IWFM launches new Information Management good practice guide
The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM, a nima affiliate) has published a new information management good practice guide which highlights that information is critical infrastructure and that FM is a key player.
IWFM’s guide provides a transformative framework for how workplace and facilities management (WFM) professionals approach information management – it represents a crucial opportunity for the profession. The Information Management guide positions information as critical infrastructure – essential not only for compliance and operational efficiency but also for strategic assurance, ESG performance and organisational resilience.
The guide is authored by Gordon Mitchell (right), one of the UK’s best known experts on technology in WFM, and chair of the IWFM Technology Special Interest Group. Developed with input from leading experts and peer reviewers across the sector, the guide introduces a Five-Layer Model, a practical tool for embedding structured, trustworthy and outcome-focused information practices. The guide also sits within a wider movement across the built environment sector – The Information Management Initiative (IMI), led by nima.
A whole-business approach to information
One of the guide’s central messages is that information management is not just a leadership concern – it’s a whole-business activity. Everyone in an organisation has a role to play, with WFM professionals at the hub. The Five-Layer Model reflects this, integrating:
- People – clarity of roles and responsibilities
- Process – consistent workflows and structured handovers
- Data – trustworthy, interoperable information
- Technology – systems that support rather than constrain
- Context – alignment with ESG, regulatory and strategic goals
IWFM’s Director of External Affairs, Insight and Impact, Jenny Thomas, said:
“Too often, critical information is generated long before handover to WFM teams, yet its structure defines operational performance for decades. Early decisions ripple into bigger effects and costs down the line.
“IWFM’s lifecycle-spanning guide is an essential tool for aligning people, processes and data across silos, creating a continuous thread of value.“It is so much more than a technical reference. It empowers professionals to lead change, demonstrate value and build workplaces that are resilient and sustainable. It’s a future proof call to action – a roadmap to WFM’s future value.”
The IWFM is planning a lunchtime webinar about the guide, with nima representation, on 21 January 2026. (Registration details)
