Smarter Information Management

Presenter: Dianne MacaskillChief Executive Archives New Zealand

Our Approach

The outcome should support good information management practices that are consistent with good business practice and agency needs.

• Develop as knowledge

improves• Continuous improvement• Based on risk to agency• Support value for government

Some Archives Responses

• Australasian Digital Recordkeeping Initiative – consistent message to suppliers of recordkeeping tools

• Archives New Zealand and the New Zealand CIO are working together with other Public Record Offices and CIOs on smarter information management

• A suite of products called ‘Continuum’ has been developed to provide advice and guidelines e.g. managing email

• In New Zealand we are leading an across government digital sustainability project – working with all agencies to ensure that information survives for as long as it is needed- identifying practical, across government and value for money solutions

• Public Records Act 2005 – mandates good information management and is outcomes focussed - audits will start in June 2010- audits will be based on standards, identify progress and be based on risk management

Future Focussed Responses

• A framework for managing information (Create and Maintain ‘Information’ standard)

• Practical guidelines for implementing the framework (Recordkeeping Metadata standard)

These can be applied to all electronic recordkeeping systems including EDRMS, business systems, shared work spaces

Framework for Managing Information – provides a comprehensive approach

Principles• Recordkeeping must be planned and implemented• Full and accurate records of business activity must be made

– where it is normal prudent business practice to do so• Records must provide authoritative and reliable evidence of

business activity• Records must be managed systematically

The standard has requirements for each of the principles based on outcomes

Just Good Sense

Example of the Outcome Focussed Approach – these are supported by Archives New Zealand ‘Continuum’ products

‘Recordkeeping Must be Planned and Implemented’

- Overall responsibility – one person- Policies- Procedures- Responsibilities clearly defined e.g. managers, staff, volunteers,

contractors- Monitoring and evaluation

Embedding a recordkeeping framework in electronic systems ( Recordkeeping Metadata)

• Drew on work done by the National Archives of Australia

• Based on International Standards ISO 23081 – Metadata for records

• Gives the same message across Australasia

• Supports product development

• Applies to business systems, desktop systems, shared work spaces etc

Metadata • Connects information to other

information(context)

• Allows use of records through time

• Authenticity

• Integrity

• Reliability

Should be able to automate• Name • Date of creation• Who created• What is being done• Version• Dates of actions • Person doing the action• Action undertaken• Management over time

BUT Our solutions are still based on paper

methods

We need to have more intuitive ways of managing electronic information – intelligent business records

Mainly working agency by agency - next focus is assessing value for government through joint solutions