Yes We Can -- improve records management

Hi folks, Doc here. Remember when I talked about how U.S. government employees throw out millions of pages every day? Well, on a more hopeful note, I came across a CMSWire article from earlier this year about the impact the new Obama administration may have on records management in the future. Marisa Peacock speaks of the document management industry’s bright outlook:

Can we? Yes.

With the new administration built upon values of transparency and accountability, many in the industry are hopeful that change has come, bringing with it more enforcement and productive initiatives that will help address and prevent future records management calamities, economic and otherwise.

Additionally, Mr. T.M. Ravi, President and CEO of Mimosa Systems, shares his thoughts on new legislation:

Ravi is optimistic that new federal and state policies will hold more companies accountable for their actions, or rather their inaction. With more legislation being passed, like the Presidential Records Act, US citizens are gaining greater access to electronic documents.

Ravi touches on a few ways the Obama administration can improve records management and retention processes. Here’s one to think about:

As we enter a new phase of government, led by a president with experience engaging with social media — from his Blackberry to his YouTube chats — an explosion of e-information is inevitable, as is the urgent need to archive, search and access it. Ravi advises the administration to do the "right thing" and use the insurgence of e-communication generated by the Commander-in-Chief to improve the way the communication records are managed.

There’s also talk of a US Chief Technology Officer:

There has been much discussion about a cabinet-level CTO who would, among other things, play a critical role in an economic recovery plan. Ravi is hopeful that if such a position was created, it would help to modernize the front and back office systems.

Such modernization and innovation would help citizens interact better with government services, as well as help to reduce costs associated with many government assistance programs, like medicaid and medicare. As US productivity reaches its peak for the first time in approximately twenty years, so does the amount of information being generated. Ravi emphasizes the importance of a technologically savvy person to oversee the development of innovative compliance solutions at the government level.

Neat, huh? Needless to say, the document management industry will be keeping a watchful eye on Obama and his people this year. I, of course, will be keeping one eye open while sipping Red Bull through my favorite swirly straw (thanks, Ma!).