Electronic Records – The Sequel

Arian D. Ravanbakhsh, NARANACRC Conference

July 14, 2007Richmond, VA

Outline

1. Re(over)view2. Getting RM and IT to work

together3. Best Practices4. Contact Information

Today’s Environment

Our documents have become increasingly digital—and will become still more so

This increase in digital documents has created a new environment with new challenges for records management, including: Media life limitations Software dependency Migration Sharing/distribution Security

File Format Considerations

Long-term access requirements should be a critical criterion for file format selection

Technology-neutral file formats are a must for long-term retention

Avoid proprietary, single-vendor products

Sustainability Factors

Formats should be sustainable over the long term. That is, be: Non-proprietary and openly documented In widespread use Self-Documenting (e.g. XML) Can be opened, read, and accessed using

readily-available software tools

Barriers to Success

The realities of the current relationships between the IT and RM worlds…

Barriers

IT builds the system—but does not manage the content

RM manages content—but the system may be lacking some necessary tools

Common Barriers

1. Records are not managed as business assets.

2. RM is not viewed as critical in business process.

3. There is a lack of training, tools, and guidance for staff.

4. RM and IT disciplines are poorly integrated in agencies/companies

Solutions

Integrate RM and IT Ensure that electronic records can be

located, shared, and accessed agency-wide Records and information, as well as tools,

must be managed by RM and IT working together

RM Staff Must… Understand how technologies affect electronic

records Know that they are key players Realize that records management requires

technological skills and understanding far beyond document tracking

RM Staff Skills Process mapping Analytical thinking Speaking IT’s language Managing projects Familiarity with the Systems Development Life

Cycle

Points where RM and IT intersect

IT systems development Capital planning, IT architecture, and

strategic planning Implementation of electronic signature

technologies Transfer of permanent electronic records

to archival custody E-mail Electronic recordkeeping

Systems Development Life Cycle

ConceptDevelopment

RequirementsDefinition

PreliminaryDesign Detail

DesignDevelopment

Integration &System Test

Development &Acceptance

Production

Product Plan

PhaseDeliverables

Testbeds and prototypesTo next phase

Pilots

To nextphase

Production and evolutionary releasesAnotherPhase?

Retirement &Roll Over

No

New PhasePlanning

Yes

Based on needs identified in BPD and approved in CPCPIncludes creation points for records

SDLC Phases

Product Plan and Initiation Phase Concept Phase Requirements Definition Preliminary and Detailed Design, Development Integration and System Test, Development,

and Acceptance Production and Upgrades, or Retirement and

Rollover

Bottom Line

Records Management must start at the earliest possible stage in the SDLC.

Evaluating a CPIC Proposal

Declare documentary materials as records Capture records in a secure repository Organize records for efficient retrieval Limit access to records to authorized users Preserve records for their entire lifecycle Allow for disposition of records based on

approved agency schedules

DoD 5015.2

Design criteria standard for electronic records management software applications (RMA)

Includes mandatory and nonmandatory requirements

Provides minimum RM requirements Fluid document

Always being updated

DOD Standard 5015.2

DoD Standard 5015.2 does the following: Sets forth the mandatory baseline requirements

for RMA software used by DoD components Also covers more detailed requirements, such as:

Accommodating dates and date logic Implementing standard data

(metadata/taxonomy) Backward compatibility Accessibility

Beyond DoD 5015.2

1. Determine ERM scope.2. Review infrastructure/IT architecture.3. Review agency records and information

resources, management guidance, and directives.

4. Review additional standards.5. Review requirements.6. Classify requirements.7. Involve stakeholders in review.

Beyond DoD 5015.2 (cont’d.)

1. Determine ERM scope. Ask what the system will and will not manage:

E-mail Paper Office automation software Web content Electronic forms

Identify and consult with stakeholders Review existing systems to determine:

What system creates or contains records? What types of records? What legacy systems will be integrated or migrated?

Beyond DoD 5015.2 (cont’d.)

2. Review infrastructure/IT architecture.Find out about:

Network servers and system software Security Desktop applications Standard desktop configuration

At what level will the system be administered?

