Greetings, Nolene.
Project ELF, as Larry notes, is a fundamental. Like many aspects of
recorded information management, however, there's as much art as
science in taking the concept through to implementation.
In general, for example, to reduce the footprint of legal sized file
storage in the office, it is necessary to tackle the equipment
issue. A legal sized 4dL :costs" the same foot print whether stuffed
to the gills with legal files or storing a bottle of white-out and
your change of underwear (real life examples ;-) If lucky enough to
be focusing on RIM as part of an organisational move, re-fitting of
offices, etc. there can be tremendous opportunities to forecast and
demonstrate savings that more than pay for different equipment (which
itself can be sold, not scrapped). Otherwise, it's about strategic
and tactical planning over a time horizon that is typically longer
than an individual may stay in the responsible position. That means
engaging the politics, building the effort as a corporate initiative,
framing it in policy, etc.
Very practically, based on experience in a number of initiatives to
extract cost related data on options for physical storage, the actual
storage potential of cabinets varies among manufacturers and should
not be the only purchase criteria (by a long shot). Don't forget the
potential of redesigning floor plans to take advantage of a % of
overlapped access space (bearing in mind activity, of course).
Remember that even among shelving manufacturers, there are enormous
differences. In one project we set the procurement standard such that
every single unit provided an additional metre (yard) of storage, and
work ith the HR ergonomist to set policy and ensure provision of the
bottom tier as "alternative" and 50% lockable storage (thereby
eliminating wholesale use of cabinets as people shoved in their
little Xmas trees, bags, etc.). Point here: RIM solutions are not
just about records, they are about getting real in relation to
organizational life and meeting human needs to enable corporate
success. Many factors and considerations come into play--the key is
being able to get acceptance of playing at that level. Sounds like
you are facing very common challenges in that arena. Can you project
the space savings and associated costs against the current
consumption and cost to open the door to being better heard and
understood?
I have been more than shocked to discover that in some parts of the
world files = hardback binders placed horizontally in vertical
cabinets such that only the top one is easily identifiable. There is
a huge business opportunity, but lack of strategic coordination among
leading organizations and reluctance to invest up front in building
awareness of the possible for a future, almost unimaginable, gain is
mind boggling. And, it is also on a macro level what you face on a
micro level. Keep up the good fight!
Cheers-
John
John James O'Brien, BA, CRM, MALT
[log in to unmask]
Partner & Managing Director
IRM Strategies
Hong Kong: +852 3101 7359
Bangkok: +66 2 207 2530
www.irmstrategies.com
Associate Partner, S4K Research
Stockholm www.s4k.com
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