Ready for anything? Preparation is the key to success, security.

• Position: IN FOCUS: A Message from the Editors

Be Prepared. That's the lesson the Boys Scouts learn, and it's a good one for records and information management (RIM) professionals, too--especially in this litigious age. Lack of preparation and knowledge can land your organization's name in the headlines much like Arthur Andersen and Morgan Stanley. But a strong, secure, and comprehensive records management program will help your organization be prepared to prevent and respond to litigation and protect its reputation.

One challenging area of preparation firmly in the RIM professional's arena is the development and maintenance of retention schedules--one of the most important facets of preparing for any issue--including legal--that involve a company's records.

Laurie Fischer offers a step-by-step approach to meeting this challenge. Her article, "Condition Critical: Developing Records Retention Schedules" highlights the importance of preparing for each step of the development or revision process and emphasizes the critical need to communicate with and provide training for all areas of the organization. Fischer writes, "The development of comprehensive, complete, and accurate retention schedules is a significant undertaking and should be considered the first step in an ongoing process ..." She notes that this process is a critical one that provides "... very visible benefits"

Alan Andolsen offers advice about another preparation that RIM professionals need to make. "Get Smart! about Intellectual Property" is his introduction to intellectual property and the RIM professional's role in protecting it. In this digital age, it has become increasingly important to document and protect intellectual assets. Who better to do this than the guardian of the organization's other information assets? He writes, "... RIM professionals will be continually challenged to manage and preserve the information that documents the ownership and use of intellectual property,'

Preparation is also the key to an...