Record Management is, according to RMAA Records Management Association of Australasia, 'field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition of records, including processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records.'
Record keeping should be a part of all the various stages of business's life cycle: 'from their creation or receipt, through their processing, distribution, maintenance and use, to their ultimate disposition.'
Making sure that the records are efficient and effective, the 'useless records' should be destroyed and valuable information 'protected and maintained in a manner that facilitates its access and use.' (AIIM, p48)
Ways that Group A record:
*We try to record the activities we do on computers by 'recording' using Cam Studio program. This is a great way of showing visual proof of work.
*When we discuss ideas and challenges we try to have it written down on what we want to accomplish and so on. This is evidence of our meetings and discussions.
*Emails are the best way we've kept record because we mostly communicate with emails when we cannot be all present at the same time.
*Blogs are (and should be more often) used to help keep track of our individual and team work, showing our progress throughout the weeks. Unfortunately this type of record keeping is a bit bias as it is only the person's recollection of their work.
There are many products available to assist in the records management process and they should allow the following-
• Organize records
• Define retention schedules
• Define file plans
• Declare records
• Maintain record security
• Manage records access
• Provide circulation management
• Help preserve records
• (Optionally) provide email management (AIIM, p49)
Educating people to keep records in a very efficient way is necessary in business and project management.
Being a very efficient recordkeeper is essential as information is much more easily retrieved if the records are in an organised way. This does impact on time and the better the record management the quicker the retrieval!
Dearstyne Bruce (Nov 2007). Why Records Management Matters, Public Management, vol. 89; issue 10 p. 24-27. Retrieved April 15 2008 from EBSCOHost
Records Management Association of Australasian, Glossary, RMAA. Retrieved April 16 2008
AIIM, Records Management, AIIM E-DOC Jan/Feb2008 Guide to ECM Purchasing, Vol. 22, p48-52. Retrieved April 15 2008 from EBSCOHost