Beyond DoD 5015.2 (cont’d.)

3. Review agency records and information resources, management guidance, and directives.

RM policies IRM policies Security policies Disposition and

retention schedules

Beyond DoD 5015.2 (cont’d.)

4. Review additional standards. Reach beyond your agency

for best practices Model Requirements for the

Management of Electronic Records (MoReq)

AIIM Standards Committee on Integrating Records Management and Document Management Requirements

Reports by Doculabs on ERM, EDM, and ECM systems

ISO 15489-1: Information and Documentation—Records Management

Beyond DoD 5015.2 (cont’d.)

5. Review requirements Does it:

Describe a system functionality? Express a single idea? Map clearly to specific organizational goals? Map directly to business processes or policies? Describe user’s needs?

Is it: Testable? Too vague? Too implementation-dependent?

Beyond DoD 5015.2 (cont’d.)

6. Classify requirements. Assess the functionality of each additional requirement

as to whether:

The system cannot function without it It provides significant savings in time or resources It smoothes the path for the end user It provides the Records Manager with useful tools It reduces risks to future access to the information

Beyond DoD 5015.2 (cont’d.)

7. Involve stakeholders in review.

Beyond DoD 5015.2 (cont’d.)

This step-by-step approach will allow agencies to develop requirements that:

Support business process Make best use of resources Harmonize with current system Produce system with tangible benefits

Selected Best Practices

Australian Work Process Standard Center for Technology & Government Minnesota State Archives USPTO FBI CIA

Australian AS 5090-2003

Work Process Analysis for Recordkeeping AS 5090-2003 Moves the focus of RM to the work process

and argues that recordkeeping should be a natural, integral part of the work process, rather than a separate activity

SUNY-Albany: Center for Technology in Government: Models for Action Tool

Requirement elicitation questions to ensure that recordkeeping requirements are identified

The Australian Work Process Standard

and the Models for Action Tool are both flexible and scalable methodologies

The Minnesota State Archives:Trustworthy Information Systems Handbook

Contains a checklist of criteria to consider when designing a system, but also includes questions which elicit process-specific information

Result is a clear, usable guide for IT or project management staff, which can be used even in weak RM environments

USPTO Electronic Records Management Technical Standard and Guidelines

Requires that systems developers fill out a comprehensive recordkeeping checklist as part of the standard Systems Development Life Cycle

Has a clear outline of the roles and responsibilities of the various players, as well as placement of the electronic records management activities in the Systems Development Life Cycle

The FBI Electronic Recordkeeping Certification Manual

FBI and CIA have well-elaborated electronic recordkeeping certification processes in place RM staff have authority to approve system design at

each of several major Systems Development Life Cycle control gates

The FBI’s Manual outlines four possible paths to certification, asking system owners to choose one during the project’s first phase Manual then outlines the process for certification for

both new and legacy systems

The FBI Electronic Recordkeeping Certification Manual (cont’d.)

Manual provides details on doing a project recordkeeping risk assessment, and includes sample tests and expected results for each of the ERK assessment criteria

All of these features are unique and make its documentation so thorough that an inexperienced system owner could figure out exactly how the process works

CIA’s Electronic Recordkeeping System (ERKS) Requirements

CIA now has a brief ERKS Certification Guide, including an overview of the process’s purpose and steps with a short list of requirements

CIA requires an Information Management Plan for each system to document all of the processes and procedures that will be used, to ensure that records are managed appropriately through creation, maintenance, use, and disposition Plan also includes a description of the system, system

records, and a traceability matrix for the ERKS requirements

On the Web: http://toolkit.archives.gov

Is a portal for various products and resources that provide guidance for managing e-records

Provides summary descriptions for quick searching as well as the full document

Includes resources and tools developed by NARA and other organizations

Can be searched by topic, occupation, organization that created the tool, or key word within the descriptive text

Questions/Contact Information

Arian D. RavanbakhshIT Policy Specialist

National Archives and Records Administration, Office of Modern Records Programs (NWM)

(301) 837-2086arian.ravanbakhsh@nara.gov

The views and opinions expressed in this presentation are my own and do not represent any official view of NARA or the US Federal

Government.