What s the next best technology?

Transcription

1 Next Best Technology or Next RIM Headache? How to Evaluate New Technologies for RIM Impact Sofia Empel, CRM, CDIA+ What s the next best technology? More importantly, how should a records and information management (RIM) professional evaluate a new technology for RIM impact? According to ISO Information and Documentation - Records Management - Part I: General, information professionals should decide how records are created and captured and what technologies to use for these processes. In fact, to be at the highest level of maturity for the Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principle of Integrity, according to ARMA International s Information Governance Maturity Model, an organization must have a formal, defined process for introducing new record-generating systems. Reasons to Evaluate Although new technologies support innovation and are introduced to improve efficiency, increase productivity, and reduce cost, they also carry RIM-related risks. But, these risks can be mitigated by conducting a comprehensive evaluation during the planning stages for new technology acquisition. Because new technologies include software, such as information systems, and hardware, such as portable devices, the potential scope of new technologies that need to be evaluated for RIM impact may be very broad. All new technologies should have standards-based RIM capabilities that are connected to broader organizational goals. Goals define activities. Activities define documents and data. Documents and data define technologies. And, technologies define recordkeeping. Good information governance demands that new technologies be evaluated for RIM impact, not only at a tactical level, but also at a strategic level. Strategic Alignment A systematic process of recommending only those new technologies that have a positive impact on recordkeeping is essential for good information governance. But, strategic technology alignment with RIM priorities is often difficult to achieve for several reasons. First, many RIM professionals do not see themselves as both information management and technology experts. Second, they do not always present a solid business case for information governance and financial accountability. Finally, they often fall short on forming aligned partnerships with senior-level decision makers who are responsible for evaluating new technologies. RIM professionals who want executives to support the acquisition of records-generating systems that positively impact RIM need to promote strategic alignment. Building a digital landscape requires a strategic plan 36 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 INFORMATIONMANAGEMENT

2 RIM Alignment In general, RIM should have an approved strategic plan for its program that supports the strategic framework of the wider organization. In the context of this article, strategic alignment defines the boundaries of an organization s entire digital landscape, whereas RIM alignment manages new technologies within a RIM program. Specifically, new technologies should be governed by the Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles at a stratethat guides an organization from where it is to where it would like to be, including not only long- and shortterm goals for the organization s technologies, but also the steps for achieving them. A strategically aligned action plan sets RIM goals for new technologies based on business and corporate objectives and then defines the strategies to support those goals. Systems Strategy A systems strategy for technology acquisitions presents a clear vision of how specific technologies fit into the wider organization. It uses a holistic approach to building a digital landscape by considering all of the organization s technologies and their relationships to one another. A well-planned systems strategy considers which stakeholders are vested in a new technology s success and which business processes are affected by each technology. Typically, new technologies are placed into a big picture that focuses on the arrangement of and relationships among the parts (people, processes, and technologies) that connect them to the whole (organization). Acquisition Strategy Acquisition strategy fills gaps between an organization s current technology and its goals. Familiarity with the baselines for current technologies and how RIM functions within the organization is essential. A strategic planning group needs to be established to support a new technology acquisition program, and it should include top executives, RIM, IT, and business unit heads. Acquisition decisions should be based not only on business needs and recordkeeping capabilities, but also on whether the new technology can evolve with the business. There should be no pressure to replace older systems unless a new technology can fill a gap between the organization s exist- ing technologies and its long- and short-term goals. Technical Strategy Technical strategy accounts for how new technologies interface with the organization s existing and potential future technologies. Technical requirements vary widely from one technology to another, so evaluations must be conducted on a case-by-case basis. Some considerations include hardware, software, platform, connectivity, administration, support, and maintenance. Additionally, architecture for new technologies can be stand-alone, clientserver, or web-based, while product development can be off-the-shelf, customized, custom built, or open source. Another factor to consider is ownership (i.e., purchase, rent, or pay-peruse), particularly for tangible technologies, such as devices. A technical strategy examines the existing information infrastructure and any planned improvements to determine the organization s capacity to support a given new technology. gic level, while supporting business and corporate objectives through standards-based records management at a tactical level. Once the organization s strategic positions for new technologies have been determined, RIM alignment for each new technology must be evaluated. A multi-step RIM analysis strategic alignment defines the boundaries of an organization s entire digital landscape, whereas RIM alignment manages new technologies within a RIM program. should be used to support specific strategic long- and short-term goals for the purpose of producing positive RIM impact. This can be done by taking a layered approach that examines functionality, workflow, and data controls. Functional Strategy A functional strategy helps identify what a new technology can do and what it needs to do. It includes the technical and user specifications required to build or acquire components. All technologies whether software (e.g., information systems) or equipment (e.g., mobile devices) have some type of RIM impact. Most RIM professionals are familiar with standards and specifications for recordkeeping systems, such as DOD and MoReq, respectively, but they don t always address the RIM functionality of other technologies as well. Evaluating RIM functionality for each technology during the pre-purchase process helps avoid recordkeeping problems, at best, and plans for alternative recordkeeping solutions, at worst. Work Process Strategy Workflow strategy identifies procedural changes caused by a new technology and then considers their RIM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 INFORMATIONMANAGEMENT 37

