The AIIM Blog
Keep your finger on the pulse of Intelligent Information Management with industry news, trends, and best practices.
As an advocate for advanced imaging technologies and standards, I'm often asked why information management practitioners should care about imaging standards like those developed by the TWAIN Working Group. The answer is simple yet profound: these standards are crucial for efficient, accurate, and secure information acquisition and management.
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Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
At Shell, we're on an exciting journey to raise our Information Management (IM) maturity. Our approach is twofold: we look externally at what others in the industry are doing, and we also focus internally on our own progress.
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Making an ECM implementation successful requires planning and attention to detail. The best way to create the right solution is to identify organizational goals and priorities. Learn how to manage a successful implementation in our free guide.
Capture and Imaging | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
As the Chairman of the TWAIN Working Group Board of Directors and the portfolio marketing manager with Kodak Alaris, I've seen firsthand how standardization can revolutionize an industry. In this post, I want to share why standardization, particularly in imaging technology, is crucial for businesses and consumers alike.
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Information Governance | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
When I was a child, I didn't dream of becoming an information management professional. In fact, my ambition was to be a restorer of paintings - something really different from information management. But looking back, there are more similarities than you might expect.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Information Governance | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
The recent AI+IM Forum Europe in Manchester brought together industry leaders and practitioners to explore the evolving landscape of information management in the age of artificial intelligence. Here are my key takeaways from this thought-provoking event.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
As organizations rush to embrace artificial intelligence (AI), many are overlooking a crucial element that could make or break their AI initiatives: effective information management. In this post, I'll explore why information lifecycle management is not just important, but essential for successful and ethical AI implementation.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Intelligent Document Processing
Intelligent document processing (IDP) solutions are emerging that combine AI with IDP to revolutionize client and document onboarding and processing. Particularly useful in the printing, financial services, banking, insurance and healthcare industries, these solutions automate traditionally manual and time-consuming document tasks, drastically reducing onboarding times and errors.
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In today's rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, the question of ethical AI implementation is becoming increasingly crucial. As an information management professional, I've been contemplating the role we play in this complex scenario.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Intelligent Document Processing | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
In this blog post, I want to share how AI is having a dramatic impact on intelligent document processing (IDP). I will share three use cases that demonstrate the impact AI is having.
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As an information management professional, I've observed a concerning trend in the rush to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, particularly when the stakes are high. There's a significant disconnect between the allure of these powerful AI tools and the reality of most organizations' data readiness. This disconnect, which I call the "data delusion," poses significant challenges for successful AI implementation, especially in critical decision-making scenarios.
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Intelligent Document Processing | Intelligent Information Management (IIM) | Process Automation
Forward-thinking organizations seek technologies that streamline operations, reduce errors and improve productivity. One such technology is intelligent document processing (IDP), powered by artificial intelligence (AI). In this blog post, I’ll define intelligent document processing (IDP) and outline some key benefits of IDP. We will also explore how AI-driven IDP enhances efficiency, accuracy and operational effectiveness while reducing errors and costs.
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Data Management | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
I want to share my thoughts on the importance of quality assurance in information management based on my extensive experience in the field, where I found it has been given short shrift in many organizations – particularly when implementing newer technologies. I'll discuss how even small issues can have significant ripple effects on an entire system and why thorough testing is essential to maintain data integrity.
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Certified Information Professional (CIP)
In today's AI-driven world, the ability to effectively manage information is more crucial than ever. At AIIM, we're committed to empowering professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to excel in the field of unstructured data management. Our Certified Information Professional (CIP) credential stands as a testament to this commitment, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding and implementing best practices in information management. To illustrate the real-world impact of the CIP, I'd like to share insights from two of our certified professionals who have seen firsthand how this credential can transform careers and organizations. These insights were collected and shared with us by AIIM Company of Fellow member and Chairman Jesse Wilkins, CIP.
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Women in Information Management (WIIM)
Today I’m sharing insights and experiences I've gained throughout my career. From taking on new challenges to dealing with workplace discrimination, these are tips for anyone looking to thrive in their professional life.
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Information Governance | Oil and Gas
The Importance of Information in Business In today's fast-paced business world, information is key. From making crucial decisions to tracking progress and evaluating strategies, having access to high-quality information is essential for success. That is where Information Management Governance comes into play.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Process Automation
On October 1, 2024, at the AIIM Information and Data Leadership Symposium in Arlington, VA, I had an enlightening conversation with Alan Pelz-Sharpe, Founder of Deep Analysis. Our discussion centered on a crucial question: What should your organization's information management technology stack look like in 2025 to maximize the benefits of AI and process automation?
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At the AIIM Information and Data Leadership Symposium on October 1, 2024, in Arlington, VA, James Crifasi (COO & CTO, RedZone Technologies) and Jay Leask (Principal Technical Architect, Microsoft) engaged in a fascinating discussion about defending and protecting unstructured data.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Compliance | Information Governance
At a recent industry panel, Bill Murphy, Chief Executive Officer of RedZone Technologies, moderated a discussion featuring three distinguished information management experts: Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information & Performance Excellence Officer, American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Candace McCabe, CIP, Sr. Solution Architect - Governance, Risk, and Compliance, Walmart Mark Patrick, CIP, Records Officer, US Department of Defense The panel was part of the AIIM Information and Data Leadership Symposium on October 1, 2024 in Arlington, VA and explored crucial topics in information management, from the value of data to the challenges of innovation. Here are my key takeaways:
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AIIM on Air | Artificial Intelligence (AI)
As the potential of Generative AI (Gen AI) continues to unfold, one resounding theme emerges: better AI starts with better information management. The ability of Gen AI to deliver reliable and valuable outputs is directly contingent upon the quality and curation of the underlying data.
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As someone who works closely with information management and AI, I get asked a lot whether or not we should trust the outputs from generative AI. I've come to the conclusion that trustworthiness is not a realistic goal when it comes to AI-generated content. Instead, we should approach everything AI produces with a sense of mistrust and use critical analysis skills in how we approach generative AI output.
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Why are information management and AI even in the same sentence? It's an interesting question. What's the relationship? Well, the answer is simple: there is no AI without information.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Data Management | Information Governance | Information Security
I recently had the pleasure of hosting a conversation with Rob Bogue, the core author of AIIM's new resource "Organizational Readiness for Generative AI: Leveraging Unstructured Data for Success." This assessment focuses on how to prepare unstructured data for AI implementation. In this blog post, I'll share key insights from our discussion and highlight the importance of this tool for information management professionals.
