Design parameters for ERM

The results of a 1998-9 Delphi study with 30 e-record keeping experts identified value conflicts that could provide important design parameters for electronic records management (ERM). The study looked at the opportunities and risks of 5 different technologies for providing information for public sector accountability – email, database management systems (DBMS), office software, the Web, smart systems.

• Email improves communication internally and with citizens. However, when used to produce messages that were previously produced on paper there is a risk that some of these will be lost. Conversely, where email replaces phone conversations, messages are kept that previously would have been transient. Email is characterised by individualised not organisational management and control.
• DBMS provide an important source of management information. However they lack historical continuity when records are updated, and often lack contextual information about the origins of the dataset.
• Office software is widely available and used. However, there is lack of organisational control over the creation and capture of records. New releases of software are incompatible with previous versions.
• The Web is used for PR and increasingly for transactions. However, there is loss of historical information when pages updated, and often access to information is lost when links become broken. Data is vulnerable to hackers.
• Smart systems, e.g. economic growth modelling software, solve specific problems. However, for accountability purposes, we need to know/document the logic/rules by which the decision is reached. Software obsolescence is a problem.

Analysis of these results identified five organisational value conflicts.

• "'On the Record' and 'Off the Record' Communications Tend to Become Mixed: A Conflict Between Formality and Informality." (p.263)
• "Control Over Information and Communication Tends to be Individualized: A Conflict Between Individual Autonomy and Organizational Control" (p.263)
• "Focus Tends to be on Present Information Rather Than on Historic Information: A Conflict Between Adaptability and Continuity" (p.264)
• "Information Tends to be Connected to Other Information Managed by Other People and Organizations: A Conflict Between Cooperation and Organizational Autonomy" (p.264)
• "Rules and Procedures Tend to be Integrated in Computer Systems: A Conflict Between Artificial Authority and Intellectual Autonomy". (p.265)

These value conflicts could provide important design parameters for ERM. However, there is no way that these conflicts could have values that would produce a ‘one size fits all’ solution. The balance of these conflicts needs to be designed to fit a specific situation or organisational requirement. “Emphasis on certain values may lead to advantages in some accountability situations and disadvantage or failure to use new opportunities in others. No one best way can be identified, but situation specific designs are required.” (p.266)

Meijer A (2001). Electronic records management and public accountability: Beyond an instrumental approach. The Information Society, 17(4):259-270