Capabilities for information management professionals

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Information management professionals capabilities identify skills and knowledge needed by employees specialising in managing information management.

All other employees should use all staff capabilities.

Information governance

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of relevant organisational policies, frameworks and procedures.
Understands that information assets need to be managed within a framework that supports business goals.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands the role of information governance and can apply appropriate frameworks, strategies and policies in the organisation. 
Can conduct compliance monitoring and reporting activities for systems and practices.
Management/specialist Can establish links between information, data and IT governance.
Can develop and implement information governance frameworks, strategies and policies.
Can plan and manage compliance monitoring and reporting activities.
Executive/lead Can endorse strategies to ensure information governance is integrated with data and IT governance and aligns with corporate governance. 
Can advocate for information governance to ensure reduced risk and improved information sharing and reuse.
Can advocate for, or chair, an information governance committee (or equivalent) and ensure key stakeholders are engaged.

Legislation and Policy

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Understands legislation and policies relevant to information and data and can follow information and data management procedures to meet legislative requirements.
Practitioner/skilled operational Can translate legislation and policies into sound information and data management practices to meet legislative requirements.
Management/specialist Can interpret legislation and policies relevant to information and data management and provides advice on their implications.
Executive/lead Understands the impact of legislation and policies on information and data and their management.
Can influence the direction of information and data related legislation and policies.

Standards and best practice

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of relevant standards that aim to improve information and data management practices.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands endorsed standards and can implement relevant procedures to improve information and data management.
Can assist with the development of business processes that reflect improved information and data management practices.
Management/specialist Can implement standards and best practice during the development of relevant information and data management policies and procedures and systems.
Executive/lead Can support continuous improvement by strategically implementing standards and best practice in information and data management.

Information and data leadership

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Assists staff to follow appropriate information and data management behaviours.
Practitioner/skilled operational Can develop and deliver advice and training on information management and data governance responsibilities, principles and processes. 
Management/specialist Can advocate for, and explain, information management and data governance responsibilities, principles and processes.
Can work on strategies to build an organisational culture that values information and data.
 
Executive/lead Can champion and promote an organisational culture that values information and data.
Can resource training and continuing professional development to ensure information assets are managed.

Value of data and information

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware that information and data are records and are evidence of agency business.
Is aware that information and data are corporate assets.
Is aware that good business outcomes rely on maintaining authenticity, reliability, discoverability, accessibility and usability as long as needed.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands that information and data are records and are evidence of agency business.
Understands that information and data are corporate assets and that good business outcomes rely on maintaining its authenticity, reliability, discoverability, accessibility and usability as long as needed.
Understands that the value of information and data may change over its life.
Management/specialist Understands that information and data are records and are evidence of agency business.
Understands the value of information and data as corporate assets that need to be managed throughout their entire lifecycle.
Understands that information and data may have value beyond the life of the systems in which they are created or stored, and beyond their original purpose.
Executive/lead Understands that information and data are records and are evidence of agency business.
Understands the value of information and data as corporate assets that need to be managed according to their value, supporting with appropriate investment and resources.
Understands the need to communicate and promote the value of data and information assets.

Risk management

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of risks to information and data throughout its lifecycle and follows procedures to manage risk.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands and assesses risks to information and data throughout its lifecycle, to protect it from malicious or inadvertent destruction, alteration or unauthorised release.
Understands the role of information and data governance to mitigate risk and ensure business continuity. 
Can implement risk management policies and procedures identified in information, data and IT governance framework, policies and procedures.
Management/specialist Can embed risk management into information, data and IT governance artefacts and translate them into strategies to reduce risk.
Can manage staff who are implementing risk management strategies and activities for information and data.
Executive/lead Understands the implications of new technologies and industry changes and demonstrates clear leadership to ensure information and data is managed throughout its lifecycle. 
Can allocate adequate resources to implement risk management and delegate authority for detailed planning and execution of risk management activities.

