Frequently asked questions

Question:

How do you narrow down all the possible options?

Answer:

By reviewing the system options out in the market in stage one and carrying out a detailed information gathering and analysis activity in stage three you can identify the areas where improvements are needed in your records management policies and procedures and agree the key functions you need in your future EDRM solution. Then in stage four you review the records management strategy options and select the preferred one and you review the system and service options and select the one that best meets your record keeping requirements and your business objectives.

Question:

Why do I need to select a preferred option at this stage?

Answer:

EDRM solutions are complex and there are many different options available. In order to make a business case you need to cost the solution and the benefits it will bring. You cannot do that accurately until you have tied down all the optional elements. In addition you need to ask the project board to agree the preferred option and sign off that option so you can then produce a detailed Statement Of Requirements and start the procurement process secure in the knowledge that the project board should not ask you to change the requirements at a later stage unless there is a very sudden change to the business requirements.

Question:

Why do I need an implementation plan?

Answer:

There are two main reasons. The first one again is so that you can provide an accurate estimate of the costs and resource requirements for the project at each stage and so when you issue your statement of requirements in stage six you can gain an accurate assessment of the supplier costs. The second one is so that you can engage all your stakeholders and user group members and keep them informed of when they need to have completed all their preparation tasks prior to implementation.

Question:

What services should the supplier provide and what should we do ourselves?

Answer:

Here you are looking for the best balance between cost, time and quality. The suppliers or system integrators know how their software works and are skilled in customising it so it is efficient to use them to customise the solution to meet your requirements. This applies to most of the core services listed in section on Core services. On the other hand you will need to take ownership at some point and need to be in a position where you can administer the system and make any changes that are required in future. Hence you need to ensure you are supplied with training and a toolkit so you can start to take ownership of the solution. The Additional services section lists all the additional services you may need but each of them comes at a cost so you need to make a business case for each one.