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5/4/2012

by Jill Austin, Director Knowledge Management

I will be giving a workshop on this topic at the Canadian Association of Society Executives National Conference, which is being held in Ottawa this year. As I have been thinking about the workshop, it occurred to me to do a short blog on this, as well.

I am often surprised when I begin working with an organization to discover that they have not established information management policies. An IM policy does not have to be complex, but it does have to be clearly worded, it has to be approved by the governing body, and every employee must be made aware of it.

IM policies define who owns information created by employees (and consultants), and they define responsibility for that information through its life cycle. Why is this important? As an employee, I need to be aware that the knowledge I create belongs to my employer. I also need to be aware that I am responsible to ensure that information is accurate, and is adequately protected from improper deletion or misuse. Finally, I need to be aware that when information for which I am responsible is no longer current or accurate, I need to dispose of it according to defined procedures. For knowledge-based organizations, this is about protecting a mission-critical asset.

At minimum, you should have a policy on management of corporate information. You should consider having an information security and access policy, which makes clear to employees how sensitive information is to be managed. You also should be thinking about policies with respect to the use of social media. There have been numerous lawsuits related to blogging, tweeting, or whatever, by employees about their work and their employer. Employees need to be aware that mentioning their affiliation while making statements using social media could be interpreted as coming from their employer, with potentially serious consequences.

Organizations want to protect their information and their employees. Employees want and need guidance on what is expected of them. Clear policies and associated procedures are the answer.

We would be happy to help with this. Give us a call (613.232.3859) to talk about it.

Posted at 10:00 AM by System Account | Category: Information Worker | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

3/22/2012

Is your corporate data really safe from disaster?

by Kendall Lougheed,President

What would the impact be if you came into the office on Monday morning to find out that all your electronic data had been lost forever? Most executives say it would be catastrophic and they are right. Under 10% of businesses ever recover from this event. So how confident are you about your capacity avoid this catastrophe?

Last week, one of our customers experienced a major failure. It was a scary time because all their corporate systems and data were affected. The recovery path itself was very difficult and it took days and nights to accomplish. The customer is OK now but they were at considerable risk and they suffered from a week of lost productivity.

I talk regularly to executives about IT planning and far too many think they are protected from a major data failure when they are not. Not by a long shot. Let me give some examples.

Example – A healthcare provider relies entirely on electronic records for scheduling, billing, and all patient information. They believe their patient information is protected because they spool off copies of their data each night to a redundant site. They believe that if they lose one site, they have a backup one. Sound pretty good? Wrong. Corrupt data records, accidental or malicious data deletions, virus infection, or an upgrade gone wrong would all be faithfully propagated to the backup site. When it came time to restore, they would have nothing at all.

Example - A manufacturer is fully automated from sales to scheduling, to production, and accounting. They rely completely on their system. Their IT staff installed redundant power supplies, redundant hard disks, RAID 6, and a storage array. Nice stuff but these measures are not going to protect them from a failed server, storage controller, bad power, or corrupted data. All their investment was made on keeping the system from failing - but if it did fail, they would not be protected. They have no off-site data history that is proven to work.

Bottom line is you need to keep lots of good history. You and your IT department need to look at the range of disaster scenarios and the business impact of each one. You need multiple complete copies of your data over a pre-defined period of time.

You need confidence that your data can be recovered in a reasonable period of time. Can you afford to lose three or more days of down time? If no, get ready to redo your business continuity plan. Be sure to prove your system restore capability by scenario testing. That testing will teach you and your IT department a lot about recoverability and greatly increase your confidence in your business continuity capability.

Posted at 10:30 AM by System Account | Category: Infrastructure; IT Executive | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

8/18/2011

Sustaining a Paperless Office - Part IV

Sustaining a Paperless Office- Part IV

Congratulations – you’ve made the transition to a paperless office!

You’ve engaged staff and they support the initiative, but how do you move beyond initial enthusiasm and get continued, active support?

Follow up with staff

Get feedback from staff and the project team as the initiative moves forward. Visit their desks, talk to them informally, and attend status meetings. They know what has worked well, or not so well. Where possible, incorporate their suggestions.

Revisit and refine

There will be obstacles along the way, so be prepared for them. You may have to revisit your information architecture, and rethink your file and folder structure to accommodate documents that weren’t identified in the original analysis.

You may also need to refine the workflow processes; however, before you implement any change, make sure you validate them with the people affected.

Communicate

Keeping everyone informed throughout the project is very important. This means communicating the progress that’s been made, benefits realized, obstacles encountered, and plans for the future.

Provide ongoing training and support

Training shouldn’t stop when the project rollout is complete. Continue to provide training even though some staff may be very comfortable working in an electronic environment and will have picked up needed skills quickly; others will have not.

