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I manage this Web site and the following Web sites: Leslie (Blakeley) Adkins - my oldest daughter

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Business and government are in the midst of a sea change regarding how records – which many consider the most important asset of any organization2 – are managed.

To fully understand the enormity and significance of this change, both in its present context as well as what it purports for the future, we first must understand the foundation upon which we have historically relied.

The Heritage: For centuries, (paper) records have been managed on a media-centric basis – in accordance with the operational model now called "materials management," which is applied to all types of other business assets. Because these paper records were, in essence, a physical commodity, their management was driven largely by need and space: the time period for retaining them was based on need, and the location for storing them was determined by the availability of space.

Accordingly, records were kept where they were readily accessible for as long as space permitted. Over time, they typically were transferred to another location where there was more (and usually less costly) space – where their continued accessibility could be ensured for as long as they were needed.3 This methodology provided the necessary controls to ensure both the authenticity and availability of the records within its domain. And so, for as long as records have been created, media-centric records management practices successfully served the needs of government and business.

The Sea Change: Now consider the sea change at hand: the transformation of records management – from the paradigm of media-centric records, where management was based on observable physical location controlled by humans, to the age of digital information and content-centric records management, where the management process is based on invisible logical location controlled by computers. This sea change is grounded in the radically different nature of electronic records and has resulted in exponentially greater complexity in the process radically different nature of electronic records and has resulted in exponentially greater complexity in the process of managing records over their lifecycles. It also has created extraordinary new capabilities for improving that process – achieving unprecedented levels of control, effectiveness and automation.

Content-centric records management is a revolution in more than just a conceptual context. It is revolutionary in every aspect of how records are managed: from identifying and understanding new types of records… to where records are located and how they are accessed ... to dependence on technology ... to higher performance standards ... to new skill sets required for records and IS/IT managers ... to the need for a cross-functional records management team ... and so much more.

In the midst of this revolution where seemingly everything is changing, there is a critical part of records management that has remained remarkably stable: the law. The sea change is demonstrating the strength of established legal principles. But it is also compelling focused changes4 – in the carefully considered way that is a hallmark of our legal system's evolution.

The Survey: This White Paper was prepared to facilitate dialogue among stakeholders about much needed operational changes related to the successful management of electronic records. The survey research that constitutes the basis of this White Paper assessed certain key components in the successful management of records: the degree to which these practices are currently used in managing paper and film records, and more specifically, the extent to which they also are being applied to electronic records.

Cohasset Associates, Inc. conducted the survey research, performed the analysis and prepared this White Paper. ARMA International and AIIM International, the two primary professional organizations dedicated to records management, are co-sponsors. The more than 2200 survey respondents were records management professionals – those with the best understanding of the subject matter of the research.

The findings reported in this White Paper provide compelling reasons for senior management in businesses and government to focus much greater attention on their organization's records management efforts, particularly the challenges associated with electronic records.

Conclusions

From these compelling findings, the conclusions are clear:

1. While many "have their act together," Cohasset's research clearly indicates that for an alarming number of organizations, the job of records management simply is not getting done.

2. For traditional media-centric records, many significant performance shortfalls were identified; for content-centric electronic records, the problems are greater – in both number and significance.

3. The majority of organizations are not prepared to meet many of their current or future compliance and legal responsibilities.

4. The majority of organizations are not doing what they need to do today regarding digital preservation to be prepared for the future.

5. The expertise required to successfully manage electronic records exists in three professional areas – legal, IS/IT and records management – that often operate as "silos" and do not communicate effectively with each other or with the records creators/users in the business areas. The result is that most organizations have significant problems in how they manage their electronic records.

6. Certain asset management problems associated with electronic records have the potential to be devastating in terms of costs, professional careers, and even corporate reputations.

- "Electronic Records Management Survey," Robert F. Williams, Cohasset Associates, Inc. http://www.cohasset.com/, 2004 http://www.MERresource.com/whitepapers/survey

Directory: http://www.larryblakeley.com/Articles/records_management/

File Name: cohasset_survey2003.pdf

Post Date: March 24, 2005 at 9:30 PM CST; March 25, 2005 at 0330 GMT

Cohasset Associates, Inc. is one of the nation's foremost management consulting firms specializing in document-based information management. For more than thirty years, Cohasset has served clients throughout the United States. Its distinguished work and innovative concepts have been recognized with the highest professional awards.

Cohasset also is widely known for its excellence in education – organizing and presenting the renowned national conference on Managing Electronic Records (MER) – with its special focus on the legal, technical and operational issues.

Cohasset's publishing focus is the pioneering new web-based resource service MERresource.com http://www.merresource.com that provides personalized electronic records management information – to anyone, anywhere at anytime.