tfpl blog

Explore the Cloud with us

The emerging technology of cloud computing is set to capture a lot of interest in 2009 and is widely predicted to have explosive growth over the coming years.  Brands we all know well such as Google, Microsoft and IBM are converging on this new technology with a range of services and applications aimed specifically at Cloud Computing.  Inquisitive individuals will be asking what is it?  And what are benefits and risks to my organisation?  As part of our commitment to thought leadership within Knowledge and Information Management TFPL has decided to create an event to better understand this technology from some of the early adopters and experts in this field. 

One of early adopters is the Guardian Media Group (GMC) who were featured on Thursday in computing.co.uk* discussing their plan to use Web 2.0 and Cloud solutions to cope with the challenging economic conditions.  The publisher has embraced Google Apps to replace Microsoft Office as part of a strategy that will see Lotus Notes replaced by Google Mail by the end of 2009.  They have recently moved to a new HQ in

London's Kings Cross following a review of GMG's operations and have made significant cost savings and also introduced new cultural changes.  Andy Beale Technology Director said "The reason that Web 2.0 tools, and in particular Google Apps, are so effective at improving efficiency is that they are inherently collaborative.  Our decision to use Google was, in part, because it uses familiar models - email and office applications - but takes them in a different direction".

By moving into the cloud GMG has been able to benefit from these recent initiatives including server virtualisation and the removal of complex Virtual Private Networks which is saving the group £30m a year in energy and maintenance costs alone, as well as the rollout of Google Apps.  The workforce will also reap rewards from Web-based tools as they provide a more flexible environment for remote workers.  "Companies that can move to adapt web technology for its workforce are going to be more attractive to candidates and that will continue to be an important factor during the recession," said Beale.

Andy Beale will be presenting a case study at TFPL's event Get Inside the Cloud of Information where he will be joined by a range of professionals to discuss the wider impact of Cloud Computing.  John Sheridan, Head of E-Services at The National Archives, an expert in emerging technologies and adviser to the UK Government will be discussing the challenges and opportunities Cloud Computing brings to the information profession.  Ibrahim Hasan, Information Lawyer will be explaining how businesses can manage private data in public places and what effect Cloud Computing will have on existing legislation.  Lynn Collier from Hitachi Data Systems Ltd will put into perspective the economic model behind Cloud Computing and how organisations can maximise savings and create better efficiencies.  The case study from the Guardian Media Group will be complemented by further examples of the use of cloud technologies at The University of Westminster and Erith Ltd.  The Chair for the day will be Roger James, ICT Director, University of Westminster who will be hosting a Q&A session with the speakers.

* Guardians of the digital age. (2009 February 26). computing p. 9.

Does the lack of top management understanding of the value of information services prejudice its judgment?

In our current economic predicament, for many of us, nothing is more uncertain than our future career direction.  This is especially true for the information professional. Earlier in the month, the Library + Information Gazette highlighted that information services, particularly in the private sector, are a "soft target" for senior managers in their drive to cut costs.  This was attributed to the probability that there simply is a lack of understanding - and thus appreciation - of what information services do and the impact of their reduction or loss until after the event. 

So how can this worrying gap of understanding be bridged? How should recognition of the value of information services be effectively driven through the, often multiple, tiers of management and home into the board room at this critical juncture?

Our Complimentary Training Workshops

At TFPL, we continue to provide free training sessions for our registered temporary workers, and have recently increased the provision of these complimentary events from once per month to two. Focusing on both soft and more technical skills we aim to keep our temps up to date with these introductory tutorials to complement and inspire their competencies and help them survive in today’s competitive and turbulent job market. The hour long sessions are run in the evening and delivered in a workshop style, allowing our temps to fully interact and make sense of the subject matter in an informal and personal style. They are free to anyone who is registered with us as a temporary worker, subject to availability of spaces (and demand is high).   

So far in 2009, courses have included CV and interviewing advice, which is always a very popular course. Temps learnt practical tips about CVs and how to make the most of their skills and experience at interviews. Another very popular course was Emergent Web2ools, focusing in particular on Twitter, run by TFPL consultant, Shooresh Golzari.

If you’re registered with us then keep a look out for future sessions on skills audits and also project management. Details of these will appear on our website and will also be automatically emailed to you closer to the date.

We’re always keen to hear suggestion for future courses and any subject areas you’d like to see covered. If you have a suggestion or enquiry about our temps training courses, please contact me, by emailing katy.crosse@tfpl.com.

If you’re interested in temporary work and registering with TFPL, please contact temps@tfpl.com for further information.

