Notes on "Case Study: Public Records Act - Planning and Implementation Strategy for Compliance" (Julian Mess)

Julian is the Deputy CEO and Academic Manager for the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) in Invercargill.

Focusing on strategic change, and what we have learned during this process. Hoping that listeners can take some general lessons from this case study and apply it. Not wanting to turn this into a commercial.

A question: "Can you name two people in recent history who would have been better if they had fired their archivists?"

Challenge to SIT ... we can not keep going with what we have today. Will be facing an audit soon. Little understanding of accountabilities, retention uncertainties, no classification (individual systems), no records management procedures, no audit and enforcement, no regular disposal, inadequate storage areas.

Implications of the above:
- "current" records are well looked after.
- older systems often harder to locate ... information delays, dependence on "memory", potential liability

Why did this happen?
- 1996-2006 growth in student numbers ... and growth in the financial health of the organization ... as you get more students into each class. Wanted to build a strong institution in the region.
- some major strategies to drive increased student numbers.
- ... there was a significant mis-match between the above strategies and the records management strategy
- in essence, the senior management filtered all of the cues through their own worldview ... believing that the basic infrastructure was fit to purpose.

The impetus for change ...
- external pressure with the Public Records Act 2005
- internal pressure for consistency of approach, integrated searching, completeness of information, reduce risk, etc.
- took an inventory of everything on offer.
- milestones ... January (moved records to a contractors facility), February (appraisal report, Records Officer appointed), expecting document approval in April.
- very, very hard to find trained records officers.
- a critical part was engaging a consulting company to help ... SIT chose to work with Information Leadership.

Actions for 2008:
- implement our plans
- focus on the Records Officer role
- paper to electronics ... initial focus on hard copy records, on to an electronic records and document management system

Conclusion
- the status quo is not an option. We need to do things different.