What does digital transition mean?
The Government's Digital Transition policy aims to move Australian Government agencies to digital recordkeeping for efficiency purposes. For many this will require a transition to digital information and records management practices.
Digital transition is the process of adopting digital records management practices. Almost all records are created digitally. In some cases records need to be kept in paper format, but these instances are rare. Digital information is often copied to paper unnecessarily and then has to be stored and managed as duplicate paper records. Aim to keep records in their digital format and, where possible, to scan incoming paper records.
Digital transition involves the following actions:
- encouraging an agency-wide culture committed to digital information and records management practices and discouraging the creation and use of paper records;
- identifying existing work processes and determining where paper based practices can be replaced by digital processes;
- limiting the creation of paper records to only those that the agency identifies must be kept and managed in paper format, for example, those with security and legislative requirements that can currently only be fulfilled in paper format;
- implementing scanning processes and procedures for all other incoming paper records;
- locating and identifying where digital records are created in your agency. Consider whether records held in business systems (such as in content management, human resource, finance and custom built/agency specific business systems) can be managed appropriately by the business system for as long as the records are needed, or whether they should integrate with dedicated records management systems;
- managing digital information over time to ensure that it remains authentic, accessible, useable and understandable for as long as it is needed.
First steps
Agencies are at different stages in their information and records management. Some are well advanced, but others still need to make the first steps. If you are not sure where to start, the Archives recommends you:
- engage with key staff to discuss the requirements of the Government policy and possible approaches and responses in your agency;
- develop an understanding of the state of your agency's information and record environment from the Check-up 2.0 self-assessment that all agencies are required to do each year for three years, starting in 2011. Based on your first Check-up 2.0 assessment, identify priority actions for your agency and begin planning your transition;
- consider your approaches to reducing the paper records stockpile including sentencing and disposal programs, develop or update your agency’s Normal Administrative Practice policy, and develop records authorities in conjunction with the Archives to cover any gaps in records authority coverage;
- Institute an agency-wide promotion strategy to support the transition.