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AIIM on Air | Artificial Intelligence (AI)
While humans are critical to the success of AI initiatives, they may also present obstacles. In this blog post, we will walk through some of the challenges organizations face when implementing AI for content services.
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AIIM on Air | Artificial Intelligence (AI)
As organizations explore the potential of AI, information management practitioners may face the challenge of being perceived as roadblocks rather than facilitators. However, by aligning Generative AI initiatives with business goals and promoting intentional adoption, these professionals can pivot into a critical educator role.
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AIIM research shows that many organizations feel ready for AI, but encounter obstacles to implementation, especially a lack of available use cases. Where do organization start with Generative AI (Gen AI)?
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Information, or content, is nontabular, unstructured data. Sometimes called “dark data” it includes documents, emails, contracts, invoices, media, and other files that exist outside tabular data. Content is also the essential fuel for generative AI (Gen AI). Generative AI can also be used to better manage and find value in information. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the value of using generative AI to manage content.
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Today (July 28, 2024), we at AIIM (Association for Intelligent Information Management) are thrilled to celebrate our 80th anniversary. With celebrations kicking off earlier this year at the AIIM Conference, today offers us a moment to reflect on our rich history, celebrate our achievements, and look forward to an exciting future in the ever-evolving world of information management.
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Copyright is intended to incentivize creativity to serve the purpose of enriching the public by providing access to creative work. Generative AI engines use content (aka information or unstructured data) to develop large language models. This content can and often does include copyrighted works.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Compliance
I want to share my thoughts on the ongoing debate within the information management industry about how to effectively sell the value of investing in information management. Some argue that the focus should be on business outcomes and solving the problems that keep decision-makers up at night, while others emphasize the importance of compliance and risk mitigation. I'll discuss my perspective on this topic based on my experience working with various organizations.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Information Governance | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
I want to share my thoughts on the relationship between information management and emerging technologies like AI and bots. I'll discuss how I view information management as part of an evolving ecosystem that encompasses various technologies and practices.
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As a former Jeopardy Champion, I've experienced firsthand the importance of memorizing and recalling vast amounts of information. This skill set has not only served me well on the game show but has also informed my perspective on the relationship between human input and artificial intelligence (AI) in the realm of information management.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Data Management
The age of artificial intelligence (AI) has advanced rapidly with the release of tools like ChatGPT becoming available to the end user. These tools can compile information from various sources to answer questions on a wide range of topics. But how accurately can they comprehend truly complex disciplines that require years of specialized expertise?
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Business Process Management (BPM) | Data Management
I was curious about how organizations cope with information management during a merger and acquisition process. What I discovered when I asked our members in AIIM’s Online Community, is that it’s common during the aftermath of a merger and acquisition to be presented with a dilemma of what to do with the two different information management programs of the merging organizations.
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AIIM Community | Women in Information Management (WIIM)
"I don’t look in the mirror to find people who look exactly like me. I look in the mirror to find acceptance- to find home.”
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Big Data
If you are new to AIIM, you might be wondering what AIIM means when we say "information," which we admittedly say a lot. My favorite explanation of information is from Steve Weissman, CIP, who told me that he simply refers to information as "stuff in a box." Information represents all the data you manage within your organization. Information means both structured and unstructured data.
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Digital Transformation | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
April 22nd marks the annual Earth Day, where earthday.org, jointly with many organizations, mobilize volunteers to drive education and elevate awareness, highlight governance efforts and conduct cleanup efforts.
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Data Management | Knowledge Management
Think about your organization for a moment. Is there any employee who doesn't collect, store, transform, analyze, and delete information? We all need information to be successful and help our organizations achieve better business outcomes.
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Information Governance | Retention
It’s funny how corporate leaders get serious about information governance right after their company has been hit with a lawsuit or regulatory action. OK, it’s not funny at all. But that’s usually when many executives decide it's time to implement information governance and in particular, document retention. We’re here to advise you to not put off having a defensible retention program in place long before any legal action occurs.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
It cannot be argued that good decisions come from good information. So, in a world of rapid generative AI adoption, what does this mean for organizations who want to take advantage of this exciting new technology, while also maintaining the integrity of their information and, of course, their business decisions?
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Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
We are launching a newly redesigned survey this month, which explores the state of the information management practice. Here's some background on this new survey and how you can participate in this important research.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Information Security
Data privacy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are two of biggest issues in the information spaces today. However, despite the enormous amount of coverage they receive in the trade and general media, what is not yet well understood is how tightly intertwined they are, and how risky it can be to address them without a proper foundation. Here are a few points to ponder to help you avoid the most common risks.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Data Management
Nobody gives much thought to business forms; they just ‘are.’ As for the management of business forms, almost nobody knows that Forms Management is a ‘thing’; many likely wonder why business forms even need managing. Frankly, it’s as if business forms are unimportant, yet that could not be further from reality. They are critically important, and their centrality and importance in the world of information management and enterprise automation will likely grow exponentially over the coming years.
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AIIM Community | Women in Information Management (WIIM)
March is Women’s History Month and in celebration of women, I want to let you know about AIIM's Women in Information Management group and how we are supporting the information management community.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Information Governance
With AI-centric use cases expanding to extract value from both physical and digital assets, it’s time to see information governance as a way to accelerate innovation.
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AIIM Conference | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
In January, I served as a panelist during a three-part series on mergers and acquisitions in the association space. Hosted by the ASAE Executive Management Advisory Council, the series explored what non-profit organizations need to consider before, during, and after mergers and acquisitions. The panelists were mainly executives and legal professionals, so the fascinating conversations focused very much on strategy, governance, finances, and human capital.
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Data Management | Digital Transformation
In my role as The Info Gov Guy™, I consult with clients from up and down their organizational charts: in records, IT, legal, HR, marketing, etc. What this tells me is that their employers don’t consider their information to be a core business asset – which is odd because they do acknowledge their success depends completely on their ability to quickly find and retrieve current, accurate, and properly safeguarded information.
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Business Process Management (BPM) | Document Management
Recently, the Association for Intelligent Information Management and Business Forms Management Association announced that they have joined forces. BFMA is now a part of AIIM! Read the full press release here. As a longtime board member of BFMA and a new member of AIIM, I wanted to share why forms management matters to information management.
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AIIM Conference | Collaboration
Why do workshops work so well in adult learning? Read on to see how we are incorporating workshops at AIIM24 and how you can use workshops as a powerful tool for adult learning.
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AIIM Conference | Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence is a key focus of AIIM's new strategy, which the AIIM Board of Directors debuted in January 2024. So it's only fitting that AI take the lead at the AIIM Conference 2024 in San Antonio, Texas, April 3-5.
