challenge to help them understand – because ultimately what we do really matters, they just don’t realise it yet!
With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?
The IG industry is on the verge of significant change. We have seen rapid change in the way that people live and work with technology and we need to move our mindset away from the way we’ve always done things and be open to new and efficient ways of working and supporting this important work.
The growth of information across the globe means there are not enough physical records managers to keep up with it. The added complexity of environments means we need new ways of managing the information lifecycle and I believe this must include machine learning. We need to be in front of this conversation to ensure that the appropriate governance and testing is done to support best practice outcomes for future Info Gov generations.
Why is it important to be a member of InfoGovANZ ?
InfoGovANZ has been doing a great job of bringing together experts (SME’s) to elevate the conversation surrounding change and requirements across industry.
The collegiate discussions and educational presentations are helping to mature views on the validity of IG, especially in our changing environment.
New regulations for Artificial Intelligence in the EU
The European Commission has just announced a package of proposed regulations to make sure that AI systems used in the EU are safe, transparent, ethical, unbiased and under human control. They are categorised by risk with checks imposed on any ‘high-risk’ technology and also include a ban on most surveillance including live facial scanning, as well as AI systems to filter school, job or credit scoring. AI applications used in critical infrastructure migration and law enforcement would also be subject to strict safeguards. The proposed regulation is one of the broadest of its kind to be introduced by a Western government, and part of the EU’s expansion of its role as a global tech enforcer. Regulators could fine a company up to €30million or 6% of annual world-wide revenue for the most severe violations. Read more about the EU’s approach to AI in Excellence and trust in artificial intelligence | European Commission (europa.eu) and New rules for […]
Key findings from the 2021 IG Industry Report
This is InfoGovANZ’s third survey collecting the opinions of practitioners and industry participants charting the development of information governance over the past five years. The survey engaged 338 participants and highlights the status, priorities and challenges of information governance for organisations in 2021. The IG Report highlights that implementing and maintaining an IG framework is the most important priority for organisations for nearly half of industry professionals, with the three main enterprise-wide drivers of IG projects identified as external regulatory, compliance and or legal obligations(74%); good business management practices(68%); and internal technology restructuring or transition(50%). “While only one in five respondents indicated that COVID had been a driving factor for IG projects, there was a notable increase since our last survey in data breaches, lawsuits and investigations acting as a driver for IG projects – particularly in the corporate sector” said Peter Chapman, KPMG Director, Forensics Technology expert and InfoGovANZ […]
LawFest 21: collaborating and networking in person again
In late March, 280 legal professionals from across Aotearoa gathered in person in Auckland for the premier legal innovation and technology event on the New Zealand calendar. Like so many events globally, LawFest had considerable disruption and challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic to run the event in person. However, in Aotearoa we have been fortunate to be able to bring together again the legal and technology community to celebrate, collaborate, network and learn about legal innovation – and all in person. The last year has reinforced why we need to innovate and leverage technology – LawFest 21 demonstrated how we can go about this! The event was once again a must for anyone interested in driving efficiency in their organisation. The key highlights The one-day event was a great opportunity to hear from leaders and change makers in the innovation space. The programme provided something for everyone, from those […]
Dr Peter Chapman
Peter is a member of InfoGovANZ's Advisory board, Director in the KPMG Forensic Technology practice and his previous experience includes leading the Sydney Forensic IT practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Acting Sergeant in the NSW Police High Tech Crime Unit.
Over the course of a combined 20 years in these roles, Peter has undertaken analysis of electronic evidence in hundreds of criminal and civil matters, presented expert evidence to state and federal courts, investigated and remediated internal and external data breaches for numerous organisations, managed complex electronic discovery environments, and provided advice to government, public and private organisations in relation to cybersecurity and IT governance related issues.
Tell us about yourself?