3 New Technology Evaluation Checklist Strategic Alignment Business Strategy How does the new technology fit into the wider organization? Systems Analysis Acquisition Strategy Does the new technology fill a gap between the organization s current technology and organizational goals? Gap Analysis Technical Strategy Can the organization s current technologies support the new technology? Feasibility Study RIM Alignment Functional Strategy What does the new technology do? Needs Assessment Evaluation Criteria Work Process Strategy What work processes will the new technology improve? Business Process Analysis Workflow Mapping Data Strategy What is the data infrastructure of the new technology? Information Governance Impact Analysis RIM Standards, Technical Reports, and Best Practices Analysis Strategic Justification Business Case Does the new technology add value? Risk Analysis Financial Impact Analysis (ROI; Cost/Benefit Analysis) Benefits Realization Study Other Factors Vendor Selection Strategy Can the vendor and its product support the organization s technology goals? Vendor Comparison Implementation Support Strategy Does the new technology provide tools to support implementation and change? Documentation/Task Comparison impact. If not enough attention is paid to workflow and process improvements before the technology is implemented, serious negative consequences can occur, such as loss of productivity or poor data quality. When new technologies are not planned for properly, are implemented without consideration for changes, are not well integrated with other systems, or become burdensome to users, not only will errors and deleterious results occur, but there also will be negative impacts on RIM. Data Strategy Data strategy is the cornerstone of any new technology evaluation designed to explore RIM impact. It distinguishes between technologies that comply with recordkeeping standards, guidelines, and best practices and those that don t. Standards (e.g., ISO 15489), technical reports, and practice guidelines determine the best methods and processes for managing the lifecycle of records and information. The Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles can serve as an overarching framework for new technology evaluation as follows: Accountability Are an executive, strategic planning committee and RIM professional responsible for evaluating new technologies, including RIM impact? Transparency Does the new technology support the efficient disclosure of information to authorized parties? Integrity Does the new technology capture the required metadata and other authenticity requirements, including chain of custody? Protection Does the new technology offer a reasonable level of security using technical controls to safeguard records and information? Compliance Does the new technology comply with applicable laws, other binding agencies, and 38 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 INFORMATIONMANAGEMENT

