Managers tune in to the information age

IT managers have sung the praise of the information age for more than a decade. Is the tune finally wearing thin?

Clearly the melody remains upbeat. The ability to create, analyse and distribute information seamlessly across an organization can improve work processes and enhance client services. Recognizing the strategic value of the digital world, the federal government invested $4.6 billion alone on information systems in 1996.

Yet some IT managers are now just mouthing words of praise reflecting their frustration and inability to manage the staggering growth of information found today in a variety of formats including paper documents, e-mail and microfiche.

Just listen to IT professionals in government and you'll hear a growing chorus of disenchantment. It's not surprising, given the unique challenges many public departments face today. For one, IT managers are under pressure to demonstrate greater value to their constituencies while operating in a leaner environment.

This pressure is compounded by the sheer size of the public sector. The creation, production, warehousing and distribution of information is critical to keep the business of government running smoothly

As such, there is little room for error: lost documents, for example, cost organizations thousands of dollars in downtime each year. There is good news. A growing number of government departments have developed a new approach to managing information. A new approach that meets the taxpayer's ultimate demand: do more with less.

Their success begins and ends with a solid document management strategy. The rationale is simple. Documents are at the very core of the information age. A document - and not a computer network - captures and communicates ideas and information.

People interact with, and derive value from a document - not a graphic user interface. As such, managing information really means managing documents and, in particular, the way documents are produced, distributed and stored. A document management strategy recommends the most efficient and cost effective way to manage a document throughout its "life cycle," from creation to deletion.

It's easier said than done. Most governments operate in both paper and digital worlds, out of necessity and by law. Documents can be inaccessible or untraceable. Collaborative efforts are muted. Teamwork is a logistical nightmare, and productivity declines.

There is help. Vendors are working closely with government to develop document management strategies that, in turn, improve services and save money.

The municipality of Sudbury provides an example of the benefits of a comprehensive document management strategy. Sudbury produces approximately one million documents per month - and many of them, including councillor agendas, budget statements and tax forms, are considered mission critical.

Many documents were printed on paper, and as a result, cost the city a significant amount of money in production and storage costs. A component to their document management strategy included the investment of seven multifunctional systems. While the system allowed the city to streamline its IT investments, it also enabled the municipality to reduce costs - due in part to the system's scanning capabilities.

Documents are scanned on the networked multifunctionals, and stored on a central database -- making them accessible to both councillors and the public via the Internet.

The city expects significant cost savings upon completion of this phase. Equally important, the public has easy access to government information. This, in turn, fosters a positive and open relationship with the public.

The most sound document strategy is not above Murphy's Law. The objective is to minimize downtime when problems do arise, even in the most remote government centres, such as Yellowknife.

The Northwest Territories has covered its bases. It contracts a support team to provide preventative maintenance on a weekly basis. And when a situation arises, the government expects the team to be on site within minutes. This back-up strategy has saved the government weeks of downtime and thousands of dollars.

At the core of the information age is the document. If documents can be properly managed - in both the paper and digital universe -- government will derive real cost savings and enhance public services. And that means all IT managers will find harmony in the information age.

The author director of marketing ot the office products division of Xerox Canada Ltd. in Torso.

Copyright Plesman Publications Ltd. Jun 1999
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved