Strategic information and records management
Good information and records management is important because it supports the business of every agency, making them more efficient and accountable.
The Australian National Audit Office has recommended that Australian Government agencies develop and implement a records management strategy within the broader context of an information framework.
The records and information management framework should be based upon your agency's overarching vision or strategy.
A strategic approach to information and records management focuses on:
- linking business to records to meet the business needs of the organisation
- managing risk.
Your agency should have:
- an information and records management framework
- an information and records management strategy
- an information architecture
- information and records management policies and procedures.
These may be in dedicated documents or exist in combination with other high-level statements.
Contents
What is an information and records management framework?
An information and records management framework sets out a long-term vision and strategy for managing your agency's information and records. It should be based on an understanding of the business requirements and risks and the requirements for records management in the Australian Government.
Check up 2.0 outlines the minimum requirements for records management in Australian Government agencies.
The four most important things your framework needs to do are:
- set out the principles for managing records
- consider records that exist now and in the future
- enable your agency to identify, assess and prioritise risk
- set priorities for records and information planning and management.
Your framework should also be endorsed and promoted by senior management.
In the Australian Government, both agencies and the National Archives are responsible for ensuring that information, including records of outsourced business, is appropriately managed.
What is an information and records management strategy?
This outlines your agency's systematic approach to managing information and records. It guides what will actually be done.
Your information and records strategy should:
- promote accountability and outline responsibilities
- identify the importance of records to business
- identify key information resources and reflect the relationships between information and systems that use the information
- identify legislation applicable to your agency and its business
- identify relevant standards and guidelines.
The strategy should be endorsed by senior management in your agency.
Read the section on standards and legislation to find out how legislation, standards and guidelines can help you with your records and information management.
What is an information architecture?
An information architecture outlines how information and records are used, described and organised across the whole of your agency. This makes it easier for information to be delivered in the correct context to the correct people.
An information architecture should:
- identify business processes
- identify which business systems store information and records
- provide a view of how information flows across systems
- specify and manage the design, labelling, navigation and indexing of information systems
- set standards for metadata and terminology for use in all agency systems – metadata enables data to be analysed and classified so there is some structure and context to the content of a record
- promote flexible, standards-based information sharing and re-use.
The information architecture should be endorsed at a high level and should be a key part of governance decisions for new system initiatives and business process change management.
What are information and records management policies and procedures?
Policies and procedures should:
- be approved by the head of agency or other senior management
- be consistent with your information and records management strategy
- define responsibilities for all agency staff including information and records management specialists
- be reviewed and updated regularly
- be communicated and implemented across the agency.
All agency staff are responsible for creating and capturing records of all formats during work.
For more information on staff and records management, see the section on roles and responsibilities in records management.