I’ve been really fortunate to have had opportunities to chase a variety of careers and interests. My career path started with the NSW Police which ended with a stint as a digital evidence specialist. This position helped me to jump into a career in digital forensics consulting at PWC, where I also completed an MBA at UTS. I then jumped into a lecturing position at the same uni while completing a PhD in IT Governance, keeping my hand in consulting with a part time position at Ferrier Hodgson. I returned to full time digital forensics and eDiscovery consulting at KPMG in 2019.
What has kept me in the digital forensics field for so long is the puzzle solving aspects – trying to piece together actions and motives from digital activity traces is a great challenge! I’m also a dad to three wonderful kids (including a set of twins) who are really good at soaking up most of my free time.
What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?
My professional focus is primarily on forensic technology, electronic discovery and post-IT incident review. Much like when I was a police officer, working in these fields has meant I usually turn up at an organisation when they are dealing with a crisis.
Over time, I began to identify common themes in the underlying causes of IT incidents I investigated that generally led back to either a lack of an effective IT governance framework or the failure to properly implement/follow the framework. This realisation was what lead to my interest in IT governance and my PhD topic.
Tell us about your current role in IG?
My current role is investigating breakdowns in good IG practice – everything from technical security incidents to IT procurement & project failures. In addition to providing expert reporting where necessary, I also identify root causes and provide guidance for improvement where the job scope allows for such.
What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?
As there always has been, there is a constant friction between following “best” practices and workflow efficiency (e.g. the battle between data security and availability). On the flip side, I think many organisations still fall into the trap of thinking that IG is really just risk management with a fancy name. The pandemic, rise in privacy regulations and constant newsfeed regarding IT security incidents has really driven this risk focused view to the fore. However, it is important that those charged with responsibility for IG need to be thinking in terms of both risk and reward when it comes to information and technology.
What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?
In the last 5 years we have seen a lot of activity in the IG thought leadership space – it is great to see industry bodies and professional groups really trying to build comprehensive frameworks and guidance around a holistic view of information and technology rather than continuing to build in a piecemeal way. Leaders have become increasingly aware of the value of properly governing organisational information, however this has unfortunately given rise to a far more active and dangerous criminal element seeking to profit from this increased realisation of value.
Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?
IG is such a broad field, and even amongst experienced IG specialists there are very few who could accurately claim to be fully across everything that IG encompasses. I would recommend picking one or two focus areas that are of interest and specialising in that field. Once you have developed a core skillset it will help you to branch out into other areas (via training or other professional development), understand how your area ties into (or should tie into) an IG framework and identify opportunities to put forward or participate in IG efforts within your organisation.
With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?
Organisations are still sorting out their preferences on cloud technology and machine learning, dealing with the challenges of unstructured data and privacy regulations, and grappling to really understand the risks and benefits of these issues at a leadership level. This is where IG really needs to come to the fore to help leaders make sense of the wild array of tech, legal and operational issues at play.
We will see better performing organisations really break down the cultural and functional silos between IT, internal counsel, risk management and operations to ensure that the risk vs reward for technology opportunities is properly understood and effectively acted on. These organisations will have responsive and evolving IG frameworks in place, almost certainly giving them a competitive advantage over those without.
Why is it important to be a member of InfoGovANZ ?
Information technology is such a rapidly evolving field, even in a highly specialised area such as digital forensics I am constantly learning and updating my knowledge. Expanding that out into all of the legal, risk and operational aspects encompassed by IG – it becomes an increasingly difficult task to stay on top of just the critical issues. Participating in InfoGovANZ events and reviewing the great content coming through the newsletters has not only given me a great way to stay on top of current events, it has also given me the opportunity to meet and become acquainted with an amazing group of individuals from a vast array of backgrounds. It really has helped me feel that if I don’t know the answer to an IG question, I surely know someone who does!
