A balancing act: learning lessons and adapting approaches whilst rolling out an EDRMS
| Published date | 03 October 2008 |
| Date | 03 October 2008 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09565690810916429 |
| Pages | 170-179 |
| Author | Maria Luisa Di Biagio,Bernice Ibiricu |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
A balancing act: learning lessons
and adapting approaches whilst
rolling out an EDRMS
Maria Luisa Di Biagio and Bernice Ibiricu
European Central Bank, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse and share the experience of implementing an
electronic document and records management system (EDRMS) by identifying what went well and
what could be done better.
Design/methodology/approach – In the implementation of an EDRMS, the European Central
Bank has opted to place the role of records managers prominently between technology and business
needs to ensure that the preservation of institutional memory is the centre-piece of its information
policy.
Findings – The acceptance to improve and the flexibility to introduce correctivemeasures during the
deployment of an EDRMS keeps the aim in sight whilst improving the quality of records management
delivery.
Practical implications – The ups and downs of roll-outs provide valuable l essons and
opportunities to introduce corrective measures to keep EDRM projects on track and generate
awareness of the balancing act that exists between technology and people.
Originality/value – This paper reveals practical experiences encountered during the roll-out of an
EDRMS and aims to highlight the aspects that records professionals can identify as potential sources
for success, failure or a combination of both.
Keywords Document management, Records management, Project management, Central Bank, Europe
Paper type Case study
Background
The European Central Bank (ECB) was founded in June 1998 and, together with the
national central banks of those countries whose currency is the euro, is the monetary
authority of the euro area. Its main objective is to maintain price stability, i.e. to
safeguard the value of the euro. The ECB has currently around 1,340 employees and is
organised into 17 business areas.
Only five years after its establishment, the ECB faced the reality that the
management of its records and information was straining under the weight of outdated
filing methods in the different business areas and ultimately it was facing the risk of
losing control over its institutional memory. The focus of the already existing ECB
archives was on legacy documents from the ECB’s forerunners, the Committee of
Governors and the European Monetary Institute, and efforts to ensure the resulting
records were as complete and accurate as possible. Against this background, in 2003
the ECB Executive Board approved an information management policy with the
intention of introducing the electronic document and records management age to the
ECB and creating the role of the records manager.
Confronted with a headcount cap, but armed with enough convincing arguments to
justify a suitable budget, a few key people involved in the early design stages of the
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0956-5698.htm
RMJ
18,3
170
Records Management Journal
Vol. 18 No. 3, 2008
pp. 170-179
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0956-5698
DOI 10.1108/09565690810916429
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