providing access to Australia's scientific,
medical & technological heritage
Archives and Records Services
The Role of Archives in Corporate Management
The Role of Archives in Corporate Management
What is scientific memory?
ASAP believes that information about the people, context and history behind an organisation is vitally important. Without this knowledge, it is impossible to accurately trace the development of ideas, changes in practice, and institutional structures and organisation. Unfortunately, the survival of such knowledge cannot be assumed, and its loss may have an enormous impact on future organisational endeavour, along with broader cultural, legal and financial ramifications. The preservation of memory has to be tackled at all levels of society, from the individual, family, corporate, and government, to the broad national and international levels.
The management of archival records is an important strategic function of all modern corporations. If readily accessible, such records can be used to support the activities of an organisation, and a well-managed archival records program provides the tools for managers to readily locate the information they need to perform many key functions. Archival records have been shown to play an important role in:
Requirements for a Basic Archival Records ProgramA modern archival records program needs to:
A poorly run or partial archival program can lead to selective corporate amnesia and an inefficient use of resources and staff time when trying to locate archival information. ASAP's Consultancy ServicesASAP offers professional advice and project management across the full spectrum of archives, records management and information services. Our consultancy services are flexible and responsive to specific client needs and include:
The ASAP Archives and Records Program ModelASAP's consultancy services are based on the ASAP Archives and Records Program model (ARP) and the ASAP Archival Data-management System (ADS). The ARP provides the conceptual and strategic framework that enables the systematic documentation of records. The ADS, a combination of methods and database software, provides the tools to implement an Archives and Records Program. This flexible methodology can be applied equally well to detailed descriptions of records of individuals or societies through to the management of records holdings within complex environments. As a professional archival body, ASAP uses the latest in database and computer technologies to ensure that we work as efficiently and effectively as possible. Every collection is different and poses particular problems, so ASAP has evolved flexible processes that can handle both large-scale organisational collections (measured in linear kilometres) and small collections of personal records (measured in linear metres). ASAP is an acknowledged world-leader in archival informatics and is offering services at the cutting edge of the profession. The hallmarks of its services are its ability to integrate documentation of records, artifacts and related materials to provide multiple access points for current and future use. All ASAP works stems from three basic principles:
The ASAP Archival Data-management SystemThe centrepiece of ASAP's processing services is ADS - the Archival Data-management System. ASAP ADS has been developed over a decade of on-site archival work for a wide variety of clients. It has the ability to process, catalogue and manage collections of any size, in a cost-effective and comprehensive manner, and it can provide as much (or as little) detail as the client requires. ASAP ADS is designed to document a variety of records, artifacts and related materials and is flexible enough to manage decentralised record sets. At the core of ADS is information about:
Provenance and Series provide an overview of the collection and are used as the basis from which to create detailed Inventory descriptions of records. ASAP has also developed flexible output from our databases so that the data can be easily transferred to the systems used by such bodies as the Australian Archives and the Public Record Office of Victoria; it can also be used to produce attractive and easy-to-use hard copy guides and multimedia publications. Conversely, ASAP's system has also been developed so that it can receive data from existing computer-based file registry systems or similar databases to ensure the integration of all archival records. ASAP issues a licence to its clients to use the ADS for the management of their archival materials. This licence is usually provided to the client when they advance to the inventory phase of a project. The Consultancy ProcessThe consultancy process begins with an initial survey to determine the scope of the project, the structure and condition of the collection, and establish the specific needs of the client in regard to their records collections. Scoping Projects are an initial 'project' which allows ASAP to establish the amount and type of records involved in each full scale archival project. ASAP has developed a means of gaining control of records in situ, using archival methodology and the ADS tools. They may take from half a day to two or three days, or longer for larger or more complex holdings. Accession, Series and Provenance information is collected, usually by a team consisting of an ASAP Project Archivist and an Archivist. The records may be held in a variety of locations. The information gathered by the scoping team is then collated and produced in report form for the client. This preliminary report provides an overview of any problems associated with the collection, possible solutions, a summary of long-term goals, and a detailed budget and project proposal. Costing for this work is done on a weekly or daily basis. The report also outlines the material in the scoped collection and ASAP's recommendations for the best methods of dealing with the records. Following the initial Scoping Project, ASAP can provide a variety of services, including individual or teams of archivists to accomplish a detailed survey of the collection. ASAP is able to provide both system and specialist staff, or to train client personnel in the use of the system. All work is carried out using ASAP's ARP methodologies and project management strategies to ensure that the data collected and services provided are of a uniformly high quality. The data will adhere to ASAP's high standards, which are also compatible with major official collecting bodies; while the structures set in place by the ASAP ADS allow the database to be continually upgraded according to clients' future needs. ASAP issues a licence to its clients to use the ADS for the management of their archival materials. This licence is usually provided to the client when they advance to the inventory phase of a project. In-house training is available to develop the skills necessary for the client to manage ASAP ADS and their archival collections. ASAP's Record of AchievementASAP has successfully completed projects for archival repositories, scientific institutions, a variety of heritage organisations, families and individuals as well as some of the largest single archives and records projects ever attempted in Australia for the power and pharmaceutical industries. The ASAP archives and records program model has been employed extensively, both in the description of the personal records of prominent Australian scientists - such as Albert Lloyd George Rees, Edwin Sherbon Hills, Michael James Denham White, and Nobel prizewinner Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet - and in large scale work for a number of scientific and technological institutions and corporations. Successful projects have been undertaken for corporate clients and scientific organisations, including:
Further InformationFurther information can be obtained by contacting ASAP's Head Office in Melbourne, or the Canberra Office. Details can be found in ASAP's Staff Directory. |
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Published by: Australian Science Archives Project on ASAPWeb, 9 September 1996
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