Brent Reid wrote:
>IMNSHO, working papers are drafts that should be kept, as they reflect
how and why decisions were made - which can affect the outcome of
litigation should the Records be involved in such.

Brent, as a general statement or policy applicable across an enterprise
to all records, I agree with Peter on this, as it is a concept that can
be taken to some pretty illogical extremes. On the other hand, there are
processes and functions that formally incorporate working papers or
drafts into their development practices - for example, land use planning
makes extensive use of working papers and drafts as part of the review
process. Land use planning uses a more formal process as it entails the
involvement of multiple, often competing stakeholders, as well as the
desire for considerable transparency as planning issues are developed
and resolved, oftentimes over decades of effort. 

As with so many records management issues, keeping working papers and
drafts depends on the context in which they are being developed. I would
tend to target policy only where the context justifies it, and not as a
general policy applicable to all working papers and drafts in all
contexts. Barring specific legal requirements, I think the litigation
issue is secondary to what makes good business sense: where are policies
and/or decisions being made in a manner that would benefit from a more
structured process of retaining working papers and drafts? Who are the
stakeholders/beneficiaries of such a practice? What are the risks/costs?

Dwight Wallis, CRM
Records Administrator
Multnomah County Fleet, Records, Electronics, Distribution and Stores
(FREDS)
1620 S.E. 190th Avenue
Portland, OR 97233
Phone: (503)988-3741
Fax: (503)988-3754
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