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Last updated: : 18 September 2007
Note for file: A report on recordkeeping in the Australian Public Service
Case studies
‘Keeping a track of things’—DAFF’s Secretary’s & Ministerial Workflow System
Key points
- Electronic recordkeeping effort targeted at high-profile high risk business information processes and incorporation of full business lifecycle management
- Evaluation of risks at organisational change, operational readiness and technical architecture levels
- Key users and stakeholders targeted in order to ensure success
- Improved business flow, tracking, turnaround times, amendments and quality control.
Agency facts
The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s role is to develop and implement policies and programs that ensure Australia's agricultural, fisheries, food and forestry industries remain competitive, profitable and sustainable.
The Department employs about 4200 staff in Australia and overseas, including policy officers, program administrators, scientists, economists, meat inspectors, veterinary officers and quarantine inspectors.
The portfolio comprises the Department and thirteen agencies. Each of the agencies is responsible for their own recordkeeping.
Approach to Recordkeeping
The Department has historically maintained a ‘print to file’ recordkeeping policy, with management of files through the use of an electronic recordkeeping system. The Department has been examining opportunities to use the recordkeeping system more widely.
Secretary’s and Ministerial Correspondence Systems
In 1999 a review of systems used to manage the delivery of Secretary’s and Ministerial correspondence was commissioned. Key issues identified related to the poor ability of the systems to facilitate timely responses, difficulty in quickly retrieving previous correspondence and quality control.
Consequently the decision was taken to develop a generic workflow system to track Secretary’s and Ministerial correspondence. A further decision was made to interface the workflow solution with the Departments’ recordkeeping system .
The Department undertook a comprehensive workflow consultancy to consider the following three areas of implementation.
- Organisational Change
- Operational Readiness
- Technology and Architecture
Organisational Change. The consultancy concentrated on identifying and prioritising business practices suitable for delivery through the existing infrastructure. Additionally it sought to identify:
- organisational constraints in terms of delivery to the user, change management, and business practices
- general organisational practices that needed to be catered for or adapted
- appropriate models of engagement in determining user requirements
- business improvements and definition of appropriate measures of outcomes
Operational Readiness. The consultancy sought to identify those operational activities required to deliver workflow throughout the organisation in order to:
- prioritise practices for implementing and maintaining workflow elements including roles and responsibilities
- define housekeeping functions necessary for the effective ongoing operation of the workflow
- determine whether associated practices needed modification or integration
Technology and Architecture. In identifying the most appropriate technology delivery mechanism for each workflow, a range of factors were considered including:
- suitability of existing technology for reuse in the solution (e.g. email system)
- existing information architecture and processes including account synchronisation, domain structure, and addressing
- system backup and recovery mechanisms
- interface with the existing Recordkeeping system
The consultancy also identified activities for effective implementation with particular focus on stakeholder engagement in order to achieve high levels of support and commitment. The engagement activities included: information sessions; interviews and documenting of business process with flow charts; enlisting the support of key stakeholders, the Minister (and his office), key users (Executive Assistants); and meeting with the primary stakeholder (Departmental Secretary).
Introduction of the workflow system resulted in consistently better responsiveness and better quality of content . The integration of the solution with the Department’s central recordkeeping system improved capture, retention, storage, access and retrieval of the Department’s key correspondence in a controlled manner.
For further information on the recordkeeping practices in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry please contact:
Maria Kalajic
Manager Information Management Unit
Phone: 02 6272 3304