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AIIM Conference | Business Process Management (BPM) | Intelligent Information Management (IIM) | Process Improvement
In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, information reigns supreme. A company's ability to manage its information proactively and effectively often dictates its success in the market. However, with the increasing volume and complexity of data, it becomes imperative to have a solid framework in place to process and protect this vital asset. Enter Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
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Storytelling has been a trending tactic for event planners for the past couple years. And with good reason. Stories enrich experiences and make education and messaging more memorable. Here's how we are incorporating storytelling at the AIIM Conference 2024 in San Antonio, Texas, April 3-5 and some tips for how you can incorporate storytelling tactics when planning your own meetings and events.
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Certified Information Professional (CIP) | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
I am so honored that nine of my colleagues at Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) have successfully been Certified as “Certified Information Professional” (CIPs) by AIIM.
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AIIM Community | Human Resources
I love information management! I love the information governance, records management, and data governance fields. Most of my family and friends think I’m crazy and I would agree with them. This work doesn’t excite everyone. I didn’t always use to be in this field though. Before entering the information management field, I spent 25 years in higher education. Working various roles at colleges and universities across the state of NY was what I loved at the time. I even went to school for it, earning a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration.
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2024 is going to be a special year. As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, we are also launching a brand new strategy. This new strategy reimagines AIIM for the age of artificial intelligence where trusted data and information are essential. In the coming months, we will be sharing much more about our new strategy, but I am very excited to give you a preview of what's to come.
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The value of information governance is obvious to many business and IT leaders. But like confronting an attic that is full of junk, the task of organizing and governing disorganized data can seem overwhelming. Maybe that’s why too many technology and business decision-makers put information governance on the back burner, there to be ignored until a crisis arises and there is a frantic push to find critical information quickly.
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Content Services | Enterprise Content Management (ECM) | Information Governance
AIIM Research shows the number of content systems in organizations is on the rise Organizations everywhere face the challenge of managing an ever-increasing volume of content. From documents and files to multimedia assets and web content, CRMs and ERPs, the pressing need for more broadly encompassing information management has become paramount. According to the AIIM 2023 State of the IIM Industry Report, it is evident that organizations are adopting an increasing number of content systems to handle their diverse content needs.
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Collaboration | Document Management | File Shares
As organizations have settled into the business of the business, one thing seems clear: the new workplace is much different than the one we were used to. Remote work and virtual teams are now a prevalent way of working, with on-site employees often the exception rather than the rule. Now that work-from-home has proven to be a viable alternative, C-Suite executives and business owners are less likely to invest in the resources, infrastructure, and space needed for all of their workers to return to business as usual.
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Certified Information Professional (CIP)
AIIM debuted a new version of the Certified Information Professional (CIP) credential. As of November 27, 2023, AIIM is offering a new version of the exam, which reflects the skills needed for today’s information professionals.
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AIIM Community | Certified Information Professional (CIP)
I am brimming with pride right now. On November 27, 2023, the Association for Intelligent Information Management (AIIM) debuted a new version of the Certified Information Professional (CIP) credential. On November 27, I also found out that I had earned my CIP!
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I was inspired to write this post after listening to an episode of “This Week in Windows” on Leo Laporte’s TWIT.TV podcast network. Leo and one of his co-hosts got into an interesting discussion on the use of Generative AI like ChatGTP with respect to search on the internet. Leo seemed to be making the same mistake many do, and confusing the concepts of using a search engine to answer a query by finding sources of information, and asking a Generative AI system based on a Large Language Model (LLM) to answer a question. The two things are similar but not the same, and what was being discussed was actually adding ChatGTP to Bing, bringing two technologies together to search for information.
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Recently, I was lucky enough to be part of a networking group that got to see a real world demo of Chat GPT in a highly practical use case. The use case was focused on internal search within an organization and utilized the strengths of Chat GPT as a Large Language Model (LLM). The organization demonstrating the use case explained they used a conversational use interface (UI) that focused on user experience and making it easier for the user to find the information they were looking for without having specific domain knowledge or expertise in "prompt engineering." The demo sparked great conversations about what various organizations are doing with pre-trained Large Language Model tools like those provided by Open AI and Microsoft.
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Archiving | Digital Preservation | Digital Transformation
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. We identify, protect, preserve, and make publicly available the historically valuable records of all three branches of the federal government. NARA is also the nation’s records manager. That is to say, NARA’s Office of the Chief Records Officer for the U.S. Government leads records management throughout the federal government and assesses the effectiveness of federal records management policies and programs. Part of that work is to issue guidance to federal agencies on a wide variety of records management topics. One of NARA’s newest guidance products to federal agencies is regulations with digitization standards for permanent records.
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In early October 2023, AIIM partnered with the AIIM Florida Chapter to host the AIIM Solutions Showcase & Strategy Summit in Tampa, Florida. This new event concept highlighted a local chapter and community while creating greater accessibility to AIIM's leadership and strategy. This terrific event was well attended and featured some great education. It emphasized the importance of knowledge sharing and relationship building in a community of practice. Here are my top takeaways from the event.
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In the U.S., President Joe Biden’s administration issued an executive order on artificial intelligence, which “establishes new standards for AI security.” The Executive Order issued on October 30, 2023 directs several actions designed to “protect Americans from the potential risks of AI systems.”
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Big Data | Data Management | Knowledge Management
What is Generative AI? Generative AI has caught fire in the industry – almost every tech vendor has a ChatGPT-like offering (or claims to have one). They are claiming to use the same technology – a large language model (LLM) (actually there are many Large Language Models both open source and proprietary fine-tuned for various industries and purposes) to access and organize content knowledge of the enterprise. As with previous new technologies, LLMs are getting hyped. But what is generative AI?
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Information Governance
AI Governance Resources Patricia C. Franks and Scott Cameron provided this list of helpful resources. Be sure to check out their AIIM blog post about paradata and documenting artificial intelligence (AI) processes.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Metadata
Learn about paradata and how it can be used for documenting AI processes. This special guest blog post was authored by: Patricia C. Franks, School of Information, San Jose State University, California, USA Scott Cameron, School of Information, University of British Columbia; Vancouver, Canada
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Information Governance | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
Navy Petty Officer1st Class Rholanda Tucker, assigned to the "Blacklions" of Strike Fighter Squadron 213, conducts routine maintenance on a 20mm gun from an F/A-18F Super Hornet in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Adriatic Sea, July 16, 2023. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by the U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied, and partner interests. Photo By: Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Aaron Arroyo
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"With great power comes great responsibility" is an adage that Stan Lee’s Spider-Man popularized in popular comics, films, and other media. In Information Management today, there is great power in systems that leverage Artificial Intelligence for quickly making decisions and processing massive volumes of information. As information managers, we have a responsibility to understand that these systems have a potential for bias and how to identify and mitigate risks associated with producing reliable and ethical systems.
