Managing electronic information by Fe Angela M. Verzosa

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Introduction definition of electronic records differences between paper records and electronic documents forces of change into the workplace

definition of electronic

records

differences between paper records and electronic documents

forces of change into the workplace

definition electronic records are digital objects of information packaged in any of the following multimedia form of communication : data text image audio and video

electronic records are digital objects of information packaged in any of the following multimedia form of communication :

data

text

image

audio and video

Records in the Electronic Age “ Born Digital” Records created on a computer or other electronic device “ Born again” Those records scanned or otherwise converted into a digital or electronic format

“ Born Digital”

Records created on a computer or other electronic device

“ Born again”

Those records scanned or otherwise converted into a digital or electronic format

differences recognizability volume reliability authenticity ease of use preservation Yes No large small Yes not quite Yes difficult Yes depends Yes costly papaer paper electronic

recognizability

volume

reliability

authenticity

ease of use

preservation

Yes No

large small

Yes not quite

Yes difficult

Yes depends

Yes costly

forces of change into the workplace political economic business personal

political

economic

business

personal

It’s not just paper anymore!

business forces high level of competition economic recovery government deregulation flatter organizational structures focus on results in achieving business /organizational aims focus on client orientation

high level of competition

economic recovery

government deregulation

flatter organizational structures

focus on results in achieving business /organizational aims

focus on client orientation

personal drivers of change greater use of electronic information individual approaches to electronic document filing system integration of digital forms of communications (voice, text, video) more flexibility in converting document forms (from text to image, voice to text, etc.) relying less on traditional approaches to recordskeeping

greater use of electronic information

individual approaches to electronic document filing system

integration of digital forms of communications (voice, text, video)

more flexibility in converting document forms (from text to image, voice to text, etc.)

relying less on traditional approaches to recordskeeping

the electronic environment where is the workplace going ? why automate ? why manage electronic records ?

where is the workplace going ?

why automate ?

why manage electronic records ?

where is the workplace going ? emphasis on personal utility tools emphasis on team work integration of the workplace need for location-independent work information anytime, anywhere, anyplace changing workplace mix changing workforce mix

emphasis on personal utility tools

emphasis on team work

integration of the workplace

need for location-independent work

information anytime, anywhere, anyplace

changing workplace mix

changing workforce mix

reasons for automation rising costs of traditional approaches fear of loss in competitive position incompleteness of files increasing difficulty of accessing files increasing backlog of unprocessed records seeming inevitability of automation

rising costs of traditional approaches

fear of loss in competitive position

incompleteness of files

increasing difficulty of accessing files

increasing backlog of unprocessed records

seeming inevitability of automation

why manage electronic records a totally different nature compared to paper an ever-increasing mass of electronic records complexity thru a variety of hardware/software complexity thru distributed systems and networks short life-time/danger of obsolescence

a totally different nature compared to paper

an ever-increasing mass of electronic records

complexity thru a variety of hardware/software

complexity thru distributed systems and networks

short life-time/danger of obsolescence

Issues and concerns in managing electronic records availability intelligibility reliability accessibility through time

availability

intelligibility

reliability

accessibility through time

reliability easy to alter electronic docu- ments and images without any visible evidence the need for periodic recopying introduces the possibility of accidental corruption

easy to alter electronic docu- ments and images without any visible evidence

the need for periodic recopying introduces the possibility of accidental corruption

Gone forever There are electronic records that are now extinct and gone forever. On the endangered list How many floppy disks, CD’s, tapes, DVD’s, or other soon to be obsolete media may contain records of importance that are not well preserved and may be unreadable, inaccessible – and gone?

accessibility thru time extend the life of the information carrier recopy onto more durable media migrate across technology generations through system upgrades leap-frog from a technology that is on the verge of obsolescence to a state-of-the-art one, bypassing current technology

extend the life of the information carrier

recopy onto more durable media

migrate across technology generations through system upgrades

leap-frog from a technology that is on the verge of obsolescence to a state-of-the-art one, bypassing current technology

Email often replaces phone conversations and face to face meetings that would not have been included in files in the past, resulting in more records being created. E-MAIL: Why are we talking about it?

Email often replaces phone conversations and face to face meetings that would not have been included in files in the past, resulting in more records being created.

