Nima: a chartered future if and when members want it

During a recent online forum, nima chair Dr Anne Kemp OBE clearly stated the organisation’s position on future chartership. “We’re considering the road to chartership. Before we actually do that, we do want to test the market. We want to test potential members and existing members: is that something that’s going to be helpful for you? The strategy is not set in stone. We want to have dialogue with you through the quarterly forums and other forums to ask what you want nima to do.”

Furthermore, she noted that nima would have to do “quite a lot from a structural perspective” to become chartered. Reiterating nima’s mission statement, Kemp said: “First, we need to establish ourselves as a thriving membership body, providing a home for all information management professionals in the built and managed environment. In parallel, we need to develop a consensus-based information management competency framework – drawing on the Information Management Initiative (IMI) and the supporting IMI Framework, aligned with ISO 19650, incorporating digital twin frameworks, and strong data governance. 

“We also plan to develop training programmes and routes to certification, and then, if and when the time is right, potentially move to become a chartered professional body.”

The consensus-based information management competency framework will be developed by nima vice-chair Paul Woddy. Kemp also revealed that the framework for measuring information management maturity and benefits (which provides the metrics to demonstrate progress at both an organisational and industry level) has reached minimum viable product (MVP) status. Nima will hold workshops to gain feedback on the MVP.

In delivering a progress update, she revealed that the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority has joined the IMI steering group, alongside the Department for Business & Trade, the Department for Transport and the Scottish Futures Trust.

Kemp noted that more clients signing up to the IMI and requiring their contractors and suppliers to be signed up to the IMI will drive demand for information management professionals.