Executive Insight with Fred Pulzello:  Records Management Reform: An Innovative Look at Records Best Practices

Fred Pulzello is a speaker at Digital Government Institute's February 9 webinar on Records Management Reform: An Innovative Look at Records Best Practices. Fred is an MBA, CRM, Solutions Architect, MicroLink, and Association Treasurer, ARMA International, the association for the records and information management profession. Read his interview with DGI.

DGI: Are agencies ready to comply with White House and NARA memorandums to come up with a framework to reform their records management practices or are they moving forward at a snail’s pace or are they quickly moving forward?

FP: Many of the agencies have a good understanding of what’s needed to come up with the framework but they lack the resources. In some cases, there’s a lack of focus on records management. Some see it as essential and some see it as what they have is good enough (when it actually is not).  In some cases they get it and want to move it along but they are constrained by resources. In past several years they have been picking up the pace and exploring more solutions.

DGI: What kind of deadline is there?

FP: The March 27 deadline now being imposed by the presidential memorandum  requires agencies to respond with a narrative evaluation of their records management programs and what their framework is going to be. There’s a greater sense of urgency since the memorandum came out, and agencies are all grappling with how they are going to deal with it. There are some agencies that are ahead of the curve. The thought leaders are the ones who understand the need for comprehensive records management, and they are just now getting the funding for it.

DGI: Are agencies prepared to handle changes to their records management or are they stuck with old habits? Is there a conflict between paper and electronic records?

FP: Agencies are still stuck with old habits in part because they lack sufficient knowledge and understanding of what is needed to change their records management programs . In other cases, it hasn’t been a top priority. But they understand that records management is their responsibility, and they have a general idea of what that means but they lack the technical knowledge to plan a solution. There is a silo approach between paper and electronic.  Most agencies do not have a conflict between electronic and paper because they treat them separately instead of as a part of an overall, comprehensive records management program.

DGI: Are agencies implementing an electronic records plan or do they need outside help to do it right?

FP: Many agencies would prefer to build the skillset from within or build out staff instead of relying on outside resources, However, because of the problem of combining information from all sources, they may need outside help to put their arms around what they need to do, from planning to being able to pull disparate functions together. They have to get senior stakeholders together to address this, from general counsel to inspector general, information technology, records officers, and component operations.. They need to come together to craft an overarching plan for paper, electronic, legacy and new technologies.

DGI: What are 5 steps that agencies need to do to get up to speed?

FP:

1. Understand what’s required in the presidential memorandum
2. Get senior stakeholders together to come up with a plan.
3. Talk to other agencies to find out how they are handling records management and get some tips.
4. Talk to third parties and consultants operating in the federal space who have experience handling records management. Get their perspective on what needs to be done
5. Seek guidance from your agency’s NARA representative who is involved in records management.

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