Document management strategy

The project issues
As part of its wider e-government strategy the Council was deploying the Comino Document Management System (Comino DMS). Hitherto the Comino DMS has been deployed as a series of service-based solutions driven by ITC through the Resources directorate. The Council was now seeking to drive through a strategy for the corporate-wide deployment of the Comino DMS to include a methodology for the effective realisation of the benefits that the Council expected to achieve.

The main objectives of the assignment were therefore:

• Delivery of a documented strategy for the corporate deployment of the Comino DMS
• Delivery of a methodology for realising the expected benefits of the deployment

The Socitm Consulting solution
Socitm Consulting analysed the current position through a combination of desk-based research, interviews and workshops and agreed a written baseline with the Council. We then used similar methods to develop scenarios for “where do we need to be” and “how will we get there”. These scenarios took into account the Council’s related strategies for e-government and CRM/Contact Centre since they were intimately related to its DMS strategy.

The final report made recommendations around six themes:

• Adopting a strategic approach embracing DMS as part of a wider strategy for the Contact Centre/CRM
• Developing an Information Management strategy
• Consolidating existing deployments of Comino DMS
• Creating a Benefits Realisation framework
• Planning for future deployments of Comino
• Implementing a formal Communications approach to ensure buy-in

The benefits to the client
The benefits to the client will be found primarily in the implementation of the strategy. However, the development of the strategy highlighted provided the Council with clarity regarding its current position (“where we are now”) and a stable basis for seeking approval and funding for its DMS strategy.

Project identification
Client organisation: Wakefield Metropolitan District Council
Client contact: Andrew Hamilton, Systems Manager,  t: 01924 305450,  e: ahamilton@wakefield.gov.uk 
Lead consultant: niall.perry@socitm.gov.uk
Project no: 5487