A single source of truth is a single point of access and modification for a data element. It requires that all access is for the same copy of data. In records management, it comes down to structuring and modelling the system so that every data element, in this case records, is stored exactly once.
Single source of truth is a practice and strategy that helps to ensure that data is reliable, accurate and secured.
Recently, public sector directed news site, The Mandarin, talked about the Government’s move to a digital-first footing and the opportunity digital transformation poses for businesses to put in place business process and workflow efficiencies that deliver big productivity gains and return on investment — like instant access to information, when, where and how it is needed without the cost and drudgery of file and application conflicts.
Below is an excerpt from the article. You can read the full article here.
Decades after the concept of a ‘paperless office’ was floated as a means to eliminate the filing (and misfiling) of printed copies and manila folders being passed and posted between key staff and stakeholders, the efficiency drag and productivity losses associated with printed documentation still lingers on.
Removing paper processes used to be primarily framed as an environmental benefit, but the real power of digitisation comes from creating a ‘single source’ of the truth.
The secret to creating a productive, collaborative and functional paperless information environment is consolidation — knowing what you have, where it is and managing who has access to it.
Importantly, as the urgency of Australia’s digital government mandate escalates, agencies need to be both confident and cognisant that their information and content management strategies can span across multiple channels.
That could be correlating and archiving important speeches and consultations captured as video, audio, social media, transcripts and associated web assets as well as the drafts that were fed into the final product.
Equally, cohesively digitising paper assets so that important documentation is accessible, secure and properly retained remains an essential element of any digital transformation.
Key Steps to Consider
1. Digitise paper documents;
2. Classify all content as soon as it enters the organisation;
3. Establish secure and controlled access to information;
4. Identify emerging content channels and how to manage them.
