ISO 19650 Updates 2026: Proposed Unified Information Management Process

By Paul Shillcock, Project Leader for ISO 19650-2 within ISO/TC 59/SC 13/WG 13

The ISO 19650 updates introduce one of the most significant structural changes since the series was first published. A key outcome of these proposals is the introduction of a single unified information management process, combining the existing processes currently defined in ISO 19650 Part 2 (delivery phase) and ISO 19650 Part 3 (operational phase).

If you want the full story behind the proposed updates, check out our main article: ISO 19650 Updates 2026: What’s Changing in Parts 1, 2 and 3

This guide provides an overview of the proposed unified process, how it works, what’s changing, and what it means for appointing parties, lead appointed parties, and appointed parties.

Summary of the Proposed Unified ISO 19650 Information Management Process

• ISO 19650 Parts 2 and 3 are to be combined into a single unified process
• The new unified information management process will be defined in ISO 19650-2
• The process applies across the whole asset life cycle
• The proposed process includes nine steps, rather than eight
• Appointing party assigned nearly 60% of all activities
• Information production activities are largely unchanged
• Updated terminology to align with information management or production and soften procurement-specific language

Watch: Overview of the Unified Process

Watch Paul Shillcock explain the draft unified information management process.

In this Academy Talk, Paul introduces the nine steps, highlights key changes, and explains why responsibilities shift under the new structure.

Why a Unified Process?

The decision to combine Parts 2 and 3 in 2024 was made by the national standards bodies. This move was driven by:

• The need to eliminate the artificial split between delivery and operation
• Place greater emphasis on whole-life information management
• Incorporate lessons learned from 6–8 years of global use
• Reduce duplication across Parts 2 and 3

Read: Paul’s Personal Reflections on the Unified Process

In this LinkedIn post, Paul shares his own perspective on the updates – offering a more informal, behind-the-scenes look at the thinking that shaped the draft standards.

Read Paul’s reflections on LinkedIn →

Mapping the Current Processes to the Proposed Unified Process

Before diving into the details, the diagram and table below give you a clear, easy-to-follow snapshot of how the current 8-step processes from ISO 19650-2 and ISO 19650-3 evolve into the proposed 9-step unified information management process.

Each step in the unified process is colour-coded, helping you quickly see where most of its activities come from – whether that’s the delivery phase, the operational phase, or a blend of both. If you’re trying to understand what’s changing and how the new structure connects to the standards you already know, this visual overview is the best place to start.

Figure 1 – Colour-coded overview showing how the existing 8-step processes in ISO 19650-2 and ISO 19650-3 map to the proposed 9-step unified information management process.

The Proposed Nine Steps Explained

Proposed Step 1

The proposal for Step 1 centers on identifying key stakeholders and functions within the asset owner’s organization. This step would involve clearly defining the scope of information to be managed and capturing its intended purposes. In addition, asset owners should incorporate the viewpoints of external stakeholders – including regulators, investors, and insurers – to ensure that all relevant requirements and expectations are considered.

Proposed Step 2

The proposal for Step 2 focuses on determining all necessary components for producing, maintaining, and utilizing asset information models – such as information requirements, standards, methods and procedures, and a common data environment.

Proposed Step 3

For Step 3, the proposal is to focus on project initiation activities. These closely align with the assessment and need step in part 2 of ISO 19650. However, rather than starting from scratch for each project, this step would involve assembling the foundational components established in Step 2 and tailoring them to the specific needs of the project.

Proposed Steps 4–7

Steps 4 through 7, as proposed, largely mirror Steps 2–5 of the existing processes. If you are currently involved in preparing invitations to tender, responding to tenders, managing appointments, or mobilizing teams, the unified process should not significantly change your current way of working. However, some terminology updates are suggested, such as replacing procurement-specific terms like “tender” with more inclusive language, reflecting both internal and external appointments.

Proposed Step 8

Step 8 aims to consolidate Steps 6 and 7 from the delivery phase and Steps 6–8 from the operational phase into a single information production step. While this might appear to increase activity, most tasks are already duplicated in the current process, and only one new activity is being introduced, which applies only under specific circumstances. Overall, proposed changes for information production are minimal, including only minor terminology updates, since the output remains the information produced.

