RE: Document Control Systems

[Beth Agnew <Beth -dot- Agnew -at- senecac -dot- on -dot- ca>]

A document control system can be as simple as a set of specific procedures
for handling all document objects (and making people accountable for
following those procedures), to more sophisticated systems that can also be
used for knowledge management. Since you have been asked to submit 5 choices
without concrete budget data, you can provide a range of solutions that run
the gamut of cost and level of implementation. Here's a chance for you to
make a good case for that intranet you've been wanting, too.

You can develop requirements out of the criteria you've mentioned, and then
propose your solutions based on how each choice meets those requirements. If
you have the budget, Livelink from OpenText is a great option (cadillac). On
the low cost side, a simple check in/check out system could serve. See
Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, for example.

You might want to ask those additional questions that would come up in a
requirements development process -- does it need to be scalable? Does
read-only access mean we need/want a system of user privileges? If data is
used as evidence, do we need to be able to run reports on the audit trail?

This task could be somewhat larger than just trying to find 5 products from
which to choose. It sounds like your company needs to develop a strategic
document management plan. Then you can figure out tactically how you will
execute that plan.
--Beth

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+beth -dot- agnew=senecac -dot- on -dot- ca -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+beth -dot- agnew=senecac -dot- on -dot- ca -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]On
Behalf Of Clare Turner
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 8:58 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: FW: Document Control Systems


I have been tasked to select 5 "document control systems" and make a
recommendation to our management team for a company-wide "solution"...

--------------------
Beth Agnew
Professor, Technical Communication
Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology
Toronto, ON 416-491-5050 x3133
http://www.tinyurl.com/83u5u

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