Records Management Journal

Steve Bailey

2009 Records Management Journal

doi: 10.1108/09565690910972048

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the records profession's approach to managing electronic records and question how much progression there has been, given most processes and systems are only slight variations on those originally designed for the paper‐based world. It aims to offer a different approach, which focuses on automation and to employ some of the techniques used by well‐known and highly successful organisations such as Amazon and Google. Design/methodology/approach – The paper represents the author's own views based on his experiences as a practitioner, his role as an advisor responsible for preparing and disseminating guidance material and tools to help support the development of records management within the education sector and interest in looking to the future and records management in the Web 2.0 world. Findings – The logic underpinning the functionality found in systems such as Google, eBay and Amazon offers a potential mechanism for establishing precisely how an organisation functions, how people work and how information flows. Going beyond classification and free‐text search, functionality such as customer reviews, customer interests and statistics could be applied within the records management world. For example, instead of “customers who bought this item also bought” there might be “users who viewed/edited this information also viewed/edited these sources of information”, to show exactly where a particular document fits into a particular process (or processes); exactly who uses it and to what information it relates. Practical implications – An automated approach is where the future of records management needs to head. It is a scalable approach which enables our professional to get to grips with the real challenges that the sheer volume of information that must be managed presents. Originality/value – The article provides a novel approach to managing records in the digital world by adopting methods used successfully by large well‐known organisations in the web world.

Ganesh Vednere

2009 Records Management Journal

doi: 10.1108/09565690910972057

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges of implementing a records management system in an ever changing business, regulatory and operational landscape and to suggest remediation measures. Design/methodology/approach – The approach is based on the author's experiences of implementing large scale enterprise‐wide content and records management systems. Practical advice is provided on key measures to be undertaken to mitigate the challenges of implementing records management systems. Findings – The key findings highlight that records managers must have a deep understanding of the business/regulatory environment, technology landscape and the organizational culture. The challenge of managing records in multiple applications, different platforms and varying formats coupled with constantly changing business, regulatory and technology environments is not easy. By properly planning the design and development of the technology system, one can look forward to a well received used records management programme. Practical implications – The paper describes the challenges facing records managers in implementing a technology solution and highlights key areas that records managers need to focus on during the implementation lifecycle and describe key lessons learnt. Originality/value – The paper is beneficial to information and compliance managers who are looking to automate the task of records and information management by providing key considerations prior to and during the implementation of large scale enterprise wide technology systems. It provides valuable insight and key points that must be discussed by any implementation team prior to embarking upon a major records management systems initiative.

Sue Gray; Caroline Plaice; Sharon Hadley

2009 Records Management Journal

doi: 10.1108/09565690910972066

Purpose – The purpose of this case study is to detail the implementation of a managed learning environment (MLE) in a large National Health Service (NHS) Trust employing 8,500 staff. It aims to be of use to those seeking to implement a virtual or managed learning environment within their organisation and to help in reflecting on the project so far and to learn lessons to support the implementation of a national MLE for the NHS. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on the practical experiences and challenges of implementing an organisation wide system, reflecting candidly on the successes and failures of such a project. Findings – The success of the MLE implementation is to a large degree based on the quality of the legacy data, and of the ability of the organisation to respond to changes in the way data are collected and processed. The ability of a supplier to work with a large and complex organisation is also a critical success factor, yet it is difficult to assess this suitability through comparison with other large organisations. Practical implications – The authors' experiences are transferable and there are a number of key messages which will be of use to other implementers. The findings in relation to the way data are collected and processed have highlighted and in some cases suggested ways forward to improve how records are managed locally. Originality/value – As blended learning in both public and private sectors increases in popularity, the planning and implementation of systems able to accurately reflect training needs and achievements is vital, yet the reality is that these systems often rely at the outset on poor legacy data. The authors are not aware of another article in this genre in the UK.

Philipp Wilhelm

2009 Records Management Journal

doi: 10.1108/09565690910972075

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show the differences between European Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) standards in Europe with special focus on MoReq2 and TNA 2002 and to explore the benefits and problems of superseding national standards by a European model. Design/methodology/approach – Interviews were conducted with 18 key stakeholders from across Europe. The qualitative method was chosen for the open‐ended interviews. Findings – There is a wide range of opinions on national and European standards. MoReq2 is widely valued as a comprehensive and modern standard. Some interviewees indicated that the standard did create a culture of overregulation and was too detailed. Market impact depends on the compliance testing regime and legislation. Originality/value – Within the field of EDRMS standards there has been limited research. This paper presents the first comparison of TNA 2002 and MoReq2. In addition it evaluates the economic impact EDRMS standards can have on vendors and users of these systems.

Aliza Ismail; Adnan Jamaludin

2009 Records Management Journal

doi: 10.1108/09565690910972084

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to attempt to establish a framework for managing trusted records in the electronic environment. Design/methodology/approach – The study collates the criteria required to manage trusted electronic records through the available literature and best practice and tests these on experts through an opinion survey. The study was done via email inviting 40 selected experts (18 participated), known in the fields of records and archives management all over the world, to respond to a structured framework of managing electronic records. Findings – The findings indicate that the experts are unanimously agreed that the five main contexts, namely governance, recordkeeping, archival, technological, skills and competency, serve as an audit list providing the trusted environment for managing records in the electronic environment. Research limitations/implications – The collation of the criteria for trusted electronic records management, based on available literature and best practice in the field, may not be exhaustive as new literature on the latest information and knowledge, debates and practices continues to emerge throughout the records and archives community. Practical implications – The study's findings are significant in confirming that the criteria collated are highly recommended and crucial in ensuring the reliability, authenticity, integrity and long term accessibility of electronic records. Originality/value – The study establishes the elements in building trusted management of electronic records. This framework provides a basis for good records management practices to ensure that electronic records are to be managed in an efficient and consistent manner. This is vital for the long‐term preservation of those records with continuing value or as the evidence of transactions and the accountability that the records held for their current use.