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Governments around the world have started the arduous process of developing regulations and standards for artificial intelligence. In June 2023, AIIM formally responded to a request for comment from the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on AI accountability. According to the NTIA website, more than 1,400 responses were submitted. Information management is not an insular profession and it's most successful in an organization when it's focused outward on the needs of stakeholders and business outcomes. As such, AIIM's leadership strongly believes that we must take a strong, active stance on how AI tools use and produce information. AIIM believes it's vital that regulators develop flexible and practical guardrails for how information is treated during AI development and use. Guardrails will empower innovation, boost adoption, and ensure accountability.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Automation | Intelligent Information Management (IIM) | Process Automation
Since the earliest forays into optical character recognition (OCR) by Ray Kurzweil in the early 1970s, software developers have been on a mission to teach computers how to do the paperwork for us. What if the computer could replace the interminable number of hours needed each day in offices around the globe for humans to read documents, understand the meaning, and extract the right data for the next step in a work process? What if the computer could also do the data entry?
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Content Migration | Digital Transformation | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
Research Indicates Digital Transformation Has Stalled After we received the survey responses for the AIIM 2023 State of the Intelligent Information Management Industry Report, I spoke to the report’s authors, Dave Jones and Theresa Resek, about a concerning statistic. Enterprise digital transformation (DT) efforts have stalled. Dave later wrote in the report “over 65% of organizations have achieved significant successes with DT, but that still leaves at least a third who have not.”
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AIIM Community | Collaboration | Human Resources | Women in Information Management (WIIM)
In honor of Pride Month in June, I wanted to share some thoughts about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the information management industry.
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AIIM Community | Human Resources | Market Intelligence
AIIM has been discussing the next generation of information management leaders and how the industry can better attract and retain young professionals quite a lot in 2023, and with good reason.
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Big Data | Compliance | Electronic Records Management (ERM) | Information Governance
This article was written by AIIM Florida Chapter Board Member Alvaro Arias Cruz, District Director of Archives of Bogotá. It was originally published in the AIIM Florida Chapter Newsletter in April 2023. Learn more about the AIIM Florida Chapter at https://aiimfl.org/. Colombia has one of the most robust and comprehensive archives laws in the Latin American region, identified as the General Archives Law (Law 594 of 2000). Through this state norm, Colombia and all its public institutions have made substantial progress in document management and archives administration, so much so that it has been recognized nationally and internationally as a reference for several countries to develop their own legal frameworks on their public archive policies.
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AIIM Community | AIIM Conference | Market Intelligence
I was in Brazil recently to keynote the Information Show in Sao Paulo. Traveling to and speaking at Information Management conferences is endlessly fascinating. One might think that, except for language and location, Brazilian information management professional would be similar to their counterparts in North America and Europe, and in some regards, they are, but the differences can be surprising.
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The AIIM 2023 Conference boasted a first-time attendee percentage of 61% and was graced by representatives from 28 countries. The overall agenda featured more than 80 sessions, so many topics and perspectives enriched the attendee experience. All the keynotes and general sessions were well-attended and ranged from discussing orthodox beliefs in the industry; the value of storytelling in IM; perspectives on artificial intelligence; and the C-Suite's take on Information Management.
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Analytics | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
AIIM is proud to release its State of the Intelligent Information Management Industry report for 2023. Filled with insights and trends that organizations should take note of, the report results from a survey conducted among AIIM members. It provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of information management across different industries.
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When Tony invited me to write a guest blog for AIIM, I planned to write a techie piece on the latest document AI news. I was even tempted to ask ChatGPT to write one in the style of Monty Python. You’ll be pleased to know that moment of temporary insanity quickly passed. Instead of techie talk, I would like to tell you a story about the secret value of AIIM and why I think it’s vital that we all pitch in and help Tori Miller Liu and the team to move AIIM forward.
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AIIM Community | AIIM Conference
Then you better start swimmin' Or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin'. When Bob Dylan wrote his famous song “The Times They Are a-Changin” in 1963, it was an anthem for the era and the civil rights movement. Dylan’s ageless lyrics still resonate today as we navigate political, economic, societal, and technological changes. The information management industry is also undergoing pivotal change due to AI, increasing information chaos, emerging workplace trends, and changing demographics.
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We have an information dilemma on our hands at AIIM. Starting the year, we believed that 2023 is the 80th anniversary of AIIM. We have several blog posts referencing 1943 as AIIM’s founding date. In fact, we celebrated our 75th anniversary just five years ago. 2023 must be our 80th anniversary, right?
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Data Management | Enterprise Content Management (ECM) | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
This is an article about names and whether or not they matter. My first intuition was to open with the quote, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet,” but I thought better of it. Not because it was too cliche, which it was, but because it immediately transported me back to my sophomore year of high school, when the greatest achievement of my life up to that point was winning the role of Romeo in the drama club's production of Romeo and Juliet. Please spare me the reminder of my nerdy teenage years! Anyway, onto the matter at hand. The purpose of this article is to begin a conversation about data and content and whether or not the long-held distinction between the two is still important. I'm admitting to you upfront that I don't have the answer. Instead, I only aim to share what I know.
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Take a deep breath. This is another article about ChatGPT and Generative AI. I'll be honest. I am the type of person that struggles to resist a good hype cycle. In 2021, I couldn't stop talking about the metaverse. I even organized a half-day workshop on the metaverse, with part of the event held in the metaverse. It was very meta.
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Last September, I had just picked up my youngest child from daycare when I received an eagerly awaited phone call. If you have ever been in a car with a squirming, squalling toddler, you know that it’s not an environment conducive to hearing. However, I am nearly certain that I was told that the Search Committee and AIIM Board of Directors had selected me as AIIM’s next President and CEO. I am thrilled that I didn’t mishear and have now joined this special organization.
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Information Governance | Sharepoint and Office 365
I know Halloween has come and gone, but I’d love for you to entertain a horrifying scenario for a moment. It’s March 15, 2020, and the United States has just gone into lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Empire State Building in New York City, the Prudential Center in Boston, Willis Tower in Chicago, and office buildings across the country have become vacant ghost towns. Millions of companies and organizations have to figure out overnight how to conduct business outside the walls of their office for the first time. Now imagine cloud-based collaboration tools were never invented. There are no cloud storage solutions to safely share files across borders. There are no video meetings, digital whiteboards, or real-time document collaboration tools. There’s no instant messaging or internal message boards. How does business get done? Can the world just completely stop for two years?
