This presentation, delivered at the MER conference in Chicago on May 23, 2023, introduced attendees to the concept of an information governance playbook. Attendees learned the purpose and value of a playbook, as well as the structure of a playbook and of individual plays. The session concluded with a discussion of how to build and maintain a playbook.

1. How to Build and Sustain Your IG Program
with an IG Playbook
MER 2023
May 23, 2023
Donda Young
President, Helias Consulting
Jesse Wilkins
President, Athro Consulting

2. Agenda
What is a Playbook?
The Value of the Playbook
Building Your IG Playbook

3. What is a Playbook?

4. What is a Playbook?
• A compilation of the organization’s
business “plays”

5. What is a Playbook?
• A compilation of the organization’s
business “plays”
• A description of how to execute the
“plays” as they exist today
• As-is, not ideal
• In the context of your organization and
your culture

6. What is a Playbook?
• A compilation of the organization’s
business “plays”
• A description of how to execute the
“plays” as they exist today
• As-is, not ideal
• In the context of your organization and
your culture
• A living document

7. What is a Playbook?
• A user manual for your department or
business
• In this case, a user manual for your IG
program!
Source: Trainual

8. What the
Playbook
Is Not
A regurgitation of industry
standards and “best practices”
A copy of how another company
may have chosen to do it
A set of detailed procedures
A strategy

9. Agenda
What is a Playbook?
The Value of the Playbook
Building Your IG Playbook

10. The Playbook Should
Answer These Questions:
What would your replacement need to
know to do your job for 30-60-90 days?
What are the things you do, create,
monitor, or report regularly?
What are the questions you answer
every day/week/month?

11. Benefits of Using a Business Playbook
Organization Efficiency Cost Savings Work Quality
Employee
Training
Independence Improvement
Source: Indeed.com, https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-a-playbook-in-business

12. Organization
Hey, it’s what we do!
The playbook includes
everything you need to
execute your program’s
plays – all in one place.

13. Work Quality
Consistency in how tasks
are performed…
Even if you’re out of the office
and not the one performing
them

14. Employee Training
• Speed up employee
onboarding and
training
• Again, consistency!

15. Agenda
What is a Playbook?
The Value of the Playbook
Building Your IG Playbook

16. Structure of
the Playbook
Introduction to the Playbook
Introduction to the Program
The Plays
Appendices

17. What Plays
Should Be
Included in
Your Playbook?

18. Facets of IG
Source: Information Governance Institute,
2015

19. Information Governance Plays
Inventory systems, information, and processes
Inventory
Assess proposed new technology solutions
Assess
Conduct annual IG assessment
Conduct
Review and maintain policies and other documentation
Review

20. Privacy Plays
Conduct data privacy
impact assessments
Respond to data
subject access
requests
Review and maintain
privacy disclosures
Report privacy
program status

21. Information Security Plays
Ensure PCI compliance
Ensure
Conduct technical security assessments
Conduct
Review and maintain a security incident response plan
Review and
Maintain
Assess and manage access controls
Assess and
Manage

22. eDiscovery Plays
Develop a collection
and legal hold strategy
Communicate
placement and lifting of
legal holds
Apply and lift legal
holds
Collect information
relevant to
investigations or other
legal matters

23. Records Management Plays
Maintain the
Retention
Schedule
Assess and
Audit the
Program
Conduct
Scheduled
Disposition
Activities
Administer
Recordkeeping
System(s)

24. What are the
Elements of a
Play?

25. The Architecture of a Play
• The purpose of the play
• A description of the play
• The players involved in the play
• The frequency and schedule
of the play
• The references, guidelines,
standards, checklists, etc.
required to execute the play
• The metrics associated with the
play

26. Example
Play: Send
Boxes to
Offsite
Storage
Purpose
Description
Players
Schedule
References and Resources
Metrics

27. Example
Play: Send
Boxes to
Offsite
Storage

28. How Do You Determine What Plays to Include?
Analyze your
existing
processes and
procedures
1
Review any
guidelines,
templates, and
job aids
2
Make a list of
job
responsibilities
for you/your
staff
3
DON’T
review an RM
textbook….
4

29. Who Should
Build Your
Playbook?

30. Who Should
Build the
Playbook?
You!
The subject matter
expert / process
expert
With management
support and signoff

31. Where Do You
Build and
Keep Your
Playbook?

32. Where Do You Build And
Keep Your Playbook?
• Word document-type manual
• PowerPoint file
• As separate articles or pages in a wiki
• Trainual, etc.
• SharePoint, Confluence
• Learning management system

33. Where Do You Build
And Keep Your
Playbook?
• Wherever it can be accessed by the
ones who need to access it
• Wherever it can be readily updated

34. Maintaining Your Playbook
• Only as valuable as it is current
• New processes / plays
• Legal or operational updates
• Changes to tools or configuration
• Implement a regular review cycle!

35. Questions?

36. Additional
Resources
• The Business Playbook, Chris
Ronzio
• https://www.indeed.com/career-
advice/career-
development/what-is-a-playbook-
in-business
• Ariel Lim Consulting, Create Your
Own Business Playbook
https://ariel-
lim.com/blog/business-playbook/

38. Connect For More Information
Donda Young
President, Helias Consulting
https://www.heliasconsulting.com
dlyoung@heliasconsulting.com
Twitter: @dondayoung
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dondayoung/
Jesse Wilkins
President, Athro Consulting
https://www.athroconsulting.com
jesse.wilkins@athroconsulting.com
Twitter: @jessewilkins
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessewilkins