Let's look at this from a little different perspective. I have always used
the horse analogy in the past. Historically horses were a critical element
to man. Obviously their role has been replaced over the years. Yet, there
are more horses today than there have ever been before.It is their role
that has shifted.

Another way to look at it is, it looks like we now have the abilty to grow
meat in a lab (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110906085145.htm).
I do not anticipate a rush by Americans to buy this meat. By some accounts
it will be superior to the meat raised in traditional fashion. The meat
will better for the environment and possibly superior in every way. I would
think there will be a lot of push back on this from ranchers, politicians,
and those invested in the process. The marketing model will dictate how
well and how fast it becomes part and parcel of our eating practices. If
the price point of grown meat is a fraction of current prices, and truly is
better, it will become a reality faster.
Internal combustion cars replaced horses becasue they were better, faster,
more reliable, and affordable. The perception of the paperless office is
that it has not been able to achieve it's promises. It remains an expensive
endeavor. Manufacturing has invested in, and paid for existing processes.
Re-tooling is cost prohibitive. Conversion is disruptive, slowing critical
processes, and is demanding on all resources. reliabilty is questionable.

Companies developing the capabilty to go paperless targeted the fortune
500. Tools that have the abilty to create the desired enviorment have been
slow, in modern terms, to filter down to smaller organizations. The price
point remains high. Most companies do not believe they can convert and
still achieve their primary goals.

How do we get to the point where we go "paperless"? First, get the idea out
of our vernacular. People love horses and beef on the hoof. Why confront
them on that issue. There will always be trees there will always be
paper. Papers role in the business process is what we should be addressing.
Second, while the capabilty of systems to improve processses has developed
over time, perception remains that no matter how good it is not affordable
and not reliable enough. In the old days they races cars against horses.
the proof is in the pudding. We need to be better at showing people that
electronic record are better. We need to buy into it and sell it.

Is it a generational issue? Yes and no. yes the younger generation will
create an environment much more dependent on elctronic information. If a
paperless environement comes it will be because the more "mature" people
buy into it and make it happen. Remember, with few exeption the next
generation has little real power. The next generation will be brought up in
our model . We need to make our model one of change.

Well back in the saddle I go cows to feed.

Chris Flynn
On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 3:25 PM, Brown, Susan Fitch <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> My personal opinion is that new systems tend to make people feel clumsy
> and stupid no matter how well they are sold. Yesterday before using the
> system the person new to the system was competent and today while learning
> the system they feel like a kid learning how to use a pencil all over
> again. No system is really user friendly because almost all of them require
> learning a new view of how to do work. No matter how complicated or how
> simple the system you have to train, retrain and train again before people
> are going to be comfortable with the new tool.  Once they are comfortable
> they'll use it, but if no one cares about the comfort level of the users,
> the users will do everything they can to avoid using the system.
>
> Now back to paper.  We are experiencing an information glut that has never
> been there before.  People will use any media to try and manage the glut.
>  Paper is just one of them, with the added benefit that good paper will
> outlast a flash drive.  Will we ever be paperless?  Maybe someday when
> someone invents a storage device that will outlast a good piece of rag
> paper retained at optimum conditions.  On the other hand there are now an
> equal number of Kindles and books on the subway and that wasn't true even a
> year ago.
>
> Susan Fitch Brown, CRM, MLS
> Consultant - Information Management
> NetSmith,Inc
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of Simone Myree
> Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 2:55 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: The Paperless Office - Why It Hasn't Happened
>
> Thank you so much for that Carolyn.  It is so true.  People will resist
> most efforts to use tools and systems that are at odds with what they need
> and how they work.
>
> It seems we would move a lot closer to the paperless office if records
> management and software developers focused more on improving the user
> experience when creating tools and systems to manage the glut of data
> around us.  People have come to expect a certain level of usability from
> their tools and systems before truly adopting them.  And we want them -
> need them - to truly adopt these tools and systems.
>
> It's not that cut and dry but decreasing resistance by meeting people
> where they are and improving the user experience would go a long way in
> getting users to accept not only a paperless office but that records
> management is actually there to help them.
>
> Oh Nielsen, where art thou?
>
> Simone Myree
> Records Management Coordinator
> Association of Washington Cities
>
> List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
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