4 corporate policies? Availability Does the new technology maintain records and information in a manner that makes them retrievable? Is there a means to capture, classify, and, when necessary, preserve data? Retention Does the new technology retain records and information for the appropriate time, taking into account legal, regulatory, fiscal, operational, and historical requirements? Disposition Does the new technology dispose of records and information securely and appropriately when they are no longer required to be maintained by applicable laws or organizational policies? Strategic Justification RIM alignment demonstrates the recordkeeping consequences of new technologies, while strategic justification indicates how the organization may be affected by any new acquisitions. Providing strategic justification for investing in some technologies and not others is not easily quantifiable. But, qualitative data is becoming just as important to senior executives as quantifiable data. RIM must be able to justify to senior management that acquiring only those new technologies with positive RIM impact adds value directly to the business, not only by improving the bottom line, but also by enhancing the organization s quality. Business Case Cost should never be the deciding factor in new technology acquisition. Instead the organization should answer the question, Does the new technology add value? Merriam-Webster defines value as relative worth, utility, or importance, in addition to the more commonly quoted definition of monetary worth of something. Value-added records management moves beyond monetary worth to relative worth by protecting corporate assets, increasing corporate advantage, complying with laws, reducing risks, and protecting rights. Presenting a solid business case involves analyzing risks, financial impact, and benefits realization. Risks involve operational, technical, and financial considerations. New technologies potentially affect the productivity of people and efficiency of RIM processes in either a positive or negative way. To avoid any negative impact on RIM, a new technology must offer technical solutions to recordkeeping challenges, such as the automated creation and capture of records, metadata generation, or retention and disposition, to name a few examples. If there are financial losses associated with poor recordkeeping, they will eventually show up in the bottom line. Building a RIM-related business case requires the recordkeeping professional to weigh the risks of acquiring new technologies against the risks of not having them. Another reason that organizations should never view the acquisition of new technologies as a pure cost-benefit calculation is because neither the total cost nor the benefits of new technologies can be projected with any degree of confidence. Many technologies take many years to implement and usually require the support of other technologies that may be shared. Further, the quality of RIM improvements is hard to translate into a dollar amount. Nonetheless, executive management typically wants to see a business case that incorporates various forms of financial impact, including return on investment (ROI) and a Building a RIM-related business case requires the recordkeeping professional to weigh the risks of aquiring new technologies against the risks of not having them. cost/benefit analysis. Although a benefits realization study is conducted after the implementation of a technology, it is important enough to mention here. It provides a before and after analysis that determines if anticipated benefits described in the cost-benefit analysis and/or ROI calculations have been realized. Having a baseline set of values reduces guesswork and is useful for highlighting broken processes and identifying areas for corrective action. Since new technologies take many years to implement, interim studies can be conducted at designated milestones. Other Factors Vendor Selection Strategy It is also important to consider what the vendor brings to the table. A vendor selection strategy involves obtaining information about the product, performing due diligence in selecting a vendor, and assessing whether or not contract terms are favorable to the organization. Due diligence clarifies the stability, experience, reputation, depth, strengths, and ethics of the seller. For example, developing a request for information or request for proposal, asking for product demonstrations, making site visits, and speaking with references can help determine if the vendor and product have the ability to support the organization s technology goals. Implementation Support Strategy Choosing a new technology is difficult, but implementation is when the real work begins. A new technology evaluation should consider the avail- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 INFORMATIONMANAGEMENT 39

5 ability and cost of any potential vendor training, documentation, and support. Training should be available at different points in the process, targeted at different individuals and designed for different purposes. Support materials, such as system documentation concerning the project, user manuals, and any policies and procedures, should be codified. Support from vendor staff should be available to provide assistance onsite at the start of the implementation and via telephone and/or as go-live progresses. Acquire Strategically, Implement Tactically Technologies used to create, process, maintain, and distribute records and information inside and outside the organization are a means to an end. The gap is widening between what new technologies can do and what good information governance and records management demand they do. Technology acquisition often involves substantial long- and short-term investments, including financial and other resources, such as supporting technologies and human capital. For these reasons, new technology acquisition is as much about strategy as it is about tactics. Evaluating new technologies for RIM impact provides opportunities for both information governance at the strategic level and records management at the tactical level. The topdown approach to evaluation described in this article connects technology acquisitions to the organization s goals. It also helps a RIM program meet its strategic goals prospectively rather than retrospectively. In a nutshell, a formal, defined process for introducing new technologies into organizations ensures that the next best technology doesn t become the next RIM headache. END Sofia Empel, CRM, CDIA+, can be contacted at sofia@recordsupdate. com. See her bio on page NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 INFORMATIONMANAGEMENT