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The Association for Intelligent Information Management (AIIM), the world’s leading association dedicated to the information management industry and its practice, announced today that it has appointed Tori Miller Liu as its next Chief Executive Officer, effective December 1, 2022. She replaces Peggy Winton who, earlier this year, announced her decision to step down after serving in this position for seven years.
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The digital world has changed the way we live our lives. It has also changed the way organizations do business. With so much information being generated, it becomes more difficult for organizations to manage it all and ensure compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA. Information governance helps organizations maintain control of their information while complying with these regulations.
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Compliance | Electronic Records Management (ERM)
Late last year, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that J.P. Morgan Securities LLC had agreed to pay $125 million to help settle charges of “widespread and longstanding failures by the firm and its employees to maintain and preserve written communications” over the course of several years. On the same day, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) levied a $75 million fine against J.P. Morgan Securities (“JPMS”), along with two other JPMorgan Chase & Co. (“JPMorgan”) entities, for substantially similar conduct—bringing the combined total penalty involving the JPMorgan parent organization to $200 million.
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Digital Transformation | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
There are two things you should know about me. The first is that I love to eat. I have an appetite that was once described as “alarming.” In my teenage years, I would kick back and devour an entire large pizza in one sitting. As I grew older, I refined my pallet and developed a desire for quality ingredients and a craving for a variety of flavors. The second thing you should know is that I hate to cook.
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New cloud-based approaches promise to transform workflow in ways that produce new levels of service, savings, and responsiveness. There are many strategic reasons for moving to the cloud. Organizations around the world have embraced the cloud as a way to fundamentally improve the performance of the business and dramatically improve customer experience.
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Cloud-based systems and applications are popular across organizations in all industries today and are largely regarded as a powerful platform for process innovation and improved organizational performance. According to the IDG 2021 Cloud Computing Survey, the majority (55%) of organizations are now using more than one public cloud. Cloud adoption has also reached more than two-thirds in every industry. Clearly, cloud technology has now established its predominance. Yet despite rising adoption, not every business has made the jump to the cloud. IDC found that only about 9% of organizations are “cloud-only” and over half (54%) remain mostly on-premises with some cloud-based systems mixed in.
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Healthcare | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
I’m at that age when the body starts to go. I now see 100 doctors – no, really, 85 at least. Or so it seems. If I’m not Zooming with my primary care provider, I’m swapping data with a specialist via a phone app or transmitting my blood pressure readings from my remote monitor to the disembodied nurse in my voicemail who chides me with messages if I miss a reading.
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From the Australian Open offering fans art ball NFTs with real-time match data to JPMorgan Chase’s tiger-friendly lounge in the blockchain-based world Decentraland, metaverse events are exploding into 2022 as powerful new weapons to engage with people.
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Business Process Management (BPM) | Process Improvement
There are some chores I love, many I don’t mind, and a few that sap my will to live. Folding laundry falls into the soul-crushing category. I’ve tried doing it while I watch the Price is Right or rock out to Taylor Swift (yes, she’s my guilty pleasure!), but nothing distracts me from the monotony of that task. And my least favorite part about it has always been trying to match the socks.
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Companies are dealing with more data than ever before. In a complex IT environment, the challenge of maximizing the value of that data can be daunting. Everyone in an organization wants to excel, but many do not have holistic approaches for measuring the ongoing status and enhancement of their business data. Not doing so can result in lower overall company performance, incomplete or incorrect data to drive decisions, and undue stress, driving lower overall employee satisfaction.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Content Services | Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Electric utilities in the United States are a major source of CO2 – they created 1.55 billion metric tons of it in 2020. This sector vies only with transportation in producing the most pollution on the planet. And according to the US Energy Information Agency, consumption is expected to grow by 50% by the year 2050.
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At a recent holiday gathering (of triple-vaxxed friends/family), I was reminded of advice from my very elegant and wise grandmother: “Always leave a party when you’re having fun.” Since I’m still having a blast at the AIIM party, now is the ideal time for me to make my way to the exit, passing the presidential baton enroute. That’s right. I promised myself that I would serve only two, 3-year terms in the CEO role, yet here I am, happily beginning the third. I believe in executive term limits, so I had best be honoring my own vow.
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Two new directors elected by members of the association
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Back in 2017, I called up a few of the information governance friends I’d made through the AIIM Community to better understand the challenges they were up against. As we engaged in a bit of Socratic dialogue, it became clear to us all that the perceived role of information governance had to shift from a singular focus on risk and cost reduction. If they don't, they will NEVER change the status of information management within their organizations. The key to this transformation is aligning information management decisions with business decisions.
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Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
In several posts, we’ve talked about professional development options for information management professionals and provided guidance on how to determine whether a particular course or certification is a good fit. For the most part, we’ve stayed away from blogging about AIIM's training for two reasons. First, we wanted these blog posts to be informative and insightful, rather than be perceived as self-aggrandizement. And second, we figured that most people reading these posts would already know AIIM’s offerings. It turns out that that’s not the case. We regularly get questions about AIIM training – what course is right for a particular person, role, or circumstance, what the courses cover, what they cost, etc. So we thought it might be of value to do an overview of AIIM’s training offerings.
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I’ll save you from having to read another contrived word about how difficult the last year was. And it was, without a doubt, difficult. Instead, I want to focus on one of my favorite positives to come out of the pandemic – the “Covid Hobby” phenomenon.
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What is Information Governance, and Why is it Important? There are many benefits to constructing an Information Governance program plan. Generally, regulatory compliance or litigation activities are at the top of the list and often spur the creation of the IG program itself, but that's just the start of the list of IG benefits.
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Electronic Records Management (ERM) | Retention
What happens when information comes to the end of its lifecycle and no longer remains relevant, useful, or valuable? Or, what about when a record’s retention schedule comes to an end? If we keep everything forever, we’ll quickly run into issues like storage costs and other negatives like findability and increased risks. There’s a better way - read on as we explore the importance of Disposition.
