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Designing a Document Management Strategy

Article #1:
Characteristics of the Process

By Kevin Craine

Once you decide to implement a document strategy, it is easy to become paralyzed by the complexity of the decision. The evolving role of documents, the complications of technology, and the politics of corporate culture and change all conspire to make your task seem overwhelming.

Even if you recognize the importance of a document strategy, the question remains: How do I go about developing one?

The answer to this question is not universal because different organizations will require different document strategies. No "one size" fits all. There are, however, a few common characteristics of an effective approach to document strategy design.

Characteristics of the Process

1. Comprehensive, yet manageable. The process of designing a document strategy must be comprehensive enough to ensure that something important is not overlooked. It must also be manageable enough to avoid the risk of a project so large and slow that nothing ever gets done. At one end of the spectrum, a "just do it" approach runs the risk that inadequate planning will lead to wasted effort. At the other end of the range, an overly broad approach can invite "scope creep" and result in a project where objectives become moving targets and decisions come slowly (if at all).
2. Linked to company goals. Ultimately, the real test of your document strategy will be its effect on the performance of your company. Does your strategy decrease operating costs and increase opportunities for revenue? Does it increase customer satisfaction? Does it serve executive vision? For your document strategy to appear on the corporate "radar screen" and gain support it must bring about benefit and improvement in those areas that are of fundamental importance to your firm.
3. Clearly demonstrated measurements. Measuring and demonstrating improvement is critical for the ongoing success of your document strategy. The adage you can improve only that which you can measure holds true. Once your plan has been put into place, measurements help demonstrate, in a quantifiable way, the results of your improvement efforts.
4. Addresses corporate culture. One very influential factor that is often avoided or overlooked is the influence of corporate culture on the design and outcome of a document strategy. Internal politics, lack of support and resistance to change are all difficult and elusive factors that can quickly kill your document strategy.
5. Facilitates implementation and evaluates results. The most well-conceived strategies are of little value if they are not executed effectively. To develop a vision is not enough. For your document strategy to be of practical value it must facilitate specific actions to achieve specific goals. Once those actions are put into place, evaluation and re-measurement are vital because the success of your strategy is known only if it can be demonstrated.

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