Information Content Management Best Practices: Information Services Portfolio Management

The concept of portfolio management focuses on maximizing the return and managing the risk of the enterprise's investment in information content services. Although there are precedents in finance and IT organizations, the concept is new to information functions. This Briefing explains how portfolio management can be an effective strategic tool for information managers. It describes the steps involved in establishing a portfolio management process, including analysis of services on a decision matrix that will help focus the portfolio on high-return investments. It also describes a number of hurdles that can slow the implementation of a portfolio management program. For content deployment professionals, the Briefing provides a road map for a process that could be a cornerstone of strategic plan implementation. For commercial content vendors, portfolio management provides an opportunity to anticipate needs and assist customers, in a way that will translate into early identification of at-risk accounts and accounts receptive to new services.