Pioneer of IG – Dame Fiona Caldicott
Dame Fiona Caldicott, the first UK National Data Guardian for Health and Social Care passed away this year. Dame Fiona was the UK pioneer of Information Governance, with the publication of the Caldicott Report in 1997 setting the benchmark for the collection and use of personal information and the need for robust information governance to protect personal information. The Caldicott report established what became known as the Caldicott principles of information governance. The original six principles included: justify the purpose for using confidential information; use confidential information only when it is necessary; use the minimum necessary confidential information; access should be on a strict need-to-know basis; making sure anyone accessing confidential information is aware of their responsibilities; and comply with the law. In 2013, the Information Governance Review Report, chaired by Dame Fiona added a seventh principle and following a further review in 2016 an eighth principle was added. These made it clear […]
The Tune Report
The recently released Tune Report proposes a new integrated, whole of government model for information management and record keeping and for the storage, digitisation and preservation of government records across the Australian federal government. The model seeks to generate efficiencies across government sufficient to support the necessary investment in digital capacity within the National Archives and other priorities. It has three tranches: A major investment in a new 5th Generation Digital Archive (5thGDA) that will bring the National Archives ICT systems into the digital age, enabling end-to-end handling of records from creation through to access A Government Information Management Model (GIMM), with the National Archives having responsibility for information management across Australian Government agencies, to support improved records management, to provide better compliance with the objectives set down in the Archives Act, and to escalate digitisation of the Archives records. This seeks to provide whole-of- government efficiencies A Centralised Storage […]
Nicole White
Tell us about yourself?
I live on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula with my husband, two children and Great Dane/Mastiff Cross, Lex. I have led information management (IM) and governance (IG) programs in various industries for over 20 years, including development of data and information strategy and frameworks and implementation of enterprise IM and IG programs. I have had the opportunity over the years to learn various disciplines including change and project management, risk and compliance management and in recent years have been learning about the discipline of Business Architecture and how it can be used support strategic planning and inform the programs I lead.
What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?
When I was in high school I wanted to be a physiotherapist. During work experience in year 11 I ended up being the patient, nearly fainting while helping the physio with a patient. That and other incidents when visiting hospitals made me rethink my career path. A lecturer from Deakin Uni visited my school and introduced me to a new Bachelor of Applied Science course they had recently developed in Information Management. Fast forward 30 years and I have never regretted the decision to undertake this course and do further studies completing my Master of Business (Information Innovation) in 2002 at RMIT. I have had the opportunity to work and live in London and Sydney, however the majority of my working life has been spent in Melbourne leading information management and governance capability uplift in organisations including BHP Billiton, Telstra, Port of Melbourne, APA Group, Victoria Police and Holmesglen Institute.
Tell us about your current role in IG?
I recently joined a mid-sized Not-for-Profit organisation and am in the process of establishing their information management and governance function. This is a new role for the organisation and I am excited to have the opportunity to build capability across the data, information and knowledge management domains in order to continuously improve the services we provide to our customers. As the nominated Privacy Officer I also have the opportunity to ensure appropriate information security controls are embedded within the organisation. The Victorian Protective Data Security Framework is a great resource for any organisation wanting to uplift their information security posture.
What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?
Increasing expectations from customers to ensure their information is accurate and secure and their experience when using an organisation’s services is consistent and competent is a key driver. As Government increasingly outsources services to third party organisations, those organisations are required to demonstrate compliance to relevant industry and regulatory standards, including the ability to demonstrate appropriate information governance of the data they are managing on the Government’s behalf. Business cases which can demonstrate how IG can enable the organisation to do more with less will also be more likely to succeed due to the ongoing need to drive operational costs lower.
What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?
One of the most important developments driving change within organisations is the establishment of data and information governance functions and roles both within the analytics domain and the overall information management domain. The establishment of information governance roles demonstrates the increasing importance of this function for an organisation to address information risk and increase information value.
Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?
When planning the implementation of an Information Governance program consider what the desired state is from a people, processes, information and technology perspective. All of these elements need to be addressed as part of a program of work if you want to create sustainable change.
Keep growing and sharpening the tools in your toolbox – change and project management, risk and compliance management are just some of the domains worthy of pursuit and are all enablers of an IG program / function.
With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?
I am hopeful that increasing access to quality data sets as well as increasing collaboration between Government and industry will have a significant impact on the ability to effectively use, manage and share data and information to help inform solutions to significant problems the world is facing.
Why is it important to be a member of InfoGovANZ ?
There has been a lot of great work done in IG, however with much more to be done InfoGovANZ provides the thought leadership and creates a space for this wonderful network of passionate people to grow their share their experience. I find it challenging to keep up with legal and regulatory changes and appreciate the valuable insights that Susan and her team provide.
7 Information Governance Takeaways for 2021
As we put 2020 behind us and look forward to 2021, InfoGovANZ reflected in an interactive virtual discussion forum on the key IG learnings from the past 12 months and the insights and actions we now need to be taking to make the most of the opportunities and challenges on the road to recovery in 2021. We’ve seen the different ways governments have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the results in managing the pandemic. Similarly, organisations have had to adapt to the changes and, in particular, to faster digital transformation. Robust governance of organisations and of information has never been so important. Increased cyber risks and the importance of access to real-time and accurate data for decision-making, both at the board level and throughout the organisation, are now critical issues. Given the expected ongoing complex and uncertain operating environment in 2021, robust information governance is needed to provide […]
Accountability & IG – Sonya Sherman
As we put 2020 behind us and look forward to 2021, we reflected in an interactive virtual discussion forum on the key IG learnings from the past 12 months and the insights and actions we now need to be taking to make the most of the opportunities and challenges on the road to recovery in 2021. We’ve seen the different ways governments have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the results in managing the pandemic. Similarly, organisations have had to adapt to the changes and, in particular, to faster digital transformation. Robust governance of organisations and of information has never been so important. Increased cyber risks and the importance of access to real-time and accurate data for decision-making, both at the board level and throughout the organisation, are now critical issues. Our expert panel included InfoGovANZ Advisory Board member, Sonya Sherman, with over 20 years’ experience is a highly regarded […]
Collaboration & IG – Bryn Bowen
As we put 2020 behind us and look forward to 2021, we reflected in an interactive virtual discussion forum on the key IG learnings from the past 12 months and the insights and actions we now need to be taking to make the most of the opportunities and challenges on the road to recovery in 2021. We’ve seen the different ways governments have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the results in managing the pandemic. Similarly, organisations have had to adapt to the changes and, in particular, to faster digital transformation. Robust governance of organisations and of information has never been so important. Increased cyber risks and the importance of access to real-time and accurate data for decision-making, both at the board level and throughout the organisation, are now critical issues. Our expert panel included InfoGovANZ International Council member, Brynmor Bowen, Principal Consultant at Greenheart Consulting Partners, and a Board […]
Trust & Information Insights – Sarah Auva’a
As we put 2020 behind us and look forward to 2021, we reflected in an interactive virtual discussion forum on the key IG learnings from the past 12 months and the insights and actions we now need to be taking to make the most of the opportunities and challenges on the road to recovery in 2021. We’ve seen the different ways governments have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the results in managing the pandemic. Similarly, organisations have had to adapt to the changes and, in particular, to faster digital transformation. Robust governance of organisations and of information has never been so important. Increased cyber risks and the importance of access to real-time and accurate data for decision-making, both at the board level and throughout the organisation, are now critical issues. In the world of data privacy, unfortunately trust and confidence in the way that organisations use data was already […]
The Data Explosion & IG, Reducing eDiscovery Costs – Richard Kessler
As we put 2020 behind us and look forward to 2021, we reflected in an interactive virtual discussion forum on the key IG learnings from the past 12 months and the insights and actions we now need to be taking to make the most of the opportunities and challenges on the road to recovery in 2021.
We’ve seen the different ways governments have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the results in managing the pandemic. Similarly, organisations have had to adapt to the changes and, in particular, to faster digital transformation. Robust governance of organisations and of information has never been so important. Increased cyber risks and the importance of access to real-time and accurate data for decision-making, both at the board level and throughout the organisation, are now critical issues.
