L.O.S.T Records: The Consequence of Inadequate Recordkeeping Strategies

Abstract

Recordkeeping is about “making and maintaining complete, accurate and reliable evidence of business transactions in the form of recorded information.” Yet the research on electronic record management has focused on either electronic records management systems or long-term preservation. Little has been done that takes an holistic view of the entire continuum and the connection between current records management and preservation for future accessibility. In this paper we aim to further elaborate the challenges and effects that are the results when an holistic view of the entire continuum and the connection between current records management and preservation for future accessibility is not taken. The research has been carried out as a qualitative case study in a large railway infrastructure construction project, Å dalsbanan, where many records are operational for more than 100 years. We present results from this case study where the long-term recordkeeping strategy only succeeded to preserve records in form of documents, after that the project phase has ended. The records born in databases and in other business information systems were lost, for future use, when the Ådalsbanan moved from being a project to being a operational railway, that needs to be managed for at least 100 years.

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