Information Security

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of information security needs.
Can manage users, passwords, group memberships, access views, permissions and classify information confidentiality.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands information security needs, regulatory requirements and frameworks. 
Can implement relevant controls and procedures and conduct information security risk assessments and audits.
Management/specialist Can interpret regulatory requirements and information security policy to ensure information management policies and procedures are aligned to meet regulatory requirements and frameworks.
Can manage information security risk assessments and audits and communicate outcomes and issues to business managers and others.
Executive/lead Understands information security needs and how they relate to information management processes and ensures appropriate resources are allocated to mitigate information security threats.

Value identification, retention and destruction

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware that all information and data in all locations and formats are records and subject to legislation to make disposal decisions.
Can implement processes to sentence information and data.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands the impact of legislation on managing all information and data in all locations such as business systems.
Can manage sentencing projects and transfers.
Can contribute to disposal authority development projects.
Management/specialist Can assess the impact of legislation on managing all information and data in all locations such as business systems.
Understands how disposal authorities identify an organisation's valuable information and data.
Can manage a disposal authority development project and manage an ongoing program to reduce information holdings in accordance with legislation. 
Executive/lead Understands the application of legislation on managing all information and data and its role in identifying valuable information and data and ensuring accountability and integrity.
Understands the risks and costs of holding information and data longer than required and is aware of the benefits of disposal.
Can support and resource disposal processes.

Digital preservation and continuity

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware that information and data need to be maintained to continue to be complete, available and usable over time. 
Can use preservation tools and follow relevant procedures.
Is aware of digital preservation standards.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands how to achieve digital continuity and can apply appropriate tools so information and data continue to be complete, available and usable over time.
Can apply digital preservation standards.
Management/specialist Can assess and implement digital preservation strategies and technologies to achieve digital continuity, mitigate obsolescence and maintain access.
Can develop digital preservation policies and procedures based on best practice, and manage associated projects.
Executive/lead Can support strategies for digital preservation to achieve digital continuity and mitigate obsolescence.

Business process improvement

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of business process analysis and mapping to help identify inefficiencies and improve processes.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands business process analysis and can analyse and map business processes to identify inefficiencies and improve processes.
Understands the need for business process change and when to employ appropriate solutions.
Understand when information and data should be created and captures as part of a process.
Management/specialist Can lead a team to analyse and map business processes to identify inefficiencies and implement solutions for improved end-to-end business processes and recordkeeping.
Can articulate reasons for business process change. 
Executive/lead Understands the need for enterprise-wide analysis and review of technology, systems and processes to achieve strategic priorities.
Can articulate the reasons and provide support for business process change.

Information review

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of the information review process to identify information and data assets.
  Can gather data for information reviews and input relevant data into information registers and data catalogues.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands the process and purpose of information reviews to create a shared understanding of information assets.
  Can coordinate information review activities including the input of data into information registers and data catalogues.
  Can gather, analyse and report information review findings.
Management/specialist Can manage information reviews and analyse gathered data to identify strategic and operational opportunities and risks.
  Can reuse information review data to assist in other information governance activities such as developing an information architecture.
Executive/lead Understands the strategic value of information reviews and supports the implementation of recommendations.

Collaboration and engagement

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of user needs and how they interact with processes and systems when creating and using information and data. 
Practitioner/skilled operational Can apply information management principles and practices to systems, procedures and processes.
Collaborates with other business areas to ensure information management requirements are met.
Management/specialist Understands usability principles and processes and can apply them to new processes and systems.
Understands that success of any information management change depends on meeting the needs of the users as well the business and ensures projects are managed accordingly.

Forges alliances with key business areas to ensure information management requirements are embedded in systems and processes.

Engages with vendors, regulators, professional bodies and other agency staff for shared outcomes.
Executive/lead Understands user experience is central to the successful implementation of information technologies and processes.
Can support a multidisciplinary team, led by an experienced product manager, to design, build, operate and iterate a service. 
Facilitates collaboration between information management and other business areas.

