M ÍNIMO L OCAL El objetivo del aprendizaje de la red es

• maintaining records systems

• developing and implementing classification systems • developing and implementing records schedules

• appraising records and retaining those with continuing value while disposing of non-current records.

Each of these steps is outlined on the following pages.

Analysing and Restructuring Records Systems

The first task in developing a functioning records management programme is learning how the government’s records are created and used. This task is ideally completed through what is called ‘business systems analysis’, also known as ‘business process analysis’.

Business systems analysis (BSA): An analytical

framework that involves analysing organisations as systems or the process of systematically and objectively gathering information about business systems and subjecting that information to formal analysis. This includes identifying broad organisational goals and supporting business areas and processes, and business process definition and decomposition.

Business systems analysis becomes business process re-engineering if the aim is not just to examine the organisation’s information systems and processes but also to

reorganise those systems in order to make them operate more efficiently.

Business process re-engineering (BPR): The

fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed.

Business systems analysis involves examining a system, reviewing how tasks or functions within that system are executed and considering whether they may be done more efficiently.

System: A perceived whole whose elements ‘hang

together’ because they continually affect each other over time and operate toward a common purpose. Systems consist of sub-systems or functions, processes, activities and tasks.

For example, correspondence management can be a system. The system may include several elements, such as

• receiving the incoming correspondence

• directing the correspondence to the appropriate respondent (which may involve communicating with various departments to confirm the best agency to answer the letter)

• preparing the response (which may involve consultation with various people) • typing or word processing the response (known as the outgoing correspondence) • sending the outgoing correspondence

• filing the incoming and outgoing correspondence.

In a small organisation, the entire system of correspondence management may be done by one person. However, in a larger organisation, such as a national government, correspondence management can be a complex activity. The six steps identified above may be undertaken by many different people or administrative units. This is shown below.

Step 1: Receiving incoming correspondence

Responsibility: Mail room

Step 2: Directing correspondence Responsibility: Mail room, departmental staff

Step 4: Typing or word processing the response Responsibility: Departmental staff, typing pool

Step 5: Sending outgoing correspondence Responsibility: Departmental staff, mail room

Step 6: Filing incoming and outgoing correspondence Responsibility: Departmental staff, registry staff.

A business systems analysis would examine those six steps and answer the following questions.

• How long does it take for the task to be completed? Is that an adequate amount of time, or does it take too long?

• How many people are involved? Too many people? Not enough?

• How often are there errors, misunderstandings or problems in the execution of the task? Do people think others are responsible for tasks when they are not? Do people undertake work that is not within their own area of responsibility?

• Does the final outgoing correspondence answer the question raised by the incoming letter? How often is a follow-up letter or clarification required?

• Are the documents filed appropriately? Can they be easily found again if needed? Depending on the answers to these and similar questions, the agency might choose to change its procedures in order to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Business Systems Analysis and Records Management

Business systems analysis does not just examine and improve day-to-day office systems; rather, it serves to enhance the entire operations of an organisation, clarifying goals and

determining responsibilities.

Business systems analysis is not just conducted in order to improve day-to-day office systems, such as filing or classification. Business systems analysis should be closely linked to records management. Records systems — how information is created, filed, retrieved and disposed of — can be significantly affected by changes in systems and processes.

The records manager in an organisation can offer significant input to business systems analysis. He or she can comment on the effect of systems re-engineering on records keeping, ensuring that records are managed efficiently and according to legislative or policy requirements.

The records and archives institution may choose to undertake its own systems analysis of the functions of its own agency. For example, the archival institution may revise

processes such as receiving records from creating agencies, documenting transfers, assessing records for conservation requirements or providing reference services.

Conducting a Records Survey

One of the ways to introduce records management care into the process of business systems analysis may be to conduct a survey of the state of current records in government offices. This survey may only examine and document existing records or it may offer recommendations for alterations to systems, depending on the level of involvement of the records manager or archivist.

Records survey: The application of the techniques of

business systems analysis to the gathering of basic information regarding the quantity, physical form and type, location, physical condition, storage facilities, rate of accumulation, uses and similar data about the records of an organisation.

The objectives of a records survey include

• establishing the provenance of records and their original purpose and arrangement • identifying those records ready for disposal

• identifying those records that still need to be retained within the organisation • determining the procedures, costs and facilities required to eliminate the backlog

of unneeded records and managing those to be kept.