The exchange of information and records within and between government entities can significantly enhance operational efficiency and policy implementation. For example, research published in Government Information Quarterly found that “inter-organizational information sharing improves efficiency by reducing the cost from shared development, pooling resources and shared technical expertise, and reducing redundancy in terms of multiple data collection efforts and data storage. Inter-organizational information sharing can also improve public service delivery by facilitating collaboration and coordination across multiple agencies.”
However, achieving these outcomes is not necessarily straightforward, and collaboration and information sharing introduces new challenges in managing government records. Two key questions stand out in particular:
1: Who Has Ownership of the Records?
One significant challenge in multi-agency collaboration is determining the ownership of shared documents and records. This issue is not just a matter of administrative protocol but also a critical aspect of legal and regulatory compliance. When multiple agencies contribute to and use a shared document, the lines of ownership can become blurred, leading to potential disputes and confusion over responsibility for maintenance, retention, and disposal of these records. This ambiguity can be particularly problematic when it comes to adhering to record management regulations and responding to information requests under laws like the Freedom of Information Act.
It helps to establish clear guidelines and agreements at the outset of a collaborative effort. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) recommends that the different parties sharing or collaborating have a formal agreement—like an Information Sharing Agreement (ISA) or a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)—to clarify ownership and responsibilities related to record storage, scheduling, and maintenance.
2: How Will You Capture Changes in Dynamic Content?
In a review of interagency use of collaboration tools found many challenges, NARA found that many information sharing and collaboration tools did not enable users to preserve changes to, or commentary on, records. NARA writes, “Comments, suggestions and edits to such documents were not often being preserved.”
Capturing this ephemeral data requires sophisticated version control systems that can track changes over time, ensuring that each stage of the document’s evolution is recorded. The challenge lies in implementing these systems effectively across different agencies, each potentially using different platforms and protocols, while also ensuring that the capture of this data adheres to compliance standards and does not impede the efficiency of collaborative work. Few collaboration and information sharing tools provide the necessary functionality to do all that.
For that reason, NARA thus recommends that Agency Records Officers (AROs) make sure they understand the record formats and storage structures within the information sharing and collaboration tools. From there, they can try to establish clear policies for storing and preserving important data.
Ultimately, effective intra- and inter-agency collaboration in records management, while maintaining compliance and security, requires a multi-faceted approach. It involves the careful selection of technology, robust operational protocols, and continuous staff training. Only then can agencies ensure that their collaborative efforts will enhance their operational efficiency and service delivery, without compromising security or regulatory compliance.
About PSL
PSL is a global outsource provider whose mission is to provide solutions that facilitate the movement of business-critical information between and among government agencies, business enterprises, and their partners. For more information, please visit or email info@penielsolutions.com.