Standards for establishing records and information management programs: organizations that don't already have a records and information management (RIM) program, as well as those whose programs have lapsed for lack of monitoring and updating and those that have been affected by the introduction of new technologies, should consider using RIM standards and best practices as a foundation for their programs.

• Author: Jones, Virginia A.
• Position: RIM FUNDAMENTALS

A large variety of national and international standards, as well as technical reports and best practice guidelines, have been developed to aid records and information management (RIM) professionals in determining the best methods, rationale, components, and processes for managing the life cycle of records and information.

Understanding and applying the guidance these publications provide are essential to developing the efficient procedures, tasks, and processes that are important to a RIM program's success. However, wading through the list of available standards to find those that are most useful for establishing a good program can be time-consuming. This article identifies a number of key standards and best practices that have near-universal usefulness and can form a foundation for a comprehensive records management program.

Setting the Foundation

A good baseline for any RIM program is the adoption of the two publications recognized as the international records management standard and its accompanying technical report:

* ISO 15489-1:2001 Information and documentation--Records management--Part I--General (ISO 15489-1)

* ISO/TR 15489-2:2001 Information and documentation--Records management--Part II--Guidelines (ISO 15489-2).

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IS0 15489-1

ISO 15489-1 is a standard developed by representatives of a number of participating countries using a consensus process. It applies to the management of records in any format or media, created or received by any public or private organization during the course of its activities and to "any individual with a duty to create and maintain records."

Specifically, it provides guidance on determining RIM responsibilities, supporting a quality process framework, and designing and implementing a records system. It does not include the management of archival records within archival institutions.

ISO 15489-2

ISO/TR 15489-2 is a technical report, recommended for use with ISO 15489-1. It provides further explanation of the standard, including implementation options and some recommended procedures for achieving the requirements in ISO 15489-1. It provides one methodology to facilitate implementation and serves as a foundation for establishing a solid implementation plan based on pertinent jurisdictional laws and regulations. It gives an overview of the processes and factors to consider for organizations wishing to comply with ISO 15489-1.

Foundational Requirements

The requirements of ISO 15489-1, in particular, can be used to establish a foundation for a basic RIM program that satisfies the RIM needs of most organizations, especially when combined with the recommendations from ISO/TR15489-2.

It outlines the benefits of records management and sets requirements for:

* Considering the needs of the organization's regulatory environment

* Developing, implementing, and maintaining policies and responsibilities

* Establishing principles for records management requirements, including records creation, records form and structure, and the use of technologies; establishing authentic, reliable, and trustworthy records systems; business process analysis; creation and management of metadata; compliance with regulations and laws; determining how long to retain records; and the protection and preservation of records

* Designing and implementing a records system

* Creating records management proeesses and controls

* Establishing and conducting monitoring and auditing of the program

* Launching and conducting training in all aspects of the program

Supporting the Foundation

Once the basic program is determined based on the requirements of ISO 15489-1, other key standards and guidelines can be applied to support it. A detailed matrix listing the requirements of ISO 15489-1 and the key standards that support them is on pages 40-41.

For example, ISO 15489-1 says in section 7.1 that to support the continuing conduct of business, comply with the regulatory environment, and provide necessary accountability, organizations should create and maintain authentic, reliable and useable records, and it should protect the integrity of those records for as long as required.

To do this, organizations should institute and carry out a comprehensive records management program, which includes determining what records should be created in each business process and what information needs to be included in the records, thus ensuring that records are retained only for as long as needed or required.

The matrix shows seven standards, guidelines, and technical reports that support designing and implementing retention and disposition in a records program.

Building out the Structure

The following is by no means a comprehensive list of all available standards that might pertain to a RIM program. But these key standards, technical reports, guidelines, and best practices form a nucleus of support for any RIM program.

General RIM Concepts

General RIM concept standards aid in establishing a RIM program. They include requirements and guidelines for basic RIM principles, such as records retention and disposition programs, inactive records management, active records management, and the care and handling of recordkeeping media.

ANSI/ARMA 12-2005 Establishing Alphabetic, Numeric, and Subject Filing Systems--aids in the selection and application of a filing system that will enable users to retrieve information. It describes three principal systems: alphabetic filing, subject filing, and numeric filing and contains standard rules for indexing alphabetic data.

ARMA TR01-2011 Records Center Operations, 3rd Ed.--assists organizations with selecting an appropriate records center site and designing, equipping, staffing, operating, and managing a records center. Additional sections discuss vaults, security, records center software, and commercial records storage facilities.

Contracted Destruction for Records and Information Media (ARMA Inter. national)--identifies the critical components that must be addressed so no records or information in any format are compromised during any part of the destruction process. It is designed to guide organizations when contracting for destruction services.

Glossary of Records and Information Management Terms, 3rd Edition (ARMA International)--includes nearly 500 terms from numerous disciplines that have an impact on the profession. [Editor's Note: The fourth edition of the glossary is set for publication this fall.]

Guideline for Evaluating Offsite Records Storage Facilities (ARMA International)--assists organizations with evaluating storage needs, determining whether business practices make outsourcing the best decision, and assessing the ability of vendors to meet storage requirements. Guideline for Outsourcing Electronic Records Storage and Disposition (ARMA International)--provides information to assist organizations in making decisions about outsourcing electronic records storage, retrieval, disposition to third-party providers and evaluating and selecting a service provider.

ISO 18923:2000 Imaging materials--Polyester Base Magnetic Tape--Storage Practices--provides recommendations concerning the storage conditions, storage facilities, enclosures, and inspection for recorded polyester base magnetic tapes in roll form. It covers analog and digital tape and includes tape made for audio, video, instrumentation, and computer use.

NIST SP 500-252 Care and Handling of CDs and DVDs--A Guide for Librarians and Archivists--provides guidance on how to ma:dmize the lifetime and usefulness of optical discs, specifically CD and DVD media, by minimizing chances of information loss caused by environmental influences or physical handling.

NIST SP 800-88 Guidelines for Media Sanitization--assists in implementing a media sanitization program with proper and applicable techniques and controls for decision making when media require disposal, reuse, or when they will be leaving the effective control of an organization.

Retention Management for Records and Information (ARMA International)--provides guidance for estabfishing and operating a retention and disposition program.

RIM Technical Issues

RIM technology standards are appropriate for managing the technical aspects of RIM programs. They include requirements and guidelines for electronic records issues, digitization programs, recordkeeping issues resulting from the use of Internet and intranet, and recordkeeping issues resulting from the use of new technologies.

ANSI/ARMA 19-2012 Policy Design for Managing Electronic Messages--sets forth the requirements for a policy guiding the management of text-based electronic messages or communications (including e-mail [and related attachments/metadata], instant messaging, and text messaging) as records throughout their life cycle.

ARMA TR-02-2007 Procedures and Issues for Managing Electronic Messages as Records--addresses concerns typically confronted during the implementation and management of any text-based electronic messaging system or communication, such as e-mall or instant messaging, not including voice mail. [Editor's Note:" This technical report is undergoing revision and is scheduled for publication during summer 2013.]

Controlled Language in Records and Information Management (ARMA International)--describes what controlled language is and how it benefits organizations by reducing search time and increasing the reliability of search results, improving organizational communication, avoiding duplication, and reducing corporate risk exposure in legal and other discovery processes.

ISO 10244:2010 Document management--Business process base lining and analysis--specifies the detailed information associated with the activities organizations perform when documenting existing work or business processes (business process base lining), defining the level of information required to be gathered, methods of documenting the work or business processes, and the procedures used when evaluating or analyzing the work or...