Millennia Group Blog
Collaboration requires collaboration
Every business wants its staff to perform at its peak and to get one plus one to equal three through communication and collaboration. Collaboration can be complicated, even with technology. Maybe the best way to highlight how complicated collaboration can be, is to think about the creation of a report that summarizes a new project.
The report could span multiple departments or even include inputs from outside parties. Therefore, security becomes an issue. Some collaboration may be parallel such as when working on budget numbers simultaneously in an online spreadsheet. Other collaboration may be sequential wherein the spreadsheet then provides input for the narrative part of the report – can’t start one without the other. The archival of the completed report needs to be managed as well. These are all issues that make any single technology solution a difficult fit.
To achieve a good fit using document management requires significant flexibility in the application. Collaboration in the parallel sense (joint creation of a spreadsheet), requires integration with a cloud spreadsheet solution. Collaboration in the sequential sense requires workflow with rules and reporting to make sure the next person is notified and bottlenecks can be identified. When the collaboration reaches outside the organization or across departments, security must be manageable as well.
Not only do files and documents need to be shared in the typical collaborative environment, but also communication like notes, comments and questions. This could be partially handled via chat windows within the application or the ability to store notes or even attach emails. Scheduling of tasks may also be required for a collaborative project. Very few, if any document management systems support chat windows, integrated task lists and calendars, at least without being too clunky.
There are many project and team site applications out there like Asana, Basecamp and Teamwork to name a few. These are built to help manage the flexibly part of collaboration and can even help retain some structure during the process. None are configured to be the final archive of the information, that is where you need a bridge to your document management system.
The bottom line is that you actually need to get technology to collaborate to achieve the optimal end to end solution. That likely means finding a project site that works for you and then configuring that site with the archive site (document management system) in mind. Ensure a smooth transition from flexible project mode to organized and secure archive mode. If you can do this, then one plus one will equal three.
Millennia Group provides flexible document management solutions. For more information contact us at info@mgdocs.com or visit our website – www.mgdocs.com.
Downsizing and De-cluttering
To programmatically or systematically delete files that are no longer legally required or relevant to the business (“Records”) means there must be a few things in place first. The company will need a records management policy that describes the document classifications (legal record, business record, junk), specifies generally what files fall under each classification and then states the legal or business retention period. The retention period is the duration (months/years) the file must be retained before it should be destroyed. For instance, retain the customer contract for 3 years after the term expires. So instantly this highlights some basic challenges. All files will need to be classified when the file is created or received, including the date of the file. Secondly, there must be a way to search through all of the company files, where-ever those files reside, to find the ones that meet the criteria for deletion. Then, and here is the most difficult part – someone needs to actually delete the files! The benefits of having a records management program in place, as previously mentioned, include less clutter so good information is easier to find and less space, in this case, less gigabytes of storage, which might save some money. There is also better security over sensitive data and lower exposure to litigation. Even if it is an ethical, well run business, frivolous lawsuits still cost money and therefore, the ability to quickly prove that no smoking gun exists, is a benefit. Many document management systems provide the ability to classify documents when they are added to the system. Many also have the ability to programmatically find and list documents that meet the retention periods and are ready for deletion. But users still don’t always delete those files, despite wanting the benefits of de-cluttering. We have added the ability to hide “retired” information from standard searches into our document management solution. We have also added the ability to highlight information that is old, but maybe not at the point where it has met the retention period. So while we understand the benefits of decluttering, we also understand the fear of wiping out information that could, just maybe, once in a blue moon, possibly, come in handy. Millennia Group provides workflow and document management solutions that are flexible, effective and smart. For more information – www.mgdocs.com, info@mgdocs.com or (630) 279-0577 x122.
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Training to Overcome Failure
There are many examples of human endeavors that would not have ended well without training. Moon shots, marathon running, heart surgery and triple axles (not 100% sure what that is) are just a few that come to mind. But don’t just think of training as necessary only to achieve super human feats.
Training is one concrete way to maximize the value of your software investments, a more mundane but very worthwhile goal. It doesn’t matter what type of software it is, if users don’t use it (out of fear) or use it incorrectly, the investment will not pay off – aka, Failure. That failure can be avoided with well thought out training.
There is a possibility that software was purchased and there was no real need. No amount of training will fix that. But if there was a demonstrated need and the software has the functionality and passes all of the user testing, then training will be beneficial. Here is where things get a little tricky. What type of training do you need – Fearful Users, Busy Users or Silent Users?
Some users are not technology wizards and they have a fear that they will break the software or that they can’t do it. These users need training that is patient, methodical and repetitive. Reinforcement that nothing is going to break and a backup exists will help. Involving their peers as trainers will be less stressful on Fearful Users. Getting to some quick success will also help.
Busy Users are very busy and don’t stop to listen, they just click on anything that moves or frankly that doesn’t move. Typical training gets sidetracked because the Busy User has gone into a rabbit hole and time is wasted trying to get out. Methodical, phased training is the best solution for Busy Users. Ideally, only showing the minimum number of options initially reduces the chances of going off the rails. When concepts are grasped, add some additional functionality.
ForSilent Users or users that don’t explore the software or ask questions, the training needs to be on the value of the help file or the availability of the support desk. Many times these users will develop their own work-around to a problem because they were not aware a feature existed that could help them. These Silent Users just need to be trained to click Help or call support. Call the software provider, they would love to hear from these users and get real world examples of problems the user is trying to solve.
These are simplified classifications of users and not intended to be a slam on any type of user. All users learn differently and all need training to overcome some issue that will prevent them from achieving maximum success. The onus is not on the users. The onus is on the employers, trainers and software providers to recognize the types of users they have and to develop appropriate training. It’s not likely that you will get someone from accounting to perform heart surgery with some training, but you might cut down on costly and embarrassing billing mistakes.
Here are a few articles that might be helpful and there are many more resources out there to help make your training pay off.
https://elearningindustry.com/6-important-techniques-to-training-success-before-it-even-begins
http://elearninguncovered.com/2015/09/three-tips-for-teaching-successful-software-training-classes/
Millennia Group is a workflow and document management solution provider founded in 1996. For more information please visit our website at www.mgdocs.com or email us at info@mgdocs.com.
Digital Initials vs Digital Signatures
Truth be told, it may not cost anything to get the benefit of digital initials. Digital initials isn’t some type of software solution, it’s a result of a trackable action. Send an email around to three people asking for them to bless a decision and save the final email with all three responses – digital initials. Have all three people open the Word file and type their initials and the current date while tracking changes – digital initials. There are many examples of simple and free solutions that have the same basic purpose as taking out your pen and scribbling on a page. The need for the initials can be a compliance issue or simply that the boss wants to make sure everyone has used their special knowledge to collectively make a good decision. Whatever the reason for requiring the acknowledgement, it’s easy and provides some level of comfort. However, some businesses or business processes may require more stringent proof than an email chain or logging in a Word file. In those situations, a document management solution with workflow or an online form type workflow might be needed. These solutions will have built-in tracking of user actions down to each computers IP address. In essence, the solutions provide digital fingerprints. These solutions also provide alerts, attached supporting documentation for easy review, mobility and productivity tracking as added benefits. The bottom line is that business processes really don’t need a paper document routing around for internal signatures. There are plenty of options that can provide an easier and much more efficient process. Depending on the process, the use of workflow may have a significant ROI. You may have just invested in a nice new fountain pen and perfected your John Hancock, but take a look around your company and see how some simple changes might have a big impact. Millennia Group provides SaaS model workflow and document management solutions to companies looking to become more efficient. For more information go to www.mgdocs.com or send us an email at info@mgdocs.com.