Organisations have to deal with more and more information flows, physical as well as digital documents that are already digital in the source. Each department has its own information flows, its own wishes and requirements for a more efficient way of working. If you, as an organisation, want to take steps, a choice to deal with it on a departmental basis or on an organisation-wide basis is one of the first choices you have to make. Take a well-considered choice!
Modernisation of the information system
The modernisation of an organisation requires coherence in its information management. But that is easier said than done. Many departments in organisations are real document collection points. Each task area, sector, service or department has adopted its own methods. Adapting to a department or even an organisation as a whole can be quite a job. What does that say about organisation-wide digitisation plans?
It can also be different! You don’t necessarily have to rely on the documents or the departments, but you can also digitise processes. Think, for example, of one:
- Production process;
- Project;
- Policy and management process;
- Internal management process.
Archiving method
It can be said that there are three possibilities for differentiation in digitisation processes. Organisations do not necessarily have to opt for the same digital approach for all documents, simply because they are documents. We often see this in HRM departments that have a completely different way of working and archiving than a purchasing department or a finance department. Of course, we do advise you to draw up an organisation-wide plan of action. But don’t be afraid to choose a different structure for each process.
Approach
With an organisation-wide approach, you can choose to set up a project group with a number of reference persons, each of whom is responsible for their own process. During this project group, you will agree on uniform rules regarding archiving and digitisation. The decision to digitise, for example, photographic material in colour or black-and-white and to replace physical staples with electronic binding are questions that can be tackled throughout the organisation.
As an experienced expert, I can recommend that in digitisation and process innovation the emphasis be placed on the area of attention in order to continue to strive for a customer-friendly service. Without a well-considered work process after digitisation, you have no ‘other organisation’.