Information classification

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of information classification conventions and practices.
Understands organisation specific information categorisation tools and how they enable access to information.
Can use and maintain information classification artefacts including enterprise taxonomies, vocabularies, classification schemes, namespaces and ontologies.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands information classification conventions and practices and how they relate to other enterprise architectural domains.
Understands organisation specific information and data categorisation tools and can advise others on their implementation.
Can design and model information classification artefacts including enterprise taxonomies, vocabularies, classification schemes, namespaces and ontologies.
Management/specialist Can lead information classification initiatives.
Can provide guidance on the development and maintenance of information classification artefacts.
Executive/lead Understands and supports information classification initiatives and how it benefits information re-use and data sharing.

Recordkeeping Metadata

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of the role and benefits of recordkeeping metadata to ensure information and data are discoverable.
  Understands that recordkeeping metadata in business systems, such as audit trails, demonstrates authenticity and integrity.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands the fundamental role of recordkeeping metadata in information and data management and what metadata requirements apply to the organisation.
  Can develop metadata schemas to analyse, design, build, use and interpret data.
  Can distribute, deliver, query, report and analyse metadata.
Management/specialist Can explain the role of recordkeeping metadata to ensure the integrity and availability of information and data. 
  Can manage the appropriate capture of metadata through developing and maintaining policies, procedures, standards and metadata schemas, and advise on metadata standards relevant to the organisation's specific business.
  Understands how metadata enables interoperability.
Executive/lead Understands the benefits of having adequate metadata.
  Can strategically support a managed metadata environment that enables interoperability.

System implementation and maintenance

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of the need for information management functionality in systems that hold records (business systems).
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands the need for information management functionality in business systems.
Can assess information management functionality in business systems against relevant standards and suggest solutions to address identified gaps.
Can contribute to system management including administering usage and issues.
Management/specialist Can assess information management functionality in existing business systems against relevant standards and provide advice on solutions and compliance of current systems. 
Can advocate for information management functionality/requirements when acquiring new technologies including cloud solutions.
Can support system management including, administering usage and issues, installing and maintaining technology licences.
Executive/lead Understands the need for information management functionality and supports solutions to address gaps in existing business systems. 
Understands the impacts of new and emerging technologies and ensures information management functionality is considered when acquiring new technologies.

Information reuse

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of the benefits when information and data can be found, managed, shared and reused easily and efficiently.
Practitioner/skilled operational Is aware of data integration and data exchange methods and protocols, such as APIs.
Can map metadata and metadata requirements between systems.
Management/specialist Understands data integration and data exchange methods and protocols, such as APIs.
Can collaborate on interoperability projects including providing metadata requirements and disposal requirements.
Executive/lead Understands the need for interoperability based on evidence of internal/external demands for information and data exchange. 
Can drive interoperability using information and data governance mechanisms.

Data governance

IM Capability Framework
Level Specific skill or knowledge
Foundation Is aware of the need for data governance to protect the privacy, accuracy and the ethical use of data, including protecting data against harm, re-identification, inaccuracy and unauthorised access.
Is aware of source and reference data, for example being able to identify which system is the source of truth for the data.
Practitioner/skilled operational Understands the privacy and ethical implications of sourcing, managing and controlling data, including protecting data against harm, re-identification, inaccuracy and unauthorised access.
Can contribute to the development of data governance frameworks.
 Is aware of legislative requirements and trends that impact data governance.
Can identify reference data and source data (master data) and can engage with relevant stakeholders about its use and management (including disposal).
Management/specialist Implements and provides advice on the data governance framework.
Can develop and provide advice on strategies and policies for compliance with information and data legislation.
Can advise on legislative requirements and trends that impact data governance.
Can manage data disposal projects and understands the disposal implications for source (master data) and reference data.
Executive/lead Provides leadership, direction and oversight for data governance activities.
Leads the implementation and monitoring of the data governance framework to meet legislative requirements.
Integrates risk management into frameworks, aligning with strategic objectives and risk appetite.
Understands that data governance is fundamental to broader information governance objectives.
Understands disposal requirements for data assets.