Records management and web 2.0

These guidelines are designed to help NSW public office records managers:

• understand the issues surrounding the use of web 2.0 applications to transact business
• help records managers carry out their recordkeeping duties in light of these tools. 

Contents

1. What is ‘Web 2.0’? 

2. Uses 

3. What does this mean for records management? 

4. Making the record 

5. Problems and advice

6. Web 2.0 records management tips 

7. Sample case studies 

8. For more information 

Introduction

A report by the Australian Department of Finance and Deregulation[1]  found that in December 2008 two out of five people who last contacted government did so using the internet. Nine out of ten of those used websites rather than email. These figures indicate that use of public office websites is increasing and evolving including the use of web 2.0 applications.

According to David Mitchell Smith of Gartner Research, web 2.0 refers to:

• business, social and technology evolutions, including new models for community and collaboration
• how web 2.0's participative nature can be leveraged inside and outside the enterprise
• the new business models that web 2.0 facilitates
• the lightweight programming models used to build web 2.0-style mashups
• various web 2.0 applications, such as blogs, wikis, folksonomies and social networks [2].
  

It is Smith’s final point on web 2.0 applications that this guideline examines.

These guidelines have been written in non-technical language and, in the spirit of web 2.0, State Records would greatly appreciate if any comments or questions regarding these guidelines be placed on their State Records Future Proof blog [3]. As the world of web 2.0 continues to change and evolve, these guidelines will be continually updated and all comments would be greatly appreciated.

A PDF version is available for printing (PDF, 395kb).

 Footnotes

 [1]  Australian Government, Department of Finance and Deregulation, Australian Government Information Management Office Interacting with Government: Australians’ use and satisfaction with e-government services, Canberra, 2008, viewed 02 February 2009  < http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/interacting-with-government/index.html>

[2] D.M. Smith, Key Issues for Web 2.0 and Beyond, 1H08, Gartner Research Paper I.D Number
G00154877, publication date 25 January 2008 p.4

[3]<http://futureproof.records.nsw.gov.au/>

 © State of New South Wales through the State Records Authority, March 2009.
This work may be freely reproduced and distributed for most purposes, however some restrictions apply.
ISBN: 978-0-9806390-0-1