SharePoint 2007: The key questions for records management

In the recent past the records management profession did not have to concern itself too deeply with any one system from any one vendor.  The profession could establish specifications as to what it wanted records management software to do (TNA 2002, MoReq etc) and use those standards to incentivise a clutch of vendors to produce systems that operate according to that model.  Records managers simply had to understand the thinking behind the specifications.

SharePoint 2007 is different.  It hasn’t been designed around existing records management specifications, instead it has its own idiosyncratic records management model.  SharePoint team collaboration sites pose significant governance challenges and are sometimes introduced alongside, and in competition with, existing electronic records systems.  

The vendor behind SharePoint, Microsoft, already monopolises organisational servers and the basic desktop tools for document creation and e-mail. Their exceptional size brings with it exceptional ambitions.  They want to sell SharePoint into every organisation large medium or small.  They don't want to base their product around the types of records management controls (particularly the corporate fileplan) found in TNA 2002 and MoReq 2.  Only a minority of organisations have the appetite and capability to implement and sustain a corporate fileplan. 

Not every organisation will take on SharePoint 2007. Of those that do, not every implementation will be successful or sustained.  SharePoint will face competition, but on a global scale that competition is unlikely to come from the niche vendors who provide EDRM and ECM systems based around TNA 2002 and MoReq/MoReq2.  The organisation in the best position to take on Microsoft and SharePoint is Google:  another huge, cash-rich monopoly.  Google plans to skirt around Microsoft's monopoloy of organisational servers and destops by providing their Google Apps system across the web, from the cloud.

The records management profession is going to have to get used to managing records in records systems that are not of its professional making.

The strength of SharePoint 2007 in the marketplace gives us as a profession no choice but to engage with it.   We need to be in a position to ensure that organisations make decisions in relation to SharePoint with their eyes open.   When organisations do choose to implement SharePoint team collaboration sites we need to be able to help teams make the best of them.   On a broader front, as a profession, we need to assess how we move forward in a post-SharePoint 2007 world, where our records management standards and specifications will have a reduced influence on the marketplace.

Below are what I consider be the key questions that we need to address in each of these areas 

Helping organisations make informed decisions in relation to SharePoint

• Given that SharePoint 2007 has no place to hold a hierarchical corporate fileplan how do we ensure the overall coherence of the collection of collaboration sites?

• How do we guard against the danger of 'SharePoint sprawl'? 

• How do we apply retention schedules in SharePoint?  How do we protect records from amendment or deletion?  Is it worth using the SharePoint 2007 Records Centre for these purposes?

• To what extent should we encourage/require the use of version control and metadata in SharePoint? 

• Do we recommend that organisations turn on the facility to allow each member of staff to have a 'my site'?  Individuals can use their my site to share information about themselves; to blog; and to create, store and (if they wish) share documents

• Do we recommend that organisations plug in TNA 2002/MoReq 2 based EDRM/ECM systems behind SharePoint?  If so how do we recommend that they map from the elements of SharePoint (site collection, site, library, folder or content type, document) to the elements of EDRM (fileplan heading, folder, document) 

• SharePoint offers many alternatives to documents and e-mails for creating and communicating information (wikis, blogs, discussion forums etc.)  Do we need to manage them?  If so how?    

• There are usually other drivers beside records management behind a SharePoint implementation.  How can we best ensure that records management and governance needs are afforded sufficient priority?  

• What do we do when we find SharePoint team collaboration sites being rolled out in competition with an existing or planned electronic records management system?

 

Helping teams and end-users make the best of SharePoint

• What advice and support do we need to provide end users to help them set up and manage SharePoint team collaboration sites?  

• What should we be advising each team to do when they start a new project or piece of work? Should they create a new team collaboration sub-site? or a new document library within an existing site/sub-site?  or a new folder within an existing document library? 

• Should we advise end users to use folders to organise their document libraries or 'content types' (metadata)?   

• Do SharePoint team collaboration sites help with managing e-mails?  

  

Moving forward as a profession

• SharePoint 2007 blurs the distinction between the intranet and the team working space.  It blurs the distinction between data and documents. How will this affect the relationships and distinctions between records managers and other professionals?  

• Where next for the business classification/corporate fileplan?  The international records management standard is based around it.   So are TNA 2002 and MoReq2. But they are difficult and time consuming to build and have had a mixed reception with users in those organisations that have built them.  SharePoint doesn't cater for them without work-arounds and customisation.  

• Where next for electronic records management specifications? When there were lots of niche vendors in the field, and when electronic records management systems (EDRM) were distinct from other types of system such as web/intranet content management systems then specifications worked well as a way of influencing the market.  Now EDRM systems have been subsumed into broader Enterprise Content Management (ECM)  systems, organisations are basing their procurement choices on a broader range of criteria.  And Microsoft have been able to ignore the specifications but still dominate this market.

James Lappin
Senior Associate consultant