Revolution in Online Document Management Spells Failure

Randy Davis, Vice President Sales and Marketing Operations

Poorly executed requirements gathering leads to outright rebellion in corporate online document management initiatives.

The requirements gathering phase of a project to implement corporate online document management can make or break the initiative’s chance of success. Poorly executed, it can lead to outright rebellion on the part of those expected to use it.  A new white paper – and history lesson – provides fresh insight into how to conduct a successful requirements gathering project for document management.

"Document Management and Mad King George: A Cautionary Tale about Requirements Gathering,” puts the importance of understanding the needs and concerns of those who will actually use an online document management system – and thus are key to its eventual success – into historical perspective.

We have many fascinating lessons from history that serve as cautionary tales for our own leadership challenges. The same bad leadership principles that have historically resulted in botching a job still apply. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of what they are and how they apply to our particular situation. None of us have time to repeat old failures.

The white paper briefly illustrates how failure to understand the needs, concerns, experiences and challenges of those who will be most affected by a new online document management system inevitably leads to revolution in the form of rebellion. Then the paper goes on to outline very practical actions to take that help assure acceptance and success.

For a free copy of the report, visit http://www.egisticsinc.com and select Media>Brochures from the Main Menu.

If you have your own insights and opinions as to what leads to success or failure in the initial phases of a document management project, leave your comments below.

90% of Businesses Think They Are Inefficient. So What?

Randy Davis, Vice President Sales and Marketing Operations

A competitor recently came out with a "press release" based on a survey of 5,500 company records managers that claimed "Ninety Percent of Businesses Believe They Are Inefficient."

I'd like to know who the 10% of businesses that believe they are efficient are.

This is a bit like saying, "90% of all people think they don't exercise enough." OK, now what? According to the survey results, most of the companies already have in place "formal programs for how their companies should manage information," which, I suppose, includes eliminating obstacles, removing paper, idling back the copier, etc.

This news release seems a bit like motherhood and apple pie.

I would imagine that most people would settle for bringing more efficiency to a single, departmental process rather than to an entire company.

How about this for capturing and eliminating paper, automatically organizing it, and then quickly finding it:

• Use bar codes to identify form document types and identify account holders. You can inexpensively create label sheets of bar codes, or forms that automatically print with bar codes, that contain simple information such as:
  
  
• Account ID
• Document Type

One of our customers uses this simple technique to seamlessly and automatically process documents during the scanning process. 

• Scan documents using a system that can automatically ID the documents, separate them, index and organize them, route them to the required work queue, and securely store them.
  
  
• Shred any documents that do not need to be physically stored by law, regulation, or company policy
  
  
• Use a cloud service provider to eliminate capital and reduce the need for IT maintenance.

If you have any other practical advice on how to bring efficiency to a business process burdened with paper, let us hear from you.