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
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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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