Dustin, I would classify it as a program that provides internal support
services/subject matter expertise to other programs/projects/areas of
the organization. While records management's link to process is
important, many aspects of records management stretch beyond straight
business process issues. As an internal support service, you are
maintaining a pool of specialized subject matter expertise that is
available to the organization as a whole, a more efficient use of
resources than either ignoring the issue entirely, or maintaining such
expertise in each operation separately. This also allows you to develop
an organization wide perspective which allows for the application of
records management principles in a stable, consistent manner across
silos, rather than re-inventing the wheel for every new process,
project, or business unit. Its this kind of market
penetration/consistent/stable application of records management that
really reduces costs over time, not sporadic, periodic "bursts" of RM
projects here and there. I've been involved in programs that were both
very project oriented, and ones that focused on providing basic RM
services across the organization as a foundation to build on. The latter
approach, in my opinion, is both more beneficial to the organization in
the long term, and much more stable.
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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-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of McLemore, Dustin
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 2:20 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Classifying Records Management
All,
I have had some discussions with several colleagues here at the utility.
When I began managing the company's records, there was a desire to
classify records management itself as a project. I had my doubts
because of the long-term impact of records management and the need to
support every workgroup in the company on a permanent basis. The term
"project", at least to me, denotes a temporary presence. I'm also
hesitant to classify records management as a "program." Even though, a
program can support multiple projects - records management itself can
even support a program. Instead I have been responding with the notion
that records management should be, itself, categorized as a "process".
The process of managing records can support "projects" of any kind and
support the sponsor/workgroup/unit overseeing it (as well as any who
might be involved).
I know this seems like semantics, but it is a very important discussion
to the longevity of records management within the organization. I would
be very interested to hear your thoughts on the issue.
r/
dm
--
Dustin McLemore, MPA
Austin Energy
512-505-3777
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