It has been three months, since we released the new look Information and records management standard and Implementation guide. In that time, we have been busy receiving nominations for Executive Sponsors and developing new, refreshed and reviewed guidance.
Today we are releasing our first quarterly update. The plan is to release new and revised guidance (including the implementation guide) on a broadly quarterly basis.
Today’s release is focused on two main subject areas, the first one being access. Understanding the value of your information and records helps to set correct access conditions. This guidance covers creating an Access Authority, what principles must be used when setting restrictions and a new interactive form for sending to us via email.
The second subject area is disposal. This covers authorisation, sentencing and transfer. To undertake disposal you will need the all-important authorisation from the Chief Archivist, either by a specific disposal authority, using the general disposal authorities, or using the list of protected records if you are a local authority. Once you have that authorisation the next focus point is sentencing, which allows you to manage information and records according to their value and ensures that formats and systems are both preserved and managed accordingly.
So this brings us to one that many of you have been waiting for and one we are looking for organisations to partner with: Transfer. Yes, we have updated, reviewed and created new transfer guidance that covers both digital and physical information and records. Most importantly, we have created two key factsheets on digital transfers.
The first factsheet explains our current operating model for digital transfers. The second outlines the characteristics we require for digital transfer. It covers all of the areas we have already discussed: authorisation (have you got it?), sentencing (do you have information and records that are “transfer to Archives”?), access (are they open access?). Lastly, there are a few key environmental characteristics that are required:
- your Executive Sponsor’s support to provide the strategic drive and ensure you have the resources to support the project
- you’ll also need a nominated representative to lead the digital transfer work and be our key contact
- a small multi-disciplined team with the following skill sets: knowledge of your systems (and possibly the ability to code); and knowledge of information and records management.
If you believe your organisation has a potential digital transfer with the above characteristics, please contact rkadvice@dia.govt.nz.