Title/definition:
Amsterdam Information Management Model (AIM)
The basics:
The Amsterdam framework for information management provides a mapping of the relationships between organization and information.
Summary:
The Amsterdam Framework for Information Management was developed in at the University of Amsterdam (Contouren van een generiek model voor informatiemanagement, 1997). It can be used as a tool for positioning and interrelating information management functions. It can be applied to the areas of business-IT alignment and sourcing, and can be of use when considering IT governance. It offers a high level view of the entire scope of information management; its main application is in the analysis of organization and responsibilities.
The Amsterdam Framework for Information Management can be used to support strategic discussions in three different ways, as shown in the diagram below:
· Descriptive, orientation – the framework offers a map of the entire information management domain, and can be used for positioning specific information management processes in the organization.
· Specification, design – the framework can be used to re-organize the information management organization, e.g. to specify the role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) or determine the responsibilities of the retained organization in the case of outsourcing.
· Prescriptive, normative – the framework can be used as a diagnostic instrument to find gaps in an organization’s information management, and specifically aimed at identifying missing interrelationships between the various components of the framework.
On the horizontal axis, the framework distinguishes three domains of governance:
1. Business – This domain comprises all standard business functions such as management, HR, resources and processes.
2. Information and Communication (information domain – This domain describes how information and communication supports the business. In this domain, business requirements are translated into the IT (technology) capabilities that are needed to support the business.
3. Technology (IT domain) – This domain specifically describes the development and management of IT solutions.
The vertical axis describes the three levels of governance:
· Strategy (scope, core competencies and governance);
· Structure (architecture and competencies);
· Operations (processes and skills).
Figure: Amsterdam Framework for information Management
The Amsterdam Framework for Information Management intrinsically connects Information/Communication and Structure as the central components of Information Management.
Target audience:
The framework was developed for information managers, enterprise architects and IT architects.
Scope of the framework:
The scope of the framework is the information management domain.
Strengths and pitfalls:
This framework enables discussions on the topic of business and IT alignment, but it does not provide information on how organizations can actually achieve better communications between business and IT. The framework is not a method, and cannot be used in a descriptive way; however, it can be a useful addition to enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF.
Relevant links (web links):
Descriptive English language papers can be found on the Internet by searching for
“Amsterdam Framework for Information Management”.
Weblink to (related) more material: http://www.vanharen-library.net