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Digital Transformation and Intelligent Information Management Here at AIIM, we talk a lot about Digital Transformation and its link with the practice of Intelligent Information Management. But, what exactly is the link between IIM and Digital Transformation? We explore this topic thoroughly in this previous post, but in summary: Every organization is on – or should be on – a Digital Transformation journey. At the heart of this Transformation journey is the drive toward 1) understanding, anticipating, and redefining internal and external customer experiences. This primary driver depends on other key transformative aspirations such as 2) business agility/innovation, 3) operational excellence, and 4) automated compliance/governance. These drivers require information – in a leverageable form. Today, that’s not always an easy task as the volume, velocity, and variety of information that most organizations need to manage, store, and protect now exceeds their ability to even marginally keep pace with big content challenges. That’s where IIM comes in. This rising tide of information chaos and confusion is creating a demand for new information management practices that extend beyond traditional Enterprise Content Management. AIIM calls this Intelligent Information Management (IIM).
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Regardless of your industry, managing information intelligently requires the ability to find, store, and use information effectively and flexibly in order to get good results. It all boils down to: Finding the right information when you need it. Storing important information in a secure and compliant way. Using that information in ways that matter.
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AIIM on Air | Digital Transformation
We hear a lot about "Agile" as a way to manage change and spur innovation. But what exactly is Agile? And how can we use it to make a difference? That was the topic of our AIIM On Air interview with Darrell Rigby. Darrell leads Bain & Company's Global Innovation and Agile practices and is the co-author of "Doing Agile Right." He's a frequent speaker and writer on innovation and Agile, and has appeared on CNBC, CNN, and Bloomberg, and has had his research published in Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times.
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Despite the proven operational improvements to be gain by going paperless, paper is still prevalent in too many core business processes today including loan applications, insurance claims, and customer onboarding. After last year's mad dash to accommodate distributed workers and work places, the reticence to digitize paper processes is decreasing. 70% of AIIM survey respondents indicate that they plan to expand their efforts to encourage and support more digitally-born documents this year. And, 41% said they plan to fully embrace electronic forms. In today's post, we'll take a holistic look at eliminating paper from your business processes by exploring: The Benefits of Paperless Processes How Today's Organizations Are Prioritizing Key Considerations for Getting Started Steps to Eliminate Paper
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Digital Transformation | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
In both our personal and professional lives, the amount of information we deal with on a daily basis is growing exponentially. At the same time, the variety of this information is evolving -- audio files, video files, and more. The cummulative effect? Information Chaos! For many organizations, information is largely viewed as an achilles heel that must be tamed and controlled. Efforts to do so have largely been focused on reducing cost and risk. However, if information is the currency that fuels digital transformation, organizations cannot continue down the path of viewing information management decisions solely through a tactical cost-minimization filter. In a digital age, the everyday decisions that organizations make about information must become strategic business decisions and must also consider information as a strategic enabler.
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We've all been there, adding in our personal information online to complete a form, make a purchase, or sign up for an offer, and before we click the submission button, we think, "Is this information safe? How might it be used?" We ask ourselves these questions more and more as we continue to grow and expand our online experiences using our personal information. But, whether we realize it or not, it's more than just a matter of safety. As you'll discover in this post, this exchange of information can also be a matter of ethics.
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Information Governance | Sharepoint and Office 365
For millions of Microsoft 365 users, a substantial portion of the organizational knowledge is created, shared, and stored in SharePoint, Exchange email, or OneDrive. Teams offers yet another way to share content with colleagues and even customers, storing files in SharePoint and OneDrive separately. Organizations must oversee this activity across multiple jurisdictions. The information flow is complicated, and the governance implications are substantial.
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AIIM on Air | Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
There is a lot of excitement and interest in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) these days, and for good reason. Intelligent automation helps improve flexibility, response and service; all distinguishing capabilities in the age of digital transformation. As a result, business owners and executives from all industries are taking notice. According to one AIIM research study, 55% of organizations plan to implement some form of robotic process automation in the next 6-12 months. Over 80% say they plan on automating over the next 1-2 years.
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A Look at Information Overload It’s no secret that organizations today are swamped by information. According to AIIM, organizations expect the amount of information they must manage to increase by 4.5x in the next 18 months. Add to this the massive and immediate shift to remote working in 2020 and the impacts of information overload compound exponentially. It’s hard to avoid information overload nowadays. And the quantity and speed of that information coming at us is often more than we can handle. The impacts are felt in every aspect of doing business today; two-thirds of office workers say that the volume of data they must manage negatively affects their job.
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Document Management | Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
The Difference Between Intelligent Document Processing and RPA — Or Is There One? For many businesses, content and data capture tools are highly sought out, particularly in the banking and insurance sectors. With so many different types of documents required to operate and adhere to compliances, the need for capturing data accurately and quickly, especially unstructured data, is ever growing. As a result, businesses are looking at sophisticated data capture solutions to achieve this. For a while, the biggest player was intelligent document processing (IDP), which used to be known as “capture.” However, now robotic process automation (RPA) is matching the features IDP tools offer and throwing their hat into the data capture ring.
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Understanding the Key Factors that Affect How Much Document Automation You Can Achieve When the word “automation” is brought up in a conversation, most people think of something that is completely handed over to machines. And that scenario can be true if the tasks involve very straightforward, highly repetitive work with little variance. Think of processes like provisioning an email account for a new employee and you’ll get the idea. When it comes to automation of document tasks, while it is relatively easy to convert paper into images or to make resulting images of documents searchable, it is quite another thing to take unstructured document-based information and comprehensibly convert it into highly reliable, structured, and usable data. All of a sudden, aspects of a project or organization’s requirements that appear to be very straightforward begin to take on more ambiguity when it comes to assessing just how much automation can be achieved.
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With SharePoint now included in Enterprise Microsoft 365 subscriptions, it is now more accessible than ever before. It is tempting for organizations to just jump right in and start setting it up without much forethought. SharePoint, however, is a sophisticated content management system. As a leader in the content management space, it offers a robust set of capabilities. That depth and breadth of functionality works best with considerate planning up front for how you’re going to use it. SharePoint also has deep integrations throughout the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Learning how different services and applications work together can mean the difference between a successful implementation and a stagnant one.
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The shift to remote work has significantly impacted how organizations manage information. We sat down recently with Adam Storch, Vice President of Business Solutions, Micro Strategies, to discuss the effect advancing technology and the move to hybrid workplaces have had on information management.
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The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has, almost overnight, forced many organizations to modify their business practices and transition to a remote workforce. Of course, the first focus during this transition is deploying the connectivity and infrastructure necessary to support your remote workers. Don’t, however, lose sight of the fact that information scattered across a dispersed workforce can significantly raise the risk of a data breach or other security concerns.
