How do you assess the maturity level of your records management program in the digital era?

Records are found everywhere. Even where they are not supposed to be. So, the more data you manage, the more likely you are to find your records. This should be the biggest goal. Once records are found, move them into a dedicated archive. Then, start deleting ROT. This way, you have less data to go through to find your records. It's also the best way to get funding from IT.

??For Assessment of your Records Management Maturity ????it is critical to understand current state and identifying areas for improvement. Defining Goals is our Principal step?? for which we should consider Compliance (relevant regulations and industry standards of your Vertical) ??Records Management Processes ??Accessibility to improve access to authorized users ??Data Security - To have robust security policies to protect sensitive data ??Technology: To leverage technology wherever possible to enhance records management capabilities??

From my point of view, Goals should be defined by the operational objectives and vision of the organization supported by legal, regulatory and ethical obligations. Goals which have clarity and are tied to performance may contribute to organizations progress.

Before measuring records management maturity, it's crucial to define your goals and objectives. Engage stakeholders to identify needs across compliance, efficiency, and customer service. Align these goals with your organization's strategy and vision to ensure executive support and resource allocation. Review legal and regulatory requirements to tailor your program accordingly. Set specific targets for operational efficiency and customer service improvements, such as faster document retrieval and better data accuracy. Establish performance indicators like compliance rates, retrieval times, and user satisfaction scores. Regularly review and adapt the program for continuous improvement and alignment with organizational goals.

Assessing your current capabilities and gaps in records management involves evaluating adherence to best practices using various tools and frameworks. The Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles (GARP) by ARMA can help assess compliance with records management standards. Additionally, the ISO 15489 standard offers guidelines for effective records management processes and systems. Conducting a self-assessment or external audit using these standards, alongside consulting industry-specific regulations and benchmarks, ensures comprehensive evaluation of your records management capabilities and risk management practices.

Grade yourself in 2 ways. % of data managed gives you a direct score. 100 points is the goal. But 100 is impossible to reach. So, add 25 points to your score, and turn it into a letter grade.

To determine your maturity level in records management, you can use a maturity model framework. This framework helps categorize your program into different stages, such as basic, developing, intermediate, advanced, and optimized. Each stage represents a specific set of characteristics and capabilities, reflecting the degree of sophistication and effectiveness in your records management practices. By evaluating your current practices against this model, you can identify gaps, set improvement goals, and create a roadmap to achieve a higher level of maturity. This process ensures your records management system evolves to meet organizational needs and industry standards.

Once you've assessed your current records management capabilities, prioritize the actions needed for improvement. Start by identifying critical areas for enhancement. Analyze your current practices to understand strengths and weaknesses and consider both internal and external factors impacting performance. Based on this analysis, set clear objectives and prioritize initiatives to address significant gaps. Focus on areas such as updating policies, refining procedures, clarifying roles and responsibilities, enhancing systems and tools, and providing necessary training and communication. This systematic approach ensures targeted and effective improvements in your records management program.

In my experience, priorities should consist of first defining roles, then responsibilities which are initiated first by training. After these have been established then communication and tools come into play followed by in depth analysis.

Take advantage of resources and organizations that have models for you to utilize. ARMA for example has industry best practices, maturity models, and annual industry surveys to take advantage of.