Computer Systems and the Life Cycle of Electronic Records

Computer systems become obsolete so rapidly that it is unrealistic for these systems to remain usable for the length of time that the organisation will need the records that are created by them. This fact is a characteristic that distinguishes electronic records from paper records. Electronic records have to be migrated onto new systems in such a way that they can still be read and understood while maintaining their integrity and authenticity. This presents significant technical challenges.

Although the technical challenges in managing electronic records are formidable¹, the management issues are even more important. Electronic records cannot survive without active strategic intervention² to migrate the records onto new systems. This process is expensive and requires the implementation³ of policies and procedures that affect the working practices of the entire organisation.

Changes requiring this level of resources and support cannot be achieved without senior management approval. For example, the adoption of technical standards to facilitate the future migration of electronic records involves a short-term penalty⁴ to the organisation because it limits the choice of computer applications that may be used. It is a management decision to forego⁵ the short-term operational benefit of having a wider choice of computer software in favour of the long-term organisational benefit of being to access essential records in the future. Balancing these opposing needs is a management decision. Recognising this point is the first step toward ensuring that effective electronic records management is possible.

Planning for electronic record-keeping systems often stops once the system is implemented³. This is usually because system’s developers do not consider the fact that the record’s life cycle often extends long past the anticipated obsolescence of computer equipment. In short, the systems do not address record-keeping needs comprehensively, and this can result in serious problems, including the following:

- poor system performance because of accumulation of unneeded data which should have been subject⁶ to disposal requirements;

- use of outdated information in decision-making;

- compromised⁷ systems security and data integrity because of uncontrolled or improper deletion of records or data;

- inability to perform necessary audits or management reviews.

Ideally, the life cycle of electronic records should be planned and reflected in the design of systems that support the work of the organisation.

Notes:

¹ formidable – очень сложные, труднопреодолимые

² strategic intervention – стратегическое вмешательство

³ to implement – выполнять, осуществлять; инсталлировать

⁴involves a short-term penalty – создает временное неудобство

⁵ to forego – пожертвовать чем-либо, отказаться от чего-либо

⁶ to be subject to – подлежать

⁷ to compromise – компрометировать, дискредитировать (несанкционированное раскрытие или потеря защищённой информации)

II. Answer the questions.

1. What distinguishes electronic records from paper records? 2. What presents significant technical challenges for electronic record-keeping? 3. How are senior managers involved into managing electronic records? 4. If the electronic record-keeping systems do not address record-keeping needs comprehensively, what problems can it result in? 5. How can these problems be avoided?

III. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form (Active or Passive).

1. The system engineer said he (to implement) the system the day before. 2. Our computer system (to become) obsolete many years ago. 3. We (to plan) to migrate all our records to a new system soon. 4. The new electronic records (not to read) and (not to understand) by our old computer system. 5. The general manager (to consider) the implementation of a new electronic record-keeping system now. 6. Since the invention of computers, large amounts of information (to store) in digital form.

IV. Identify the type of clause in the following complex sentences. Translate the sentences into Belarusian/Russian.

1. Computer systems become obsolete so rapidly that it is unrealistic for them to remain usable for long periods. 2. Planning for electronic record-keeping systems often stops when the system is implemented. 3. Records management counsels that the enterprise keep only what is required. 4. Each agency is expected to use information technology in order to increase the quality of the services. 5. The nature of authentic and reliable records is that they are fixed in time and space. 6. As applications become more advanced, the documents created will become more sophisticated. 7. Although the technical challenges in managing electronic records are formidable, the management issues are even more important.

V. Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets in the following conditional sentences.

1. An e-mail message is also a record if it (to meet) the record keeping criteria established within an organisation. 2. If the IT system (to be) out of service, no money transactions could be carried out. 3. As long as it (to keep) dry and away from fire or water, the document will usually outlast its administrative and legal lifespan. 4. If our management (to upgrade) the system appropriately, we wouldn’t have lost so many files. 5. But for the cloud technology, we (to keep) everything within the organisation’s system.

VI. Identify the type of clause in the following complex sentences. Translate the sentences into Belarusian/Russian.

1. “Information technology” means all computerised and automated information handling. 2. The ability to copy or move data means that people can use records and information from just about anywhere. 3. A person working with electronic information does not need to be in the same physical location as the data to access. 4. An electronic record can be manipulated, transmitted or processed by a computer. 5. There are four common ways of creating, using and storing documents in an electronic environment: in personal computers; in shared computer servers; in shared servers with centralised control; and in shared servers using records management software.

VII. Underline and identify the type of verbal construction in the following sentences. Translate the sentences into Belarusian/Russian.

1. The adoption of technical standards is supposed to facilitate the future migration of electronic records. 2. The opposing needs having been balanced, the effective electronic records management became possible. 3. We want the life cycle of electronic records to be planned in the design of computer systems. 4. The data proved to be wrong. 5. Information technology having spread all over the world, we can access information quickly.

VIII. Underline modal verbs. Translate the sentences into Belarusian/Russian.

1. The problems of electronic records management should be discussed again. 2. The loss of those valuable records may have cost the company a lot of money. 3. The corruption or falsification of data can have major consequences. 4. The potential social damage which could be caused by the failure of IT resources increases. 5. Records professionals need to approach electronic records management with a long-term vision.

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