10 Tips for Better Email Management Jesse Wilkins, emm m March 19, 2009 ARMA Louisville ARMA Frankfort-Bluegrass Joint Seminar

Agenda How email is similar to, and different from, other types of documents The importance of managing email effectively 10 steps you can take today to improve your email management

How email is similar to, and different from, other types of documents

The importance of managing email effectively

10 steps you can take today to improve your email management

EMAIL AND THE ORGANIZATION

Email in the organization Email is similar to other document types It may document transactions and decisions It is subject to other records management requirements such as FOIA But there are some differences

Email is similar to other document types

It may document transactions and decisions

It is subject to other records

management requirements

such as FOIA

But there are some differences

Differences: volume Today more email is sent every day than the U.S. Postal Service delivers in a year 11 billion emails a day in the U.S. alone Average user sends and receives more than 150 messages per day

Today more email is sent every day than the U.S. Postal Service delivers in a year

11 billion emails a day

in the U.S. alone

Average user sends and

receives more than 150

messages per day

Differences: informality Messages are less formal than memos And more “on-the-record” than most phone conversations Messages often cover multiple topics Many messages fail the “New York Times” test

Messages are less formal than memos

And more “on-the-record” than

most phone conversations

Messages often cover

multiple topics

Many messages

fail the “New York

Times” test

Differences: ease of use Everyone has email client and capabilities Everyone knows how to create messages Everyone can forward messages To anyone or everyone

Everyone has email client and capabilities

Everyone knows how to

create messages

Everyone can forward

messages

To anyone or everyone

Differences: metadata Metadata is at least as important as the message itself!

Metadata is at least as important as the message itself!

Differences: compound docs Addressed to one or more recipients And carbon copy recipients (CC:/BCC:) Carrying one or more attachments Of any number of formats What’s displayed on screen may not be what was sent Forwarded or replied messages are editable Phishing messages

Addressed to one or more recipients

And carbon copy recipients (CC:/BCC:)

Carrying one or more attachments

Of any number of formats

What’s displayed on screen may not be what was sent

Forwarded or replied messages are editable

Phishing messages

MANAGING EMAIL EFFECTIVELY

The importance of managing email Email is expensive Storage costs Backup and restoration costs Management costs Most expensive cost is the cost of the individual’s time

Email is expensive

Storage costs

Backup and restoration

costs

Management costs

Most expensive cost is

the cost of the

individual’s time

The importance of managing email Without effective email management: Internal processes are not as efficient Decisionmaking suffers FOIA-type requests take longer and cost more Or are unsuccessful and cost even more!

Without effective email management:

Internal processes are not as efficient

Decisionmaking suffers

FOIA-type requests take longer and cost more

Or are unsuccessful

and cost even more!

Email and FOIA Extensive use of email for scheduling, collaborating, confirming FOIA is about openness, not about file format or paper vs. electronic “ The dog ate my email” is not the right answer!

Extensive use of email for scheduling, collaborating, confirming

FOIA is about openness, not about file format or paper vs.

electronic

“ The dog ate my email”

is not the right answer!

When is an email a record? When defined by statute or regulation When it documents a business transaction When it supports a business decision When the attachment is a record

When defined by statute or regulation

When it documents a business transaction

When it supports a business decision

When the attachment is a record

Email non-records Messages that are not records must still be managed appropriately Source: AIIM ERM Certificate Program

Messages that are not records must still be managed appropriately

Source: AIIM ERM Certificate Program

Email management principles Email belongs to the organization, not the individual Not always true Email must be managed according to its content Email is not a records series Email can be more than “ correspondence”

Email belongs to the organization, not the individual

Not always true

Email must be managed

according to its content

Email is not a records series

Email can be more than

“ correspondence”

10 STEPS TO MANAGE YOUR EMAIL BETTER – TODAY!

About those ten steps…. Five steps individuals can take to improve their own email management Five steps organizations can take to improve overall email management

Five steps individuals can take to improve their own email management

Five steps organizations can take to improve overall email management

1. Close your email Email management is time management Don’t check email every 5 minutes Turn off alerts Or leave them on only for important messages

Email management is time management

Don’t check email

every 5 minutes

Turn off alerts

Or leave them on only

for important messages

2. Send less email CC: and BCC: Often overused BCC: has regulatory issues as well Check addressees Don’t send messages intended for [email_address] to [email_address] !

CC: and BCC:

Often overused

BCC: has regulatory issues as well

Check addressees

Don’t send messages intended for [email_address] to [email_address] !

3. Slow the spigot CC: and BCC: again A note about bacn Redirect it to folders Redirect it to personal accounts Just get rid of it

CC: and BCC: again

A note about bacn

Redirect it to

folders

Redirect it to

personal accounts

Just get rid of it

4. Set up rules and filters Set up rules to direct messages into folders Bacn Important messages Set up filters to forward or block messages

Set up rules to direct

messages into folders

Bacn

Important messages

Set up filters to forward

or block messages

5. Send good messages Keep messages to one topic Use appropriate subject line And change it when the subject does These make it easier to follow conversations and find messages later

Keep messages to one topic

Use appropriate subject line

And change it when the subject does

These make it easier to

follow conversations and

find messages later

6. Attachments Send them only to recipients who really need them Consider file size and formats Don’t send them at all Send hyperlinks instead Very effective when the organization shifts to links vs. attachments

Send them only to recipients who really need them

Consider file size and formats

Don’t send them at all

Send hyperlinks instead

Very effective when

the organization shifts

to links vs. attachments

7. Update policy Email messages may be records Email is not a record or records series! Manage based on content, not based on transmission mechanism

Email messages may be records

Email is not a record or records series!

Manage based on

content, not based

on transmission

mechanism

8. Training Train users on policies and procedures Train users on how to use email correctly Train users on how to manage email effectively Repeat as needed

Train users on policies and procedures

Train users on how to use email correctly

Train users on how to manage email effectively

Repeat as needed

9. Use the right tool for the job Email is not always the right tool Mass updates and announcements Collaboration Public communications Select the right tool Blogs, wikis, instant messaging Phone and face-to-face!

Email is not always the right tool

Mass updates and announcements

Collaboration

Public communications

Select the right tool

Blogs, wikis, instant

messaging

Phone and face-to-face!

10. Consider technology TANSTAASB Technology is an enabler Policies, procedures, and training first There are many technology solutions available for email management

TANSTAASB

Technology is an enabler

Policies, procedures, and training first

There are many

technology solutions

available for email

management

Conclusion You CAN manage your email better In fact you HAVE to! Policies and procedures are the key Technology can help

You CAN manage your

email better

In fact you HAVE to!

Policies and procedures

are the key

Technology can help

For more information Jesse Wilkins emm m , ecm m , erm m , CDIA+, LIT, edp, ICP Principal Consultant Access Sciences Corporation (303) 574-0749 direct [email_address] http://informata.blogspot.com http://www.twitter.com/jessewilkins

Jesse Wilkins

emm m , ecm m , erm m , CDIA+, LIT, edp, ICP

Principal Consultant

Access Sciences Corporation

(303) 574-0749 direct

[email_address]

http://informata.blogspot.com

http://www.twitter.com/jessewilkins