Infovaldkonna

Infovaldkonna is a term in Danish information science that designates the information domain—the field concerned with how information is created, managed, protected, shared, and governed within organizations and society. It encompasses the policies, processes, and technologies that shape the handling of information across its entire lifecycle, from creation and storage to retrieval, reuse, and disposal. The concept emphasizes accountability, interoperability, and the balancing of access with privacy and security.

The scope of infovaldkonna includes information architecture and metadata practices, data quality management, records management, and information governance. It also covers privacy, data protection, information security, access governance, and compliance with applicable laws and ethical norms. The field works at the intersection of information science, library science, data governance, IT management, and policy-making, integrating technical standards with organizational culture and governance structures.

In practice, infovaldkonna informs roles such as information managers, data stewards, librarians, and policy officers, who collaborate to establish policies, assign responsibilities, and implement controls. Frameworks and standards from libraries, archives, and the IT sector—such as records management principles, ISO 15489, ISO/IEC 27001, and privacy regulations like the GDPR—provide reference points for practice within this domain.

Applications span public administration, libraries and archives, education, healthcare, and business, where trusted information flows support decision-making, accountability, and transparency. The term remains primarily used in Danish discourse to describe a holistic, cross-domain approach to information governance and strategy.