Records management

Quick Facts: Who was Records management?

Subject:

Records management

Known for:

Systematic control of information from creation to disposition throughout its entire lifecycle.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Records management, also known as records and information management, is an organizational function dedicated to the management of information in an organization throughout its life cycle, from the time of creation or receipt to its eventual disposition. This includes the identification, classification, storage, security, retrieval, tracking, and destruction or permanent preservation of records. The ISO 15489-1: 2001 standard ("ISO 15489-1:2001") defines records management as "[the] field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use, and disposition of records, including the processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records". An organization's records preserve aspects of institutional memory. In determining how long to retain records, their capacity for re-use is important.

Career & Major Achievements

Many are kept as evidence of activities, transactions, and decisions. Others document what happened and why. The purpose of records management is part of an organization's broader function of governance, risk management, and compliance and is primarily concerned with managing the evidence of an organization's activities as well as the reduction or mitigation of risk associated with it. Recent research shows linkages between records management and accountability in governance. The concept of record is variously defined.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The ISO 15489-1:2016 defines records as "information created, received, and maintained as evidence and as an asset by an organization or person, in pursuit of legal obligations or in the transaction of business". While there are many purposes of and benefits to records management, as this definition highlights, a key feature of records is their ability to serve as evidence of an event. Proper records management can help preserve this feature of records. Recent and comprehensive studies have defined records as "persistent representations of activities" as recorded or created by participants or observers. This transactional view emphasizes the importance of context and process in the determination and meaning of records.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 2001: 2001 Milestone — The ISO 15489-1: 2001 standard ("ISO 15489-1:2001") defines records management as "[the] field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use, and disposition of records, including the processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records".
2. 2016: 2016 Milestone — The ISO 15489-1:2016 defines records as "information created, received, and maintained as evidence and as an asset by an organization or person, in pursuit of legal obligations or in the transaction of business".

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Records management

True or False: “All documents created by an organization are automatically considered formal records requiring management.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): A record is a document consciously retained as evidence of an action; convenience copies or rough drafts are generally not considered formal records.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aaliyah — Historical peer (Died in 2001) (2001): Pioneering R&B artist known for redefining urban pop and hip hop sounds.
• Ahmad Shah Massoud — Historical peer (Died in 2001) (2001): Afghan military leader, known as the "Lion of Panjshir", fought against foreign occupations.
• Abbas Kiarostami — Historical peer (Died in 2016) (2016): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• Agnes Nixon — Historical peer (Died in 2016) (2016): Pioneering soap opera writer and producer, creator of 'One Life to Live' and 'All My Children'.

Frequently Asked Questions about Records management