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The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has changed most everything. Technology, social, and cultural disruptions have forced organizations to shift rapidly, expanding remote work capabilities. As we approach the post-pandemic era, a new normal has emerged in workstyles. Businesses now look to foster and enable a hybrid workplace. With this massive transition underway, many organizations struggle to maximize productivity and resilience while building a seamless and secure digital workplace.
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As the amount of data entering the organization proliferates, and the amount of content with business value (deemed a “record” in many cases) also increases, organizations everywhere are struggling with a massive information overload problem. Content is running rampant and sprawling, and records are being captured improperly, making discoverability and the resulting value of that information significantly lower.
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If you’ve been paying attention to the research we conduct and the educational information we share, you know that AIIM describes Intelligent Information Management (IIM) as all the things you want to do with, or get from, your organization’s information. We break these up into five key categories of actions or aspirations: Creating and Capturing Information Extracting Intelligence from Information Digitalizing Core Business Processes Automating Governance and Compliance Implementing an Information Management Solution
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There are still many organizations that could benefit from the adoption of process automation technologies like Business Process Management (BPM), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and Case Management. In fact, according to AIIM research, the overall adoption of these technologies is around 30-40% of organizations, skewed toward larger organizations with more than 1,000 employees. That leaves roughly 60-70% of organizations that make up potential users. To help these potential users, we surveyed experienced users of BPM, RPA, and/or Case Management technologies for their best advice for getting started.
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The volume, velocity, and variety of information that most organizations need to manage, store, and protect now exceeds their ability to even marginally keep pace manually. This rising tide of information requires thoughtful strategies for automation to leverage its true power. To see what really drives the push to automation, AIIM surveyed over 260+ information professionals (click here to get a Free copy of the report). Here’s a look at why the AIIM Community cares about process automation.
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AIIM on Air | Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The notion of Artificial Intelligence has pervaded both the business world and popular culture. And, while Hollywood often portrays AI in a future world of smart robots with super-human characteristics, the truth is that AI technologies are already at work fueling important changes in the way business is conducted every day.
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In last week's article, we talked about the changing role of M365 within organizations, how it is governed, and how it connects with other content management solutions. Given its rapid evolution and adoption – particularly with the maturation of Office 365 and Cloud versions of SharePoint, we probably should have made a few points about brand terminology. With similar names, "Microsoft 365" and "Office 365" are sometimes used synonymously by users. They are actually different. What's the difference? Let's take a look: The confusion may have started in 2017 with Microsoft's release of Microsoft 365. This new offering bundled a group of their existing products under one license. One of the products included in the bundle is Office 365...you can see where terminology confusion set in. Let's clear things up with the infographic below:
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As late as 2010, many end-users and solution providers viewed SharePoint as useful for project groups and document sharing – but more of an interesting tangent to the world of content management than “real” ECM. However, standalone ECM solutions at that time came at a very high cost. Many of these ECM solutions were built for high-volume scanning/capture applications and priced accordingly. So what about those who couldn't afford that investment? What about the middle market masses?
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The amount of data organizations must manage today is truly mind-boggling. Research shows that there are 2.5 quintillion bytes of data created each and every day. During the last two years alone 90% of the data in the world was generated. It’s no wonder that many organizations struggle to simply keep pace. And moving mountains of data from older legacy systems to modern cloud-based repositories can seem out of reach for most, regardless of the potential advantages of modernization. But what can you do when you need to migrate? If leaving your data in place is not an option, and moving it makes you lose sleep at night, you can quickly feel overwhelmed by the chaos. Thankfully, there are some new approaches to data migration that may provide an answer. Which is the best approach for your project? Let's take a look at three common approaches to migration to compare them.
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Electronic Records Management (ERM)
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) set forth the government-wide policy M-19-21 as a directive to progress how government records are managed. Read on to learn what this directive is, who it impacts, and seven factors necessary to achieve compliance. What Is M-19-21? Who Does M-19-21 Impact? When Is The M-19-21 Deadline? 7 Factors Necessary to Achieve Compliance
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AIIM on Air | Digital Transformation
What is the future of work? That’s hard to say. But one thing seems certain: Disruption lies ahead. Driven by innovations in technology, shifting business strategies, and evolving definitions of success, the workplace is changing fast. As the adoption of things like process automation, AI, and Machine Learning continue to accelerate, so will the pace of change in the workplace. Indeed, with the continuing trend toward remote work, many of us may not have a workplace at all. As a result, we must all reconsider how jobs are designed and work to adapt and learn for future growth.
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Knowledge is power - both in our personal lives and work lives. But, in our organizations, the management of this knowledge is one of the most crucial yet overlooked aspects of workplace progress. When employees fail to get access to the knowledge necessary for completing their tasks, the organization can suffer. In fact, there are many benefits to using a practice called Knowledge Management to purposefully manage your organization's knowledge assets and ensure access. Today, we'll be exploring an aspect of Knowledge Management called Expertise Location - the idea, in a nutshell, is to manage knowledge by identifying experts on a particular topic and then leveraging that expertise in support of business goals and objectives. Every company has experts on different topics, and Expertise Location is a way to formalize and easily identify and track where to go to leverage this expertise. Ready? Let's jump in!
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The practice of Knowledge Management carries many benefits for your organization, including increased efficiency, better decision-making, improved customer service, and more. With these benefits in mind, let’s get into specific knowledge management tactics you can use to maximize the use of your company’s knowledge assets - six steps you can start working through today! Step 1: Determine What you Need to Know Step 2: Categorize Your Knowledge Assets Step 3: Have Clear Corporate Data Security Policies Step 4: Promote Knowledge Sharing Step 5: Secure Valuable Knowledge Step 6: Get the Right Technology
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Quick question: What’s your business’s most prized asset? Is it a tangible asset, like a high-rise building in an upmarket area? Is it owning groundbreaking high-tech tools? What about your inventory, cash, or cash equivalents? In today’s knowledge economy, it's knowledge assets that are vital to a company’s growth. When you think about it, knowledge assets are more important than tangible assets. They can make or break a business. Sadly, many brands ignore knowledge asset management. In this article, we'll explore the benefits of using a strategic practice called Knowledge Management to purposefully manage your organization's knowledge assets. Let’s begin:
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AIIM on Air | Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
The phrase "the art of the possible" can mean different things to different people. For those of us in the information management business, it has come to mean "achieving what we can (possible), rather than what we want (often impossible)." For me, it's an optimistic view of the future rather than a fearful acknowledgment of our challenges and difficulties. The "art" part is where the magic happens; as we allow ourselves to explore the boundaries of what information technology permits us to achieve and how those capabilities move the needle in terms of transformation, innovation, and organizational performance; indeed pushing back those boundaries with a new, more forward-looking approach.
