Information Resources Management (IRM) is the process of managing information resources to accomplish agency missions and improve agency performance, including reducing information collection burdens on the public. When standardized and controlled, these resources can be shared and reused throughout an agency, not just by a single user or application. [1]
Definition: Information Resource Management (IRM) is a technique of managing information as a shared organizational resource.
Information Resources Classes
There are three (3) classes of information resources:
- Business Resources: Enterprises, Business Functions, Positions (Jobs), Human/Machine Resources, Skills, Business Objectives, Projects, and Information Requirements.
- System Resources: Systems, Sub-Systems (business processes), Administrative Procedures (manual procedures and office automation-related), Computer Procedures, Programs, Operational Steps, Modules, and Subroutines.
- Data Resources: Data Elements, Storage Records, Files (computer and manual), Views, Objects, Inputs, Outputs, Panels, Maps, Call Parameters, and Data Bases.
Information Resources Management (IRM) Concept
The concept of RM is actually no different in intent than Materials Resource Planning (MRP) as used in manufacturing. Both are concerned with the efficient and cost-effective use of resources. The classification and control of resources are the main objectives. Resources are classified to prove their uniqueness so that redundancy is not introduced and to promote sharing. Control is required to collect, inventory, and retrieve resources as required by the business.
Information Resources Management (IRM) vs. Materials Resource Planning (MRP)
Whereas MRP is concerned with managing products and the parts required to produce them, IRM is concerned with managing information and the resources required to produce it.
Benefits of Information Resources Management (IRM)
One of the important benefits of IRM is the cataloging and cross-referencing information resources is a model of the enterprise, including how it is organized and how it operates. Other benefits include:
- All information resources are controllable, permitting the ability to design integrated systems and perform an “impact analysis” of a proposed resource change.
- The simplified search of information resources for reuse. The redundancy of resource definition is eliminated.
- Complete and current documentation of all information resources, in an organized and meaningful way.
- Communications within the organization are improved since developers and users would use standard and common definitions for information resources, all of which would be in standard business terminology.
AcqLinks and References:
- [1] Website: Title 44 U.S.C. 3502 “Definitions”
Updated: 7/21/2021
Rank: G4.6
