About Me

IM Project Coordinator at Aberdeenshire Council

- RMP submission

- Improvement Plan

- SharePoint

- Master Data Management

- Health and Social Care

Now on the move – University of Aberdeen

Capturing the Energy – oil & gas archive

Also Comms Officer for IRMS

--- communication is a big part of any IRM role

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Public sector especially, but not only

“doing more with less”

Increasing obligations and expectations

Decreasing resources and capacity

Emphasis on data sharing

--- big results require big investment

21stC Customers expect 21stC service

(often at 20thC prices in tax rates)

Third Force – legislation

> Regulatory burden, or

> Statutory framework

Instructions and Incentive (GDPR)

to do what we should be doing anyway!

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Legislation is a force for good - if correctly understood and explained

What does “effectively” mean?

* Regular information – ignored if only once-in-a-blue-moon

--- consistent advice, logical series of messages – gets attention

* Targeted messages – make it relevant, make it matter

--- answer the question ‘so what?’ for each stakeholder group

* Benefits-focused – info management is not an end in itself

--- it must and does have a positive impact on the wider business

* Continuous support – not just shouting from the rooftops

--- be there to help people achieve the improvements you seek

* Approachable team – good working relationships

--- success depends on this; be positive, helpful and available

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Information audit – over 100 meetings, 170 colleagues, 20 locations

- set of questions for structure

- list of required information

--- mainly an open, 2-way conversation

This information was used to inform recommendations

- these were largely predictable! but

- local evidence made them meaningful

Key contacts –> now an IRM Group

--- first to be asked, first to be informed

RMP submission – “job done”? – wrong!

> Need to maintain awareness

Worked with Comms Team on Comms Plan; identified –

Purpose, Key Messages, Audiences,

Target Outcomes, Actions, Measures

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The jargon of records management – how well do we explain it?

It makes sense to us IRM people, but goes over the heads of others

Stuff gets ignored, or put somewhere to revisit and gets lost – ironically!

Policies are no use if not explained => not understood => not implemented

PR(S)A and GDPR both require not just policies, but proof of compliance…

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How do you know

if every Thomas, Richard or Harriet

in every office or depot – or at home

are doing what they should?

You can’t expect to know everything from HQ

You can’t be expected to visit everyone in person

* Build a Community

* Find the Right People

* Sell Them Your Message

* Give Them the Tools

* Share the Responsibility

They need to be the people…

… who get it; who care about it

… who have the capacity

… who have the influence

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We get so wrapped up in technology –

- new ways to Communicate

- new ways to Collaborate

- new ways to Innovate

There’s still nothing quite like sitting round a table with people

Meetings – bad press – all you need is an Agenda and Actions

The more you put in, the more you’ll get out

Direct correlation between –

--- face-to-face contact time

--- and speed of progress!

This takes time and effort…

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… don’t waste that energy on reinventing the wheel

--- also saves ‘internal political capital’

--- people will only listen to you for so long!

Using standards like these confers

> Authority > Feasibility

“If it’s good enough for them…”

And pitch the right stuff to the right people!

(classic comms / change management advice)

Managers – what’s the strategy, what’s the impact, what’s the cost

Admins – what do I need to do, what does this mean, what help is there

Get people to ‘feel the problem’ - then together design the solution

Use real examples from other teams - people will “want what they’ve got”

Celebrate successes (morale) - small steps, long process, big change

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People won’t do simple IRM tasks unless they have a reason

No matter the benefits, IRM will never be the top priority

IRM people – don’t lament these facts of life!

--- accept them, work around them

--- build them into your approach

Give people a reason – even if it’s simply

“to help that lovely records manager”!

Build the relationships, the sense of mutual understanding

Be ready for the little word, the big question – ‘WHY?’

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Time for questions…

Get in touch via LinkedIn and Twitter!

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