DataWorks is an Electronic Records and Document Management System (ERDMS). An ERDMS is a tool that enables organisations to effectively manage documents and records that are received, created and maintained by the organisation.
DataWorks is the organisation wide repository for corporate records and will facilitate the sharing of corporate information for the benefit of the University.
DataWorks ensures that the RIGHT INFORMATION gets to the RIGHT PEOPLE at the RIGHT TIME
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Why implement an Electronic Records and Document Management System? |
Current Record and Document Management Practice at UB
Information at the Univerisity of Ballarat is generally maintained by individuals and work groups.
Staff utilise individual drives, shared drives and email boxes for the storage of electronic records and physical filing cabinets and folders to store hardcopy records.
Electronic records are often printed and stored physically.
There is little sharing of information outside of the immediate work group environment.
There are no University wide standards for version control of documents.
Responsibility for the management and eventual retention or disposal of these records is not clear.
Issues
The growing use of email and electronic documents and the rapid growth in the volume of documents created and received across the University has progressively reduced the University's capacity to effectively manage its corporate records.
Valuable information is often lost when staff depart the University or work group.
Valuable information can be lost when documents and records are deleted or destroyed by staff who lack the necessary skills to efficiently and effectively manage corporate information.
Work is often reinvented because there is no University wide repository to facilitate access to any documents associated with the same or similar work previously undertaken. In many cases this information is lost from the corporate memory.
It may be difficult to establish accountability for both the record itself and the action associated with the record.
Response times are affected when there are difficulties in finding or accessing required information.
A belief that cororate records belong to an individual and not to the organisation.
Solution
A Records Management Working Party was established in 2003 to facilitate the development of a Records Management Strategy.
One of the recommendations of the resulting strategy was that the University would source, select and implement a single integrated electronic records and document management system to manage those corporate records not already managed by a University wide system.
An ERDMS will assist the University to meet all of its legislative and regulatory obligations for corporate and operational records.
An ERDMS will also ensure that information can be used and leveraged to the benefit of the University.
The system can be used to effectively store, track, workflow, version control, retrieve and dispose of University records.
The management of all medium of records including electronic, hardcopy, maps, photographs, video, DVDs and sound is possible. Physical documents can be scanned and stored within the system allowing for them to be searched for, retrieved and viewed in the electronic environment.
Documents may be viewed by many people at one time regardless of their physical location within the organisation.
The Product
The University has chosen the DataWorks product developed and supplied by Advanced Data Integration (ADI) as its Electronic Records and Document Management System.
The product is being installed into the University's IT environment and staff are in the process of undergoing training in System and Technical Administration.
Once installation and administration training is complete by end of 2005 DataWorks will be rolled out to the University community in stages.
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DataWorks Implementation Schedule |
Phase 1: Installation and Staff Training in basic use of DataWorks
Stage One – Completed
VCO Mt Helen and SMB
Planning Section
DVC A&R Wayne Robinson and support staff
Research and Graduate Studies Office
Secretariat
Information Services
Stage Two – Completed
TAFE Schools
Western Campuses Head and support staff
Commercial Services Unit
International Office
Stage Three - Commenced September 2006 - ongoing
Human Resources
Student Services
Equity & Equal Opportunity
Aboriginal Education Centre
Financial Planning & Strategy
Financial Operations
Physical Resources
Technology Park
Accommodation & Hospitality Services
Marketing & Public Relations
Planning Quality & Review
Legal
Stage Four - TBA
Higher Education Schools
Arts Academy
Phase 2 Aligning DataWorks to work teams business practices
Once DataWorks is deployed across the university we will be revisiting each business unit to assist in leveraging DataWorks to individual team requirements and further explore ways in which DataWorks can help teams meet their work objectives.
DataWorks will be available to all areas of the University by mid 2007. Further information will be made available to staff as their work areas are targeted for deployment of DataWorks.
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DataWorks is to be rolled out across the University to staff actively involved in the creation or receipt of University records. There will be two types of DataWorks users. Most University staff will be a "general user" and will require approximately four to six hours of training. Within each section/school there will also be a "Key User".
The "Key User" will have a significantly higher level of knowledge of the DataWorks system than the "general user". This role requires an extra two hours of training. "Key Users" will be nominated by their school/section/work team.
Successful implementation is dependant upon:
Provision of training and support to enable staff to effectively use the system to manage corporate University records and documents.
Provision of training and support to enable our staff to understand and meet their record keeping responsibilities.
Ensuring information is used and leveraged to the benefit of the University.
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DataWorks Implementation Reference Group (DIRG) |
The DRG has been established to assist with the implementation of DataWorks within each school/section. This is a fluid group consisting of staff members of schools/sections targeted for the next stage of Dataworks deployment. Current membership is made up of staff from those groups targeted for Stage One deployment.
Members are nominated by their school/section and are responsible for:
Dissemination of deployment information to their business area.
Facilitating work team evaluations to best target DataWorks to individual business areas.
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Further Information and Contact Details |
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Further Information regarding the ERDMS Project and DataWorks can be obtained from the Project Coordinator Jan Goyne on 5327 9790 or via email j.goyne@ballarat.edu.au.
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This web site will develop as DataWorks is deployed to provide information on the use of DataWorks including Frequently Asked Questions, Fact Sheets, Shortcuts, Training Schedules and much more.
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