Make user manuals, tips and tricks, and best practice advice widely available. These documents can be posted on your intranet and links to them sent to staff by email.

Evaluate

Evaluate your progress regularly. The best time to hold the first review is 1 to 6 months after the project has rolled out. Make sure that everyone knows their feedback is welcome and that results of the review will be communicated to everyone.

Plan for the future

Law and business needs are constantly evolving; make sure you keep abreast of record retention requirements.

Also plan to revisit your electronic content that’s in secure storage at least once every 5 years, to make sure it is still accessible.

Finally, as working in a paperless environment becomes the norm, the project team needs to shift roles and become a steering committee. This committee would assume responsibility for change management, communication, and support, and it would continue look to management for overall direction.

MicroWorks has helped companies make the transition to a paperless environment, and we can help you.

If you have questions or comments, talk to us.

Posted at 10:15 AM by System Account | Category: Information Worker | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

8/8/2011

We’re moving to new offices!

We grew our customer services, we grew our staff, and we outgrew our office space.

We added to the IM and SharePoint Group, we have a larger CRM group, and we have more Infrastructure people. We have also introduced in-house creative design services, and we’ve completely rebuilt our data centre and hosting facility.

Effective August 29, 2011, our new address will be:
359 Kent Street, Suite 301
Ottawa, ON
K2P 0R6

Our phone numbers remain the same:
613.232.3859 | 1.877.232.3859

For more information contact Sandi Shaw:
613.786.3193 | sandi.shaw@microworks.ca

Posted at 10:00 AM by System Account | Category: Other | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

7/27/2011

Making the Transition - Part III

Paperless Office - Part III You’re ready to make the transition to a paperless office: staff is onside and resources have been committed to the project.

Here’s what you need to do to move forward.

Do a technology audit

If you will be moving your documents to an electronic, shared environment, validate the stability and integrity of your network, servers, scanners, and backup and security systems. Also, determine if new software – search tools, a document management system, or virtual fax – is necessary.

Do an information audit

Document what files you have, their format (paper or electronic), and where they are filed (on individual PCs or network drives, in filing cabinets or in boxes). Broadly classify them as working, reference, or archive files. Working files are accessed frequently, reference files are kept on-hand for possible referral, and archive files are inactive files.

Create document retention and disposition policies

Certain documents must be kept for specific periods of time – financial records, for example, must be kept for 7 years. Work with your lawyer or legal department to identify which files you need to keep, for how long, and in what format. For vital records, paper may still be the best medium.

Analyze your business processes

Follow the paper trail!

As a paper document comes into your office, document who receives it, processes it, and files it. Conversely, follow documents as they leave the office by mail, fax, or courier. Make sure you check your findings with staff.

Also note where and how staff can eliminate paper. For example, make projectors available in meeting rooms so that handouts are not needed. Afterwards, post the information presented on your intranet and send staff the links by email.

Create an information architecture

Determine the major functions that your organization supports or its “buckets” of information, and structure them into a hierarchy. Also, develop file and folder naming conventions that can be used across business lines. You may have to repeat this exercise several times before you get it right.

Create backups and archives

Make sure you have a good backup of your existing reference and working files on tapes, disks, or other storage media. Move the paper and electronic files you’ve designated as “archives” to secure storage.

Migrate files to a document management system

Using the structure you developed, move working and reference files into it. Alternatively, if you’ve bought a document management system, use the information architecture you developed to guide the configuration of the system. Test the new system thoroughly!

Provide training and coaching

Before transitioning, make sure to walk through the new processes with your staff, and to provide tips, tricks, and “best practice” advice. Repeat training frequently until the processes are entrenched.

Make the transition

Pick a start date when you will make the transition to the new structure, and freeze old folders and their contents on that date. Be sure staff know the date well in advance, and continue to offer training.

In part IV of this series, we’ll show you how to sustain your evolution to a paperless office.

Microworks has helped organizations implement document management strategies and to go paperless. If you have questions or comments, talk to us.

Posted at 11:00 AM by System Account | Category: Information Worker | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

6/15/2011

The Paperless Office - Part II

Paperless Office - Part II Before you begin

You’ve decided that reducing and restricting the use of paper in your office is not only a good idea but also a good business decision.

Going paperless is a long-term project. So, before you begin, take the time to plan and to make sure key elements are in place.

Commitment and Investment

Going paperless means operational changes, and you will need staff support. For example, when an incoming paper document is received, it will be scanned, the electronic copy filed in a document management system, and the original disposed of. Outgoing documents, such as PDFs or faxes, will need electronic signatures.