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Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
A staple of many Information Technology (IT) policy suites is the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), intended to govern what people working in the organization can and cannot do with the technology we provide them. IIM professionals and consultants push to have these kinds of policies in place, and countless templates and best practices are available on the Internet to use as a starting point if we don't have one already.
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This post is focused on the following topics. You may click these links to jump to a specific section:
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AIIM on Air | Artificial Intelligence (AI)
How will humanity survive the AI revolution? Simple—we become superhuman. That is the subject of our new AIIM On Air interview with author and researcher Alex Bates.
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Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
One would think that the rapid pace of changing technology is the primary struggle for organizations on their journey to transforming into a truly digital organization. However, based on our recent state of the intelligent information management industry research, that is simply not the case. At the top of the list of true obstacles that organizations face is money – "lack of budget and resources" (26%). This is followed by a "lack of a true strategy for managing information assets" (24%), and "an immature culture" (18%). Here's a look at the data from the research:
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Global research and advisory firm, Gartner, predicts that by 2024 more than 45% of IT spending will shift from legacy on-premises solutions to the cloud. Cloud infrastructure spending is expected to jump from $63 billion in 2020 to $81 billion by 2022. The cloud race was well underway in 2020 when COVID reared its unfortunate head and sent businesses still on the cloud adoption starting blocks into a frenzy. Those who had already adopted and implemented a cloud-first strategy sat smugly in the stands. The perks of a cloud-first approach for data management have been well documented: unified, content-services platforms accessed anytime, anywhere by empowered employees leading to improved productivity and reduced operational costs.
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AIIM on Air | Capture and Imaging
Our ability to intelligently capture information in an automated and consistent way, share it with teams, customers and partners, and integrate that content into business processes is a core element of Intelligent Information Management. Indeed, this is the “on-ramp” to the process improvements using information to drive organizational performance.
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As the AIIM team and I put the finishing touches on AIIM21: a galactic digital experience, our attention is laser-focused on the educational content we bring to this year's participants. We take our upskilling and uplifting responsibilities pretty seriously around here, believing that we have an outsized obligation to move the industry and the community up the business value chain. We know that Information Management leaders of the future rely on AIIM for knowledge and insight. In guiding and prepping the event partners and educators, I revisited an article that AIIM21 keynote speaker, Tom Koulopoulos wrote six years ago. Tom is no stranger to AIIM, having presented at our 2015 conference in San Diego. Here's a picture of him from that event: In the article, Tom offers five predictions for business and technology in the twenty years hence. As we welcome him back to the conference keynote stage, let's take a quick trip back in time to revisit Tom's original forecast from 2015.
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Intelligent Information Management (IIM)
We surveyed members of the AIIM Community as a part of our yearly look at the state of the industry. The numbers are in— 46% of respondents graded their organizations as poor or needs improvement when it comes to dealing with the rising tide of information chaos. Even more alarming, senior executives feel more confident in their efforts than the reality would suggest. Here's a look at how the AIIM Community self-assessed on how well the strategies for business and technology align in their organization. For fun and visual effect, we've created this 2021 Informational Professionals' report card to present the results.
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Technology and apps that are helping to prevent illness, accidents, and crime also happen to collect a vast amount of personal data. Similarly, some of the video conferencing and collaboration platforms that we knowledge workers are all too familiar with are now using artificial intelligence to recognize participants and their behaviors. Are these new features a boost to efficiency and convenience or simply the latest attempt by providers to push the boundaries between convenience and intrusion?
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Document Management is the use of a software application to track digital documents from creation through approval and publication. It serves in many ways to apply a formal governance framework to the document creation and collaborative editing processes.
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In a truly all-digital world, there would be no need for printers – or scanners or document couriers. Documents would never need to be printed, and processes would run smoothly from all-electronic input to all-electronic output. This may already the reality for some leading companies, but for most organizations, forms, contracts, agreements, and signoffs are still rooted in wet ink on paper. In this post, we’ll examine the importance of signatures for various organizations - particularly for process sign-offs and professional authorizations, look at the drivers for electronic signing, the issues that might be preventing adoption, and look at how the AIIM Community views digital signatures. Sound good? Great, let’s dive right in!
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We’ve covered the importance of Information Capture on the blog before and explored how capture represents the first step in the information lifecycle. In this step, we “capture” or gather information into our business ecosystem to store, manage, protect, and ultimately it use for business value. It ALL starts with capture. But, the value of a document is in its content, not whether it was received as an email attachment, captured via a smart phone or tablet, or scanned using a multifunction device. Therefore, multichannel capture takes into account that your business likely has multiple channels or sources of information flowing in and out of your business. As we will discover together, these channels often need to be treated individually, and your Information Capture strategy must take into account the differences from channel to channel.
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AIIM on Air | Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Cloud
The notion of Artificial Intelligence has pervaded both the info and tech worlds. Indeed, it's difficult to have a discussion or a webinar without the topics of AI and Robotic Process Automation coming up. And while it might be tempting to dismiss the implications as something from a Hollywood movie of a future world populated by smart robots with super-human characteristics, the truth is that these technologies are already at work today, fueling important changes in the way we do business.
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Electronic Records Management (ERM)
In another post this week, we took a look at the first step in the information lifecycle – information capture. We not only talked about the importance of capture, but we also talked about what you should be capturing and what you should avoid capturing. Today, I’d like to dig a little deeper into that discussion and talk about how to distinguish between a record and a non-record. This is an important distinction to make when developing your Information Capture strategy. If you are new to records management, some of the following may need a little getting used to, especially if you associate ‘anything that is in a file’ with the idea of ‘record’. In fact, many items that people keep, or file, are definitely not records. Let's start out with some examples of what is typically considered a record and what is typically NOT considered a record.
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Many organizations have an obligation to maintain the information they create and receive as part of regular business activities and to ensure that the information is secured and maintained in official filing systems. But, with an endless amount of information flowing in and out of your business on a daily basis - how do you determine what to capture and what to avoid? Not all information is equal, and capturing everything could actually have a more negative impact on your business, but we'll address this later in the post. This post will help you develop an Information Capture strategy that fits your business' needs and avoids the common pitfalls.
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Migrating to a new system or moving to a new platform? Then you’ll definitely need to create a successful data migration strategy to protect your valuable data and achieve the desired results. In this article, we’ll take a look at several ways to migrate your data. They will allow you to build a successful strategy, prevent data loss, and make everything as efficient as possible.
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