The trouble with e-mails is… Staff routinely deleting e-mails – no written policy in the office on saving and deleting e-mails Executive officer withdrew executive order directing deletion after 6 months…Not adequate for “protecting critical information and providing evidence….” Technician reformatting a disk drive during routine maintenance accidentally deleted the files

Staff routinely deleting e-mails – no written policy in the office on saving and deleting e-mails

Executive officer withdrew executive order directing deletion after 6 months…Not adequate for “protecting critical information and providing evidence….”

Technician reformatting a disk drive during routine maintenance accidentally deleted the files

Why do we need an e-mail policy? Help employees understand the importance of managing e-mail Help employees use and manage e-mail properly, consistently, and effectively Clarify responsibility & retention issues for e-mail

Help employees understand the importance of managing e-mail

Help employees use and manage e-mail properly, consistently, and effectively

Clarify responsibility & retention issues for e-mail

Should the message be sent? Avoid sensitive / confidential information - Beware of copyright Be careful of Distribution Lists/Groups Informal/Careless Tendency for misuse

Should the message be sent?

Avoid sensitive / confidential information - Beware of copyright

Be careful of Distribution Lists/Groups

Informal/Careless Tendency for misuse

“ Netiquette” aka E-mail Etiquette Provide a meaningful subject line Stay on topic; don’t combine subjects. If it comprises multiple topics, consider multiple messages Mind your manners “Please and Thank You” Use a title if unfamiliar with the person or if it is formal correspondence Watch your tone - BE CAREFUL OF ALL CAPS Use exclamation points sparingly!!!!

Provide a meaningful subject line

Stay on topic; don’t combine subjects. If it comprises multiple topics, consider multiple messages

Mind your manners “Please and Thank You”

Use a title if unfamiliar with the person or if it is formal correspondence

Watch your tone - BE CAREFUL OF ALL CAPS Use exclamation points sparingly!!!!

When constructing the message… Be concise and professional Avoid wordiness - Stay away from jargon, acronyms, abbreviations, emoticons If forwarding a message / attachment, is permission required? Use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation

Be concise and professional

Avoid wordiness - Stay away from jargon, acronyms, abbreviations, emoticons

If forwarding a message / attachment, is permission required?

Use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation

Am I the originator of the email and the message…. is a substantive message ? has to do with the work of my office? has content that I will need in future years to do my job? supports decisions that were made in my program area? requires me to take action? will be needed for operational, fiscal or legal purposes? Save the Email if you answer “yes”

Am I the originator of the email and the message….

is a substantive message ?

has to do with the work of my office?

has content that I will need in future years to do my job?

supports decisions that were made in my program area?

requires me to take action?

will be needed for operational, fiscal or legal

purposes?

The Email can be destroyed if you answer “yes” Am I the originator of the email and the message is… personal? just “chit-chat?” informational only? Something I probably will not need and is being kept by someone else for operational, fiscal or legal purposes?

Am I the originator of the email and the message is…

personal?

just “chit-chat?”

informational only?

Something I probably will not need and is being kept by someone else for operational, fiscal or legal purposes?

Save the Email if you answer “yes” Remind employees that the office has a right to monitor employee e-mails Enforce office’s e-mail policy equally across organization Be realistic about personal use Never use e-mail to fire employees or to deliver bad news Do not use e-mail to discuss an employee’s performance with other managers Do not rely on e-mails to the exclusion of personal contact

Remind employees that the office has a right to monitor employee e-mails

Enforce office’s e-mail policy equally across organization

Be realistic about personal use

Never use e-mail to fire employees or to deliver bad news

Do not use e-mail to discuss an employee’s performance with other managers

Do not rely on e-mails to the exclusion of

personal contact

Think electronic “file cabinets” E-mail management Just like traditional metal cabinets used for paper, only digitized

How it works Individual users move e-mails into pre-determined folders Users are responsible for decisions on retention and disposition Good to set up as “working files”, or transitory administrative type information Recommend “record” copies be retained on drives or servers E-mail management

Individual users move e-mails into pre-determined folders

Users are responsible for decisions on retention and disposition

Good to set up as “working files”, or transitory administrative type information

Recommend “record” copies be retained

on drives or servers

Adapt your paper files There is a good chance you already have an existing paper file structure: Adapt to use for your “electronic file cabinets” Most users will use a limited number of folders specific to their job function and responsibilities Create “desk guides” to get users familiar with their filing system

There is a good chance you already have an existing paper file structure:

Adapt to use for your “electronic file cabinets”

Most users will use a limited number of folders specific to their job function and responsibilities

Create “desk guides” to get users familiar with their filing system

what is the lesson here ? modern information technology not only causes the problem , but also provides the possibilities to deal with them.