You will also need to invest in the resources that will enable a paperless environment. For example,

Hardware needed could be scanners, e-card readers, monitors, and electronic storage devices such as servers, tapes, disks, or portable drives.
Software needed could be security tools, virtual faxes, search tools, or a document management system.
Specialized human resources – Information management specialists can help you analyze your business processes and set new procedures. Trainers may be needed to coach your staff through the new processes and to address their questions.

Governance

To be a success, going paperless needs to be managed as a project with:

A champion who has responsibility for the initiative
A project committee to oversee its planning and implementation
A project plan with defined goals, budgets, and deadlines
An identified business area that will be the “pilot” for the project (starting small is a good idea!)

Communications

Getting everyone’s commitment to the project is key, and you will need to communicate:

Why you want to reduce or restrict paper in the office
What will be the impact on the business in general and on staff in particular
When the project will start and in which area
How will staff be supported
Who can answer questions
Where can they find more information

What’s next?

You’ve finished planning, taken a deep breath, and are ready to start.

In part III of this series, we’ll show you how to make the transition to a paperless environment.

MicroWorks has helped organizations go “paperless”. If you have questions or comments, talk to us.

Posted at 12:44 PM by System Account | Category: Information Worker | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

5/27/2011

The Paperless Office

Paperless Office - Part 1 Part I: Revisiting paperless

Paper’s demise has been predicted for many years. Futurists believed that, as computers became commonplace and offices automated, paper documents would become obsolete and eventually disappear.

Ironically, the opposite has happened. The tools that were supposed to eliminate paper have made it very easy for us to publish and consume even more documentation. In fact, according to Statistics Canada1, between 1983 and 2003, consumption of paper for printing and writing alone more than doubled.

Realistically, paper is not going to disappear for many reasons: documents are tangible products, they are portable, the legal requirements around them are understood, and clients and staff are comfortable with them.

However, using paper is costly to the environment and to business.

From a business perspective, paper must be purchased, stored and managed, all of which has an associated cost. Studies for the Paperless Project2 by Gartner, the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) and the Association of Information and Image Management (AIIM) found that:

90% of a business's information is in documents
85% of business documents are in paper form
60% of employee time is spent working with documents
15% of an organization's revenues are spent creating, managing and distributing documents
The average document is printed 5 times
It costs $25,000 to fill a four-drawer filing cabinet with paper and over $2,100 a year to maintain

The advent of high-speed IP data networks and mobile broadband, along with netbooks, tablets and smartphones have made electronic information highly portable. As well, working with electronic documents offers business significant advantages over a paper-based environment.

Consider that:

Electronic information is cheaper and easier to find, process, distribute and store
Electronic information can be accessed from anywhere – employees are not tied to the office, and they do not have to carry their paperwork around with them
Productivity increases as multiple employees can simultaneously access a document without having to manage or print multiple copies of it
Electronic systems can capture knowledge that would otherwise exit when an employee leaves
Electronic information improves operational security as businesses can survive catastrophic events such as a fire or flood

Given the high cost of working in paper, reducing or restricting its use could be good for your bottom line.

In our next blog post, we will address what you need to consider and what has to be in place before you make a commitment to go “paperless”.

MicroWorks has helped organizations go “paperless”. If you have questions or comments, talk to us.

Sources:

“Study: Our lives in digital times”, Statistics Canada
The Paperless Project: studies by Gartner, ARMA and AIIM

Posted at 4:30 PM by System Account | Category: Information Worker | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

4/3/2011

You invest in Human Capital but what about Information Capital?

by Kendall Lougheed,President

Non-government organizations (NGOs) are mandated to invoke positive change through providing services and creating and disseminating knowledge. These are delivered by experienced and committed human resources. The need for investment in human capital is clear. But what is the strategy for building information capital?

NGOs are curators of unique knowledge that grows richer and deeper year after year. NGOs can become enablers using traditional conversations, new media and social media to promote the vigorous exchange of ideas and knowledge. NGO’s need to engage their target constituencies, funding agencies, support partners and other stakeholders to participate in interactive forums that shape business strategies and reinvigorate support. To do this requires easy-to-use and well integrated tools to capture, manage, and leverage information capital. This requires investment in technology solutions to meet unique needs.

For over 28 years, MicroWorks has worked with many NGOs, Industry associations, professional associations, and other non-profit groups. They are all committed to their human capital but many seriously under-invest in information capital. Many NGO’s lack the very tools that would empower staff to get more work done, increase impact, and engage supporters. In our experience, the following tools can help any NGO; and there are no doubt other effective tools.

Microsoft SharePoint enables collaboration and knowledge exchange, document and records management, working group and team project management, intranets, extranets, and Websites. SharePoint is an excellent vehicle for innovative online training, and offers social media tools to let people collaborate in new ways with new audiences. And, it is fully integrated with Microsoft Office, making it a seamless part of day-to-day work.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM captures interactions with key stakeholders, unifies contact lists, saves documents in SharePoint, manages your outreach campaigns, and collects survey data. It is a seamless add-on to Outlook. Together, CRM and SharePoint have excellent analytics tools so you can track, measure, monitor, and manage your key performance indicators.

