Understanding Data and Information Systems for Recordkeeping

The way most modern organisations manage their information is, not to put too fine a point on it, a mess.

It is common for vital documents to languish on individuals’ PCs, or in email in-boxes, while important structured data lies hidden in Excel spreadsheets or Access databases.

Most enterprises, over the years, will have attempted to get a handle on all this information, and laws such as the Data Protection Act have certainly been a spur to action.

But the task of managing a large and growing mass of structured and unstructured content is daunting. There may be a plethora of systems, such as enterprise content management and data warehouses, that can help to organise information more effectively, but it is difficult to know which ones will best serve your needs.

The job of institutional recordkeepers is to keep track of the organisation’s information resources, helping users get hold of key information quickly, and making sure that historical information is archived. Understanding Data and Information Systems for Recordkeeping is aimed at them. It promises to guide them through the maze, explaining which system does what and what the benefits and disadvantages are of each.

The book is comprehensive. It starts by outlining the change in the management of electronic records, since the very early days of computing to the present day, before giving definitions of key terms such as records management and metadata. It goes on to describe different kinds of recordkeeping systems, including enterprise content management, decision support and data warehouses. The concluding chapters look at the need for good email management and the law relating to electronic records management.

Bantin clearly knows his stuff, and his book tells you all you could want know about the subject, and possibly more; the sections dealing with legal issues are less relevant for the UK reader, as they deal mainly with US law. It is, it has to be said, a very dry read, and those who are not already familiar with the technology may struggle. The range of acronyms on offer - SQL, DMBS, RM, ECM and DSS to name but a few is dizzying.

The book works best as a reference. If you are updating a documents management system, or have been tasked with storing email to make it compliant with the Freedom of Information Act, then you will find all the information you need here. But if all you want is an introductory overview, it’s worth hunting around for something a little more accessible.

In Brief
Understanding Data and Information Systems for Recordkeeping
Author: Philip C Bantin
Publisher: Facet Publishing
Price: £44.95
ISBN 978-1856046275

Like this story? Spread the news by clicking below:

 del.icio.us     Digg this     reddit!