One of my favorite mottos is "Start small, grow big." When organizations approach me about building an information management program from scratch, they often feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task. Let me share how to make this process more digestible.
Don't Try to Eat the Whole Donut
You don't have to bite off and shove the whole donut in your face at once (yes, I prefer donut analogies to elephant ones!). The key is tackling what's priority for your organization. Be frank about the foundational elements you need - skipping these early steps will impact you later.
Building the Foundation First
Think of it like building a house - without a strong foundation, the rest won't stand. Start with essential elements like:
- Retention schedules
- Retention policies
- Privacy policies
- Basic procedures that help people understand the impact on their work
Creating Your Roadmap
When working with organizations, we typically:
- Develop an assessment of the current state
- Create a comprehensive roadmap
- Identify priorities and starting points
- Make recommendations for implementation
Resource Considerations
Remember that implementation depends heavily on your organization's culture and available resources. If you don't have extensive resources, that's okay - take smaller bites of that donut. What matters is that you're moving forward strategically.
The Role of Subject Matter Experts
Success requires engagement from your subject matter experts. They know your culture better than any consultant does, and their support is crucial for implementation. Include them early and often in the process.
Remember, you don't need all the bells and whistles at once. Focus on building a strong foundation, and grow from there.
