## Information Asset Owners And Digital Continuity

 
you don't **understand** what your information is 
and what it's about 
 
you don't **trust** your information and can't be 
confident that it is what you say it is. 
Digital information is vulnerable at times of change, including technical, organisational and business change. These risks can increase over time if not managed from the outset. 

Your role in managing digital continuity As an IAO, your role is about providing assurance and making sure that action is taken to manage the 
 
digital continuity of your information assets. 

Digital continuity is the ability to use your 
 
information in the way that you need, for as long as That's largely about understanding and you need.  
coordinating the activities of others in your 
 
organisation who have specialist areas of Loss of digital continuity is a serious information responsibility. Your IT and information risk - one that you need to manage in your role as management and information assurance functions an Information Asset Owner (IAO). Without usable are key contacts in supporting you to manage information, you cannot operate transparently, digital continuity.  
legally or accountably.  
 
 
For more detailed guidance on your role, including This factsheet gives an overview of what you need your digital continuity responsibilities, read The to do, points you to guidance and tools that can Role of the Information Asset Owner: a Practical help you, and to people you can work with to Guide, available here: 
manage digital continuity. 

nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-
 
management/role-of-the-iao.pdf  
What loss of digital continuity means 
 
Ensuring the digital continuity of your assets 

 
you can't **find** the information you need 
Managing digital continuity means making sure that 

 
you can't **open** the information you need 
your information is complete, available and 

 
you can't use or **work with** your information in 
therefore usable for your business needs.  

the way you need 
To ensure the digital continuity of your information 

 
Does the information have a manageable 
assets, take the following actions: 

lifecycle? Were all the components created for 
a common purpose? Will they be disposed of in 

## 1. Identify Your Information Assets

the same way and according to the same rules?  

## 

 
 
2. Identify how you need to use your 
An information asset is a body of information, 
 

## Information

defined and managed as a single unit so it can 
 
You need to determine the use you need from your 

be understood, shared, protected and exploited 
 
information assets. This covers everything from 

effectively. Information assets have 
 
how you find it, through how you access it and what 

recognisable and manageable value, risk, 
 
you do with it. You need to assess what your 

content and lifecycles.  
 
requirements are now, and how they might change 

 
 
over time. 

To assess whether something is an information 
 
asset, ask the following questions:  
The usability you need to maintain for your information over time and through change is the 

  
Does it have a value to the organisation?  
core of digital continuity. If you lose the ability to 

 
Will it cost money to re-acquire the information? 
find, access, use, understand and trust your 

Would there be legal, reputational or financial 
information in the way that you need, you have lost 

repercussions if you couldn't produce the 
its digital continuity. 

information on request?  

## 

 
Would it have an effect on operational efficiency 

## 3. Document The Relationships Between

if you could not access the information easily? 

## Business Requirements And Information Assets

Would there be consequences of not having 
Keep a record of what you've learned. For each 

this information?  
asset make sure the business requirements they 

 
Is there a risk associated with the information? 
meet, and the additional information which is vital 

Is there a risk of losing the information? A risk 
to managing them are recorded. Your organisation 

that the information is not accurate? A risk that 
may already have some form of Information Asset 

someone may try to tamper with it? A risk 
Register (IAR) that you can use as a starting point, 

arising from inappropriate disclosure?  
adding additional fields as required. 

 
Does the group of information have a specific 

## 

content?  
For more detailed guidance on points one, two and 

 
Do you understand what it is and what it is for? 
three, read Identifying Information Assets and 

 
Does it include all the context associated with 
Business Requirements, available from: 

the information?  
nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/informationmanagement/identify-information-assets.pdf  
You can also download an IAR template from: 
Use our *Testing for Continuity Checklist* to check nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/informationthe continuity of your information assets after change: 
management/iar_template.xls 
 
nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-

## 4. Ensure Action Is Taken To Manage The Digital

management/testing-for-continuity-checklist.pdf  

## Continuity Of Your Assets

 
Discuss how you need to find, access, understand, You might also find it useful to read:  
work with and trust your information assets with 

 
Change Management for Digital Continuity 
your IT, information management and information 

SROs: 
assurance teams. They can then make sure that 

nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-
their processes and practices support that use now, 

management/change-management-for-sro.pdf  
over time and through change.  

 
Digital Continuity for Change Managers:: 
 

nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-
Document the actions and processes you've 

management/digital-continuity-for-change-
agreed, and monitor compliance. This should form 

managers.pdf  
part of your report to your Senior Information Risk 

 
Migrating Information between EDRMS: 
Owner.  

nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-
 

management/edrms.pdf  
You need to be confident that actions are being 
 
taken to manage the risks to the digital continuity of 

## Help From The Digital Continuity Service

your information assets. You can undertake a risk You can use The National Archives' Digital assessment on the information assets that you are Continuity Service to help you understand and responsible for by using our free self-assessment manage digital continuity.  
tool, available from: 
 
nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-
The service includes guidance, a framework of management/iar_template.xls technical tools and services, a self-assessment risk 
 
assessment process, and a free file profiling tool You need to be particularly vigilant before, during called DROID, which will tell you what files you've and after organisational or technical change - to got, their format, size and last modified date.  
ensure that the continuity of vital information assets is included at the outset. Again your role is largely 
 
as an advocate, ensuring that your IT, information The Digital Continuity Service is available from: 
assurance and information management teams www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/digitalcontinuity  
include loss of digital continuity as a risk, and 
 
manage it accordingly.