Models for Action: Practical Approaches to Electronic Records Management and Preservation.

Abstract

Abstract : The project described in this report was an attempt to develop a practical way to incorporate essential electronic records requirements into the design of new information systems. Funded in large part by a research grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), the project was conducted from 1996 to 1998 through a partnership between the New York State Archives and Records Administration (SARA) and the Center for Technology in Government (CTG). The project team included staff of the NYS Adirondack Park Agency, eight corporate partners led by Intergraph Corporation, and University at Albany faculty and graduate students. In recent years, significant theoretical work has been done in the area of electronic records management; however, little has been translated into practical implementable solutions. This project was designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice by producing generalizeable tools that link business objectives to sound records management practices. This connection can be understood most readily at the business process level where workflow information flow and service delivery come together. The project integrated and built upon several existing bodies of knowledge: electronic recordkeeping and archival theory and practice, business process improvement and reengineering (BPI/BPR) methodologies, and system development methodologies.