Another approach is to use the current records management repository to sit “underneath” SharePoint to apply governance and retention policies in a transparent and seamless way for sites that are, for example, going to be used indefinitely.
These are just a couple of examples of how a document retention policy can be applied to SharePoint, but given the technical nature of the solutions suggested above, it is clear that legal and records management cannot achieve this without very close collaboration with the CIO’s or CTO’s office. A cross-functional task force with executive support is the foundation of information governance.
Don’t reinvent the wheel
If you’re ready to ensure that the proliferation of SharePoint sites won’t undermine your organization’s information governance efforts, here are three resources to help you define a vision and roadmap, develop the necessary processes, skills, and cooperation with IT, and enable change management for instituting rigorous compliance in concert with defensible disposal:
CGOC – The CGOC Council is a corporate practitioners’ community with 800 members in legal, records management and IT functions from global companies. CGOC holds meetings throughout the year, publishes benchmark reports, papers, and online reference library, and provides a professional network. The CGOC Benchmark Report on Information Governance is important reading for anyone focused on unifying processes across legal, records and IT functions to lower risk and cost.
Information Management Reference Model (IMRM) – This model is promulgated by the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) organization in recognition that the vast majority of e-discovery cost and risk arises from a company’s inability to dispose of data in the routine course of business. www.edrm.net.
Information Governance Process Maturity Model – This model helps companies assess their current governance process maturity and determine the levels of risk and costs associated with current practices and process improvement.
Jake Frazier has built his career around helping legal departments and law firms identify, evaluate and implement information governance and e-discovery policies and solutions. In his role with Huron Legal, he advises companies across sectors such as oil & gas, energy, healthcare, and financial services. In addition, he is also a faculty member of CGOC, he participated as a founding member of the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM), and is a member of the Sedona Conference Working Group. Prior to joining Huron Legal, he was senior director of Information Governance and eDiscovery at EMC Corp. Jake can be reached at [email protected].