Enterprise Profiling
A Strategy for Enterprise Document and Records Management
Documents play a vital role in Enterprise Content Management. Business documents—in all forms and formats—represent a source of content that is vital to the success of e-business applications. Unlike other content sources, ‘document' creation and capture can occur at every desktop, in every process, and by every on-line application. The management of e-business content in electronic document formats is an enterprise issue.
An enterprise document management perspective recognizes the value of sharing document-based information (content)—internally and externally. A business case exists for the consistent application of technologies to ensure the access and protection of document-based information assets. The challenge is that every document management application has specific requirements for organizing, processing, storing, retrieving, distributing, publishing, securing, and archiving documents. As a result, the typical approach is the implementation of compartmentalized workgroup, application, or departmental solutions that fall short as ‘enterprise' solutions.
More technology is not the answer. Traditional document technologies such as document imaging, workflow, COLD/Enterprise Reports Management, and electronic document management have been integrated with tools for content searching, Web access/publishing, and collaborative work management. These technologies can be implemented departmentally and scaled to enterprise levels. With this approach, however, the technology drives the enterprise solution.
Enterprise Profiling: A New Strategy
The answer to the problem is a new approach for enterprise document management: a strategy that recognizes the unique document management needs of individual business areas while capturing the value of universal document sharing. This strategy, called Enterprise Profiling, establishes a common organization-wide framework for document and records management. The Enterprise Profiling strategy is comprised of three components: (1) an underlying business model, (2) a Web-based technology tool, and (3) an integrated project methodology.
The Business Model
The underlying business model captures the common elements of document life-cycle applications and processes enterprise-wide. This model, the Enterprise Usage Model, is valid across the organization regardless of application type, document life-cycle requirements, and document usage patterns. It establishes standard operating models for workflow (document organizing and processing), repositories (document storage and retrieval), publishing (document distribution and publishing), retention (document archiving and destruction), and security (document user groups, permissions, and administration). In addition, the Enterprise Usage Model incorporates enterprise rules relating to each of the operating models. The enterprise rules define ‘universal' requirements of any document management solution and are applied based on specific document usage patterns. The Enterprise Usage Model allows any workgroup in an organization to ‘map' their specific operational requirements and determine the enterprise standards and rules that apply.
The Technology Tool
In order to define the unique characteristics of a specific document life-cycle application or process, it is necessary to gather and analyze a significant amount of information. ‘EDMS Profiler' is a Web-based technology tool designed to automate data collection and analysis. EDMS Profiler is an application that consists of a structured, on-line interview questionnaire that respondents (end users) complete. The questionnaire gathers information about the general document management application, specific document and records management requirements, and the information technology environment. EDMS Profiler analyzes the questionnaire data collected and produces multiple output reports—or Profiles. These profiles include: a General Application Profile, Document Life Cycle Profile, Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) Requirements Profile, Unique Usage Model Profile, and an Information Technology Profile.
The Project Methodology
Project activities and deliverables specific to the creation and analysis of EDMS Profiler output reports are integrated into a standard IT project methodology. Profile information can be used to develop functional and technical specifications and guide vendor/solution selection. Profile information can also be used to define improvement opportunities, identify specific operating characteristics, and establish the basis for project recommendations early in a project life cycle. From an enterprise perspective, the profile information can be aggregated to ‘view' workgroup solutions, develop knowledge of shared enterprise requirements, establish ‘common profiles', and build the business case for resource requirements and allocation.
Conclusion
Enterprise Profiling is not more technology—it is a structured business strategy. It applies to organizations that are shifting from departmental implementations to a common framework for document and records management. It helps project teams expand their reach and range to support the needs of the organization. Enterprise Profiling allows organizations of any size in any industry, operating in single or multiple locations, to implement ‘true' enterprise solutions—those based on consistent business models, operating environments, and enterprise rules.
Organizations that embrace the Enterprise Profiling approach will realize more productive document technology implementations. They will be able to effectively manage e-business content in electronic document formats as an enterprise issue—now and in the future.