Where are you capturing and processing/analyzing your inventory data
once you collect it? How are you arranging the data you collect inside
whatever system you are using? There has been interest in this province
in our use of MS Access to capture data for many components of the
records management program, not just the inventory.
**MS Access is used only by the records team, nobody else, it is not and
never will be web-accessible to anyone (because MS Access becomes
unstable) and there are no "forms" for any user enter data themselves.
Records Management Website
http://teamsites/sites/Records_Management/default.aspx
Maureen Cusack | Smart Systems for Health Agency
desk phone: 416.586.4012 | cell: 416.854.4987 | fax: 416.586.4398
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415 Yonge Street, Suite 1900 | Toronto, ON M5B 2E7 | www.ssha.on.ca
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-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of John J. O'Brien, CRM
Sent: January 11, 2006 4:12 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Form or general questions for conducting records inventory
Great resources mentioned so far. Here are a few more thoughts.
Your inventory form will either be comprehensive, or not. If the
former,
you may capture more than required for your immediate goal but have the
advantage of building data for the future evolution of your program.
Downsides include the time required, potential "turn-offs" as some
respondents/participants may not see the necessity for certain data. If
the form is not comprehensive, then you must be aware of how, and to
what
level, the form "cuts" the data. That cut must be in sync with your
project purpose, or you will be going back for more information. That
will have implications on your project and how it may be percieved and
welcomed within your organization.
My advice is to take a project management approach and remember that you
are not simply collecting data, you are imposing a time demand on people
who have work to do. The design of the form should also reflect
process--
it is not simply a matter of getting the right fields and assuming they
make sense. A different arrangement, abbreviations, etc. can be adopted
for RM staff for whom greater descriptive detail gets in the way. That
detail is critical if the form is filled out remotely by knowledge
workers-
-otherwise, your data will be skewed by the interpretation of the
fields.
Will the form be input into a database? If so, there are design
considerations to reduce errors and streamline data entry...has design
of
your database taken the data collection and presentation requirements
into account?
In short, there is a lot of good information available to better inform
the inventory process. And, all of it needs to be considered in light of
the specific need, and adapted accordingly.
Good luck!
John James O'Brien, CRM, MALT
IRM Strategies
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