Information Governance Agency Self-assessment Tools
The IPC has produced innovative Information Governance Agency Self-assessment Tools for use by all agencies within New South Wales.
The IPC Information Governance Self-assessment Tools enable agencies to conduct an assessment of their systems and policies that ensure their compliance with privacy and information access requirements.
The Tools were first published in 2019 and reviewed in 2023. The revised Tools build upon the previous version and now feature three components that work together to assess, track and plan for governance maturity. The three components include:
- A Maturity Matrix – a framework that describes the different areas of practice to be assessed and what maturity looks like at each level
- A Survey – the survey is used to collect data from various areas of the agency on the nature and effectiveness of their agency’s governance practices
- A Management Document – this provides a space for agencies to record their level of maturity, as well as plan and track activities to improve maturity.
To assist agencies in navigating the new Tools, the IPC has released a demonstration video outlining each of the components and how to use them effectively:
The Self-assessment Tools enable agencies to:
- assess compliance against key privacy and information access requirements
- link to IPC guidance that promote better practices and enhance compliance
- generate a summary report in the management document detailing current and target agency compliance levels
- more precisely identify areas where improvements are required
- develop comprehensive plans to improve compliance with privacy and information access requirements.
The tools will enable agencies to measure the maturity of their information governance systems and implement plans to further develop those systems and confidently meet their information access and privacy requirements.
View the IPC’s Privacy Governance Framework and Privacy Compliance.
Leaders occupy an important role in promoting awareness and fostering an organisational culture that advances sound information governance. The Tools provide a summary report to ensure that leaders are able to assess information governance maturity within their organisations and support a commitment to action that will ensure compliance with privacy and information access requirements.
The Information Governance Agency Self-assessment Tools are available free of charge and are downloadable from the IPC website via the links below.
| Privacy Self-assessment Tool |
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Information and Privacy Commission NSW has established a Privacy Self-assessment tool to be used by organisations which will allow them to self-assess the maturity of their privacy, information management and governance practises.
The tool will facilitate self-assessment of the privacy, information management and governance practices of the organisations efficiently fulfilling IPC’s role of improving privacy awareness and management throughout NSW.
Strong leadership is key to establishing a culture of privacy protection in agencies. Executives who recognise the importance of good personal information handling in delivering services and building the trust of their clients, and actively encourage staff to embed privacy in their business processes, will make privacy core to the business and not just a compliance issue.
Agencies with a privacy positive culture:
- Support and advocate a privacy positive culture as a priority from the Board and executive to all levels of the organisation
- Have established, metrics-based privacy reporting processes
- Support managers and staff by having strong governance structures that support reporting and managing privacy issues
- Have data governance processes that address sensitive and high risk data
- Promote privacy by design in all projects
- Have on-going audit and monitoring processes in place
- Provide training and support to ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities and escalation processes
The Privacy Self-assessment Tool is comprised of three components which can be accessed below:
- IPC Privacy Self-assessment Tool - Maturity Matrix
- IPC Privacy Self-assessment Tool - Survey
- IPC Privacy Self-assessment Tool - Management Document
To assist agencies in navigating the new Tools, the IPC has released a demonstration video outlining each of the components and how to use them effectively:
| Information Access Self-assessment Tool |
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Information and Privacy Commission NSW has established an Information Access Self-assessment tool to be used by organisations which will allow them to self-assess the maturity of their information access, information management and governance practices.
The tool will facilitate self-assessment of the information access, information management and governance practices of the organisations efficiently fulfilling IPC’s role of improving information access and management throughout NSW.
Leaders occupy an important role in promoting awareness and fostering an organisational culture that advances the objects of the GIPA Act.
The adoption of an open access and open data culture within government and by agencies requires a cultural shift – from controlling and shielding information to releasing it and allowing others to use it. This must be supported by a governance framework that is committed to an open access/data culture.
Read more about Conditions Enabling Open Data and Promoting a Data Sharing Culture
Agencies with an open access/data culture:
- Support and advocate an open access/data culture as a priority from the Board and executive to all levels of the organisation
- Have established governance around access to open information and data
- Reflect and monitor and regularly update what is open access and open data and how it may be made available to citizens
- Provide training and support to ensure staff are aware of open access and open data policies and requirements
- Promote the four pathways for access to information
- Promote a pro-disclosure culture
- Support informed and independent decision-making by Right to Information officers
The Information Access Self-assessment Tool is comprised of three components which can be accessed below:
- IPC Information Access Self-assessment Tool - Maturity Matrix
- IPC Information Access Self-assessment Tool - Survey
- IPC Information Access Self-assessment Tool - Management Document
To assist agencies in navigating the new Tools, the IPC has released a demonstration video outlining each of the components and how to use them effectively:
How to provide feedback
We encourage you to view the above resources and provide us with feedback via the following channels:
Email ipcinfo@ipc.nsw.gov.au
Telephone 1800 472 679 (free call number)
