Arkib Negara ELECTRONIC RECORDS MANAGEMENT and archive mgmt guideline_eng

e-SPARK
4 Governance
This section address two perspectives on the governance required to manage electronic
records effectively. The first pertains to the manner in which electronic records initiatives
should be managed (i.e. by adopting a project management approach) while the second
pertains to the management framework that should be in place to ensure that a sustainable
electronic records management program is in place to address on an ongoing basis the
business needs of the public offices they are designed to serve.
4.1 Governance of Electronic Records Initiatives
The steps that follow are in the form of a checklist of the factors that need to be considered
in ensuring that the management of electronic records is accounted for in the planning,
design, implementation, and review of systems supporting the programs and services of
public offices.
4.1.1 Problem Definition
• Provide a clear identification of the ‘problem’ and a clear understanding of the record
keeping requirements that must be respected by a system. What is the business or
accountability problem that needs to be addressed?
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In the ‘structured’ environment it might be that the absence of retention standards for
controlling the length of time otherwise well-managed database records generated in
a highly structured applications system is raising concerns about the system’s
compliance with certain laws and policies.
In the ‘unstructured’ environment it might be that the proliferation of e-mail messages
and other electronic documents is causing concerns that valuable records of decision
are being lost.
In the ‘web’ environment it might be that the absence of a relationship between a
consultation draft of a policy posted onto the web and the records that document the
process by which it was developed is raising concerns about the ability to provide
evidence of how the consultation draft was developed.
• Identify a program manger who ‘owns’ the problem. A program manager must be in a
position to say that if the initiative does not proceed then his or her program will be
placed at risk. If the problem is only ‘owned’ by records management staff, systems
developers, etc., then the effort to define the problem has not gone far enough.
• Obtain the commitment of senior management. Senior management must be completely
aware of why an electronic record keeping initiative is required and be prepared to
support the initiative throughout.
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