Capco Institute Blog

Information management (IM) is fundamental to the success of banks, yet effective IM is difficult to achieve. A new Capco report indicates that the majority of U.S. banks are merely “surviving” when it comes to IM programs. Little wonder, since the age of respondents’ IM programs varies widely, and their investment in IM programs is relatively modest.

Based on research conducted in spring 2012 by The Banker, the report offers insight into how technology executives view their banks’ IM program. Only 19 percent described their program as “thriving.” Two-thirds of those surveyed said their program was “surviving,” while 14 percent described it as “stumbling.”

There are likely two reasons for such responses. Either the majority of chief information offices (CIOs) and chief technology officers (CTOs) surveyed are less than pleased with the current state of affairs or they recognize that information management does not have an end state and they are unwilling to declare victory just yet in what is a continuous journey.

Shortcomings were revealed in the areas of value, strategy, governance, technology and regulation. For example, about a third of those surveyed admitted that they do not extract as much value as they should from information management.

Nonetheless, such characterization of banks’ IM programs by technology executives raises the question as to whether this finding will be a call for remedial action or whether it will be accepted as the status quo.

How would you rate the status of your IM program? Join the discussion.