From theory to practice

The following sections map the four phases of the information lifecycle and raise the generic questions which it is suggested you should think about with regards to the information that is being, or will be, created. Of course the term 'information' covers a huge variety of formats, media, technology and content and it is likely that the generic questions outlined within the lifecycle model will need to be further refined to address differing needs.

That is why this infoKit also includes applied sections where the concept and framework of the information lifecycle has been used to provide additional and specific guidance on the management of particular types of information. At present this includes guidance on the management of records and emails but it is envisaged that this list will grow in the future as more candidates for inclusion are identified.

The objective of these sections is to provide guidance on the management of these particular types of information that has been further refined to make it is as detailed and specific as possible. This guidance will always follow the same lifecycle model and will build upon the generic questions and issues raised within it, but will add further detail where the specific requirements of that type of information warrant it.

This approach ensures the consistency of management referred to earlier, avoids the duplication of material (as some guidance will always be the same regardless of whether we are talking about formal records, emails or databases) and ensures that the specific topics are covered in as comprehensive and relevant a manner as possible.

Hopefully these applied sections will make it even easier for you to apply the lifecycle model to your own individual situations and thus help make the leap from theoretical model to practical application.