Demystifying document strategy design

Today, Feb 2001 by Craine, Kevin

Before designing a document strategy, talk to the man who wrote the book on it. We did; and it's no easy feat.

Most organizations do not consider themselves to be in the document business. Nevertheless, documents are really a second venture for nearlu all organizations. Without mounds of envelopes leaving mailrooms daily, exist. Without the unsung forms of forgotten departmental functions, core business processes would halt faster than a mouse-click. Without booklets, brochures, manuals, checks, statements, invoices, ID cards, and the rest, corporate business would simply see no business at all.

Documents are also the pavement of the information superhighway. Web pages, e-mail, electronic commerce - all rely on documents as the medium that translates information into action. Whether printed on paper or viewed with a PC, documents are the chief mechanism that prompt people to act. Documents provide the impetus for customers to buy, borrow and pay, and are the foundation of business revenue. Documents are the tools that help run a business every day and are the means by which business processes begin and end.

When it comes to conducting business the in post 20th century information age, organizations that have a document-centric focus will be more likely to have an advantage. And now that concerns over Y2K have subsided, I believe that many firms will refocus their attention on designing a document strategy. A document strategy is imperative in order to mine the value of the information contained within an enterprise, and reduce the cost and increase the effectiveness of corporate communication.

But designing a document strategy is not easy and as yet there has been no clear or available road map to guide strategic design efforts. Existing approaches tend to be either purely technical in scope or primarily conceptual in nature. While jargon and theory can bring to light aspects that one must understand or consider when designing a strategy, they do not bring the would-be implementer any closer to actually doing anything to put theory into practice. For many, the lament becomes, "I know a document strategy is important, but how do I develop one?" Designing a Document Strategy describes a five-phase process to design a document strategy tailored to your specific situation.

Documents, Technology and People

One way to demystify the design of a document strategy is to focus your efforts on three specific areas of inquiry: Documents, Technology and People. These three elements are essentially the "what, how and who" of your document strategy: what documents are important, how they are produced and who cares about how they perform in the process.

Documents are, naturally, the subject of your strategy. They are what you are aiming to improve. In order to increase the strategic value and tactical effectiveness of your documents, it stands to reason that you should determine which ones are most important to your organization. Which "vital few" documents have the most influence on the performance of your organization? Which relate directly to core functions, important initiatives and troublesome problems? If you could pick only a handful of target documents, which would you choose? You don't have to reengineer every document, only the most essential.

Technology enables the document process. Computers, printers, databases, networks, and all their associated systems and programs are the technological means by which documents are created, produced and processed. These systems can often combine into a confounding mix of hardware and software. What technology is used to produce your target documents? What are your current capabilities? What trends in technology might influence or improve your process in the future? Gathering this information will provide a technical basis for your strategy and direct your recommendations regarding equipment purchases, software upgrades and system changes.

In the end, people are the reason why documents are produced - without cavemen there would be no cave drawings; without people there would be no documents. It seems reasonable, therefore, that the people who populate the document process in your organization are the best people to describe the process. Who are the people who make up your "document constituency" - the people who create and produce your documents and care about how well they perform in the process? From authors to readers, to production personnel, technical gurus and executive stakeholders, each have specific, varied, and often unstated, interest in your document strategy. The needs and interests of your document constituency are important beacons to guide your strategy.

Documents

Which "vital few" documents drive essential business functions?

Which relate to or influence corporate measures and initiatives? Which have the highest potential return on your effort?

Which have the best probability for success?

Technology

What technologies are used to produce your target documents?

What are your existing capabilities?