Trying to get stakeholders excited about an information management project can feel impossible at times.
They don’t care about tech jargon.
They don’t understand the payoff off secure clean data.
They don’t want to guess why this matters.
And that’s on us.
If we want buy-in for funding, adoption, and actual engagement, then we need to get clear about the story we’re telling and the values that drive it.
Not the technology. Not the taxonomy. The values.
Because when your values are aligned, everything else (governance, adoption, impact, etc.) gets easier.
Like what you see? Want to see more? I invite you to chat with my team at Shinydocs.
"Don't Waste People's Time"
We're trying to tell a story and must keep that in mind. I keep coming back to Linus' 10 rules for making great videos. It’s not just about making good videos for YouTube; it’s about capturing attention for the story you're trying to tell.
And if you want your project to land with leadership, users, or cross-functional teams, these rules apply just as much to an information strategy presentation as they do to YouTube.
Here are some of my favorites from the list:
- Don’t waste the viewer’s time
- Layout the learning up front
- Plan the payoff
When you’re pitching a new system or trying to drive change, the story needs to be clear. The value needs to be obvious. And the point needs to hit before attention fades.
Start with Your Value Statement
Good - Likely to be successful...
The information goal is to help people make accurate decisions and take action faster and with high confidence
Bad - Unlikely to be funded...
Our users can't be trusted so we need a secure clean archive that is labelled and under IT control so we don't get in trouble.
That mindset leads to systems that hide data, slow people down, and push IT’s needs ahead of the business. And it almost always ends in lost trust, low adoption, and negative impact.
Aligning on Empowerment
Could we align on something better? Like this:
"Our job is to ensure people have access to accurate, timely, verifiable information, without wasting time hunting for it."
That doesn’t mean we throw out governance or security. But, it does mean we start with them in mind but prioritize knowing what you have and finding what you need.
Start with the business need:
- How do people find what they need?
- How fast can they make a good decision?
- How confident can they be that it’s the right data?
The Bottom Line on Leading with Values
If you want buy-in, lead with values that align with the goals of your users and your business.
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