Stephen is an Archive Analyst at Archives New Zealand.

Stephen opened by arguing that records management should not be the driving reason for embracing new technology — it’s not a business-driven perspective, and will only be a driver for the next 4-5 years.

Standards enable good record keeping, but they shouldn’t drive it.

Key problems:
– electronic records … lack of control, records that can’t be accessed any more, restructuring and administrative change, lack of awareness about good record keeping
– digital sustainability … has become a priority in the last couple of years

Setting standards … there’s a process to follow in doing so … initiate (or review), set up advisory group, consult on a draft, issue and support …
– setting a standard through this process takes up to 18 months
– consultation process … 6 week required with the public, generally have allowed 12

The purpose of standards … good business practice, accountability, ongoing accessibility

S17 of the Act … (a) capture everything you should, and (b) ensure access to it.

Minimum requirements … reliability and authenticity, accessibility for as long as they are required, strategies for long-term retention, ongoing management of key business assets.

Four key principles:
– record keeping has to be planned
– full and accurate records to be made
– records to provide reliable evidence of business practice
– records must be managed systematically

Challenges:
– record keeping with outsourcing or contracted relationships. Will develop some sample clauses.
– ISO 15489 has been licensed from the ISO, and Archives hopes to make it available throughout New Zealand.

Metadata Standard
“If you don’t have metadata, you don’t have records”
– sets minimum requirements
– built on international standards … esp. the ISO one for metadata management
– currently a discretionary standard
– working on this with Australia
– trying to make this future proof … at least for the next five years

Annual Recordkeeping Surveys
– Archives NZ has to report to Parliament every year on how things are going.
– The survey provides insight into: status, awareness, training and education
– 2005 survey … based on 40-50 organizations in the NZ Government.
– 2006 survey … up to 150 organizations. Some of the metrics had improved, others had gone down.
– 2007 survey … 198 public offices filled it out. Increase in policies and procedures to assess compliance.
– 2008 survey … currently being developed. Will increase the number to about 300.

Archives NZ use this survey information as a feedback mechanism for how organizations are doing, and what needs to be done to improve uptake in New Zealand.

Audits
An independent audit of record keeping practices, with every organization being audited every 5-10 years. Wanting this to be about helping organizations, not as a stick.