For most appointed parties whose primary responsibility is information production, the unified process is expected to have little impact on current practices.

Proposed Step 9

Finally, Step 9 corresponds to the project close-out step in part 2 of ISO 19650. No substantive changes are suggested for this step, apart from its repositioning from Step 8 to Step 9 in the unified process.

Who Does What? Updated Activity Assignment

The charts below illustrate how the 59 activities in the unified information management process are distributed across the three parties, highlighting how responsibilities shift compared with the current ISO 19650 standards.

Figure 2 – Distribution of the 59 activities in the proposed unified ISO 19650 information management process, showing how responsibilities shift across the appointing party, lead appointed party, and appointed parties.

Here’s how they shift across the three parties:

Lead appointed parties and appointed parties

Their activities remain broadly consistent, because most were already duplicated across Parts 2 and 3.

Appointing party

Their responsibilities almost double to 35 activities, accounting for nearly 60% of the unified process.

Why? Because their activities were unique, not duplicated, in the current standards – and these now form a larger share of the activities in the unified process.

The asset owner has always played a significant role in the information management process. In the unified process, this role becomes more visible. For most appointed parties whose primary focus is information production (Step 8), the proposed changes should have minimal impact on current ways of working.

More in this ISO 19650 updates series

This article is part of a short series unpacking the ISO 19650 updates.

• ISO 19650 Updates 2026: What’s Changing in Parts 1, 2 and 3
  
• ISO 19650 Updates – Proposed Terminology
  

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the proposed unified information management process and what the ISO 19650 updates mean for your organization.

What is the “unified information management process”?

It is a proposed single process that combines the current delivery phase process in ISO 19650-2 and the operational phase process in ISO 19650-3 into one unified process that can be applied across the whole asset life cycle.

Where will the unified process be defined?

Under the proposals, the unified process will be defined in a revised ISO 19650-2, rather than being split across Parts 2 and 3.

Does this replace ISO 19650-3?

Yes. As part of the updates, Part 3 will be re-scoped to provide implementation guidelines that support organizations in adopting and applying the unified process effectively, offering practical advice and best practices for real-world scenarios.

Why are Parts 2 and 3 being unified?

The proposal aims to eliminate the artificial split between delivery and operation, reduce duplicated requirements across the standards, and support a whole-life approach to information management based on several years of global implementation experience.

How many steps are in the proposed unified process?

Nine steps. This is an increase from the current eight-step processes, largely because of the increased scope and additional activities given the process will cover the whole life cycle of assets.

What changes for appointing parties?

Responsibilities become more visible and expand to around 35 activities (nearly 60% of the proposed total). Much of this reflects activities that were previously unique (not duplicated) across Parts 2 and 3.

What changes for lead appointed parties and appointed parties?

For teams primarily responsible for information production, the day-to-day activities are expected to be broadly consistent, because many tasks were already duplicated through the current delivery and operational processes. Most changes are around structure and terminology.

Is this mainly a terminology change, or a process change?

It’s both. The biggest change is structural (one unified, nine-step process), while many information production activities remain similar. Some procurement-specific terms (e.g., “tender”) are proposed to be replaced with more inclusive language that better reflects internal and external appointments.

What should organizations do now?

Please note that these proposals are currently open for public consultation, and the final direction will not be determined until early 2027, potentially longer depending on the outcome of the national standards body ballot. In the meantime, organizations should continue with any planned projects or transformation initiatives but simply keep an eye on future developments – no immediate action is required until the revisions are finalised and published.

Multimedia Summary

• Video: Overview of proposed unified process (2026)
  
• LinkedIn: Paul Shillcock’s personal reflections on the unified process
  

About the Author

Paul Shillcock

Paul is the project leader for ISO 19650-2 and has been directly involved in the development of ISO 19650 standards for over a decade, contributing to international working groups and helping organisations around the world implement information management best practice.