In a three-part post we examine the role of metrics in demonstrating the value of RM, especially in organizations that have implemented an electronic one File management system. In this post, we describe a four-step process to get the right metrics.
An electronic document and file management system (EDRMS) is an excellent addition to any file management department, but it almost always has a catch. Management will soon require evidence of ROI and, in many cases, expect better evidence of the value of the entire Records Management program.
This puts RM specialists in a difficult situation. How do they provide that evidence and show the ROI? While EDRMS makes it easier to collect metrics, it doesn't solve the problem of which metrics to look at. And unlike other areas of management, performance metrics in document management are evolving, so there is no standard set of metrics to reference. This means that every organization needs to determine the most appropriate RIM performance metrics based on its goals and situation.
There are two important pitfalls that must be avoided when measuring RIM and EDRMS. The first is to choose metrics just because everyone else uses them – and ignore the fact that they provide little workable insights. The second danger is choosing metrics that don't reflect what is really important to your business in terms of goals. To avoid these pitfalls and to identify the correct metrics for your program, TAB recommends the following four step process:
With your metrics selected, it is important to regularly track and review them. Because the metrics are constantly changing, it can take some time to determine the normal values or ranges for each metric. Once you've established these benchmarks, it's much easier to see when your activities are having an impact.
In our next post, we will dive into more detail about metrics that you can use to monitor the performance and ROI of your EDRMS activities.