So… be sure you have a strong strategy to manage your priceless information capital. The tools are there to help you do it.

Posted at 8:30 AM by System Account | Category: IT Executive | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

10/19/2010

Report on New Media

by Kendall Lougheed, President

Call it what you want, social networking, interactive multimedia, or new media, great things are happening. New media are bringing all kinds of people closer together at home and at the office. Go and watch the Cisco “umi” video to see what will happen to your family room in 2010. This umi is a box with video camera and microphone that links your room to your TV and anywhere over the internet at stunningly high resolution. Maybe you can’t make it this year for Thanksgiving across the country. But you can get in front of everybody and say a very personal hello. If this box also supports the open standard called DLNA, then it will also play music, family photos, or movies stored on your laptop, home server, or PS3. Your quiet sessions on the basement computer have moved to the living room and you are no longer alone.

The titans of new media are going to be Cisco and Microsoft, perhaps Google. Apple is going its own way and defies emerging standards with great devices that lock you in to their products and services. They should talk to Sony about the long term pain of a lock-in strategy.

Back at the office the two giants Cisco and Microsoft are battling it out for “presence tools”. Microsoft calls their solution “Office Communicator”. A richly featured new version is due to come out soon, offering any which way of teleconference, SMS, whiteboard, video, and audio, etc. Cisco has WebEx that already has many of the same features through their hosted service that ties in teleconferencing. The in-office piece is called “Presence Server” and it ties into your VOIP phone system.

These new tools will change meetings forever. These new and easy-to-use services can add important dimensions to your future successful office with consensus building, collaboration, iterative planning, group decision making, and leveraging expert knowledge. At MicroWorks our highly mobile staff use Office Communicator for “near” line conversations. This tool is often more convenient than a phone because it is short and to the point. When we are in a noisy, interactive organization pushing along multiple tasks, it shortens meetings, gets things done quicker, and reduces bottlenecks. The office ends up looking more like an organism of some kind.

Posted at 4:44 AM by System Account | Category: Information Worker | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

8/8/2010

Notes from the Field – the Microsoft World Partner Conference

by Kendall Lougheed, President

Washington, DC. July 16, 2010

There is nothing like the World Partner Conference when it comes to BIG. Microsoft does it all very big with 9,500 partners and 3,500 employees. The 20,000-seat Verizon Centre was home to our daily fireside chats. The Convention Center that covers 6 city blocks over 4 floors was the nucleus of our countless show and tell sessions. So what really happened? Read on for my report as one of the many partners who made the pilgrimage.

Cloud Computing

Cloud, cloud, cloud, cloud, cloud. This was Microsoft’s main message to partners this year. Cloud replaces local servers, network management, and expensive communications infrastructure, and rids us of our unruly IT staff. Is it that simple? No, because system integration is hard to achieve, even with the latest suite of Microsoft products.

My take is that the cloud may have immediate attraction for companies wanting to minimize cost rather than gain deep integration between applications. Microsoft offers Windows Azure as the new universal platform for all cloud services and operating systems including those of its rivals. So is IT going to become a commodity, or are companies going to continue to make investments that enable their critical market differentiators?

SharePoint

SharePoint is Microsoft’s most successful product ever! Microsoft announced that SharePoint reached $1B in sales faster than any other product and the $2B mark will be hit this year. The new SharePoint 2010 and Microsoft Office 2010 are more tightly integrated than ever and I have to admit that this is going to be really big when it comes to document management, enterprise content management, and collaboration. Our own Information Management team is very excited and also very, very busy with it. SharePoint happens to figure prominently in our business. Our goal is to build the best knowledge repositories and SharePoint does a great job when it comes to being practical and easy to adopt – assuming you started with good architecture.

Unified Communications

Microsoft has set its sights on unified communications - coming out with version 14 this Fall. UC will allow people to communicate over any combination of phone, desktop (with or without audio/video), and mobile device. UC includes white boarding, conference calls, voice messaging integrated with Exchange Server, a thick client or a thin client. My personal prediction is that UC will become the battleground for the epic fight between the two titans Microsoft and Cisco. Round one has Cisco owning the domain of infrastructure and telephony while Microsoft owns the desktop. Who will win the next round?

Mobile Devices

One thing about Microsoft is that they don’t give up. After many years of struggling against Apple and RIM for market share, Microsoft is coming out with Windows Mobile 7 this Fall. I have a collection of Windows Mobile devices that I abandoned, mostly because of battery drain or a hung device, especially the 802.11-supported devices. The promise of a killer device is big, so let’s see.