Our expert panel included InfoGovANZ Intenational Council member Richard P. Kessler, who is a pioneer and thought leader connecting people with ideas in the fields of information governance, data governance, legal operations, eDiscovery and infonomics. As the CEO of Dilijint, Richard leads with a vison focused on bringing innovative solutions to complex data challenges.
Prior to taking the leadership role at Dilijint, Richard was a Director at KPMG in Cyber Security Strategy and Governance as part of the U.S. Information Governance and Privacy practice. In this role, Richard created the Data Value Model innovation comprising the ideation, design, development, expansion, and integration across multiple data and information disciplines. Richard was pivotal in orchestrating integration of governance across pillars leading to a new way of thinking about data.
Richard’s insights:
- Despite trends like these, many companies continue to use ‘traditional’ approaches to eDiscovery and have done little to put in place powerful and effective information governance functions. Although many innovative capabilities within the eDiscovery process have been invented and applied, firms have not yet been able to check their own organisations’ explosion of data through the operationalisation of data minimising strategies.
- In addition, many firms simply can’t measure their total storage or corresponding actual data requirements because so much data is in the cloud and/or part of their actual supply chain or data supply chain. Although relied on very heavily for day-to-day operations, it is with seemingly minimal financial impact until a data breach occurs or significant costs are involved in a large document production for litigation or regulatory inquiry.
Action for leaders
- Unsustainable growth and proliferation of your data across the supply chain and across a sea of clouds challenges you to identify and protect the most important data and to distinguish your more important assets from your junk. Without knowledge of where to direct investment for protection and reuse, for example, to pivot your business model out of COVID-driven necessity using your data, you are ‘flying blind.’
- You need to operationalise information governance and give laser-like focus to critical asset identification to radically simplify and reduce eDiscovery costs and help unlock and unveil your most important data assets for reuse (after de-risking), repurposing, monetisation and other such revenue and value generating activities.
- Start thinking more strategically about data or succumb unwillingly to chaos, potentially exposing critical assets to unnecessary threats and leaving tremendous value untapped.
You can read the insights from the rest of our expert panel in our InfoGovANZ Key Learnings from 2020 – Action and Insights for 2021 Report. The report was developed from a virtual forum discussing the impact of COVID-19 and IG implications for organisations on data, access to information, trust, transparency and accountability, cybersecurity, global privacy regulatory developments, eDiscovery, ethics and artificial intelligence.
You can also watch the recording of the 28 January 2021 webinar here.
Adapting to Technology – Andrew King
As we put 2020 behind us and look forward to 2021, we reflected in an interactive virtual discussion forum on the key IG learnings from the past 12 months and the insights and actions we now need to be taking to make the most of the opportunities and challenges on the road to recovery in 2021. We’ve seen the different ways governments have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the results in managing the pandemic. Similarly, organisations have had to adapt to the changes and, in particular, to faster digital transformation. Robust governance of organisations and of information has never been so important. Increased cyber risks and the importance of access to real-time and accurate data for decision-making, both at the board level and throughout the organisation, are now critical issues. Our expert panel included InfoGovANZ Advisory Board member Andrew King, founder and Strategic Advisor of E-Discovery Consulting, where he […]
Hindsights and Insights Report – Information governance reflections on 2020 and insights for 2021
As we put 2020 behind us and look forward to 2021, we reflected in an interactive virtual discussion forum on the key IG learnings from the past 12 months and the insights and actions we now need to be taking to make the most of the opportunities and challenges on the road to recovery in 2021. The forum featured leading expert practitioners sharing their experiences and views for the year ahead including Susan Bennett, Sarah Auva’a, Ronke Ekwensi, Sonya Sherman, Dr Peter Chapman, Aurelie Jacquet, Richard Kessler, Bryn Bowen, Andrew King, Daimhin Warner, Dean Gonsowski and Enzo Lisciotto. You can read the insights of our expert panel in InfoGovANZ Key Learnings from 2020 – Action and Insights for 2021 Report, which is available for download here. The recording of the webinar on InfoGovANZ Key Learnings from 2020 – Action and Insights for 2021, which took place on 28 January 2021, is […]