Data management IT can mean better services
- Posted:
- 17:21 25 Oct 2004
- Topics:
- Compliance | Customer Management | Regulatory Compliance
The business case for investing in IT systems to meet
freedom of information legislation is questionable, IT experts
claimed this week.
But taken as part of a wider investment in joined-up government and
improving document management and processes, it can make financial
sense.
The combination of a document management system and a customer
relationship management system can not only reduce the costs of
processing Freedom of Information Act requests but improve general
administration procedures.
"Freedom of information is about having good business practice and
good housekeeping in managing information," said Joan Fennelly, a
consultant at change management consultancy Partners for
Change.
"If you look at the amount of time people spend on corporate
information, 35% of their time is spent trying to access the right
information. The document management that underpins the Act
benefits a lot of government initiatives. Instead of having stacks
of filing space, documents can be stored electronically at a
fraction of the cost."
She quoted the example of one city council that spends £46,000
a year storing paper archives - a cost that could be reduced by
storing documents electronically.
But there are other non-tangible benefits. Paul Smith, technology
director at Comino, cited examples of children in danger slipping
through the social services net with tragic consequences.
The first step in preparing to automate a document management
system is to conduct an information audit across the organisation.
This means identifying what information is held, where it is held
and how long.
Once organisations have identified the information they collect, it
is important to simplify work processes and rationalise systems
before investing in IT.
"Technology is the last thing you should think about," said Bob
Wiggins, principal consultant at Socitm. "It is all about processes
and thinking. It is about stepping back and looking at it
coldly."
Too often organisations view IT as a panacea for freedom of
information compliance, said Fennelly.
"There seems to be very little awareness or effort to change the
way they work behind the scenes. Although each department has its
own way of filing information, there needs to be a consistent way
of managing and putting in place procedures to make that happen,"
she said.
Government recommends two IT systems for processing requests
The Department of Constitutional Affairs has identified two key technologies that sit on top of customer relationship management and document management systems that can help public sector bodies meet the challenges of the Freedom of Information Act.
First, automated tracking systems can help departments record freedom of information requests and appeals. They should provide an audit trail for the work done, including who did what and what databases were accessed. This will allow the department's compliance with the Act to be assessed if cases go to appeal.
Second, systems are available which allow portions of word-processed documents to be blanked out, where information falls within one of the 25 exemptions of the Freedom of Information Act. The systems keep a record of the reason for the exemption.
