Often processes and systems are developed or designed more complicated than is necessary. The reasons for the complexity can vary, such as: 1) the developer was not given enough information, 2) people who cannot believe that a simple process works, just because it is not hard, 3) the current process is too complicated, and 4) maybe it just needs to be that way. But if you look at the potential list of reasons why a solution becomes complicated you should note that ¾ of the reasons are not good. And there are more not good reasons than listed above, but that just makes my point complicated.
Another reason that processes or systems may be too complicated is the person designing them wants to make it that way so that you are compelled to depend on them for maintenance, services, changes, etc. That is the saddest reason of all. Not all intents are good.
People have lost the fine art of keeping process, solutions, and systems simple. Simplicity aides in the ability to share information, network systems, integrate system, or transfer needed information between systems. I believe there is enough work to keep us busy without making for extra work. When a process or system is too complicated, often work is duplicated. People feel the need to create an extra copy “just in case.” Then you have to deal with the copy issue.
Another issue that may arise if a process or system is too complicated is people will look for other ways to achieve what they want to achieve, look for loop holes, on skip steps. Managing records and information is not most employees’ primary responsibility. Employees want to complete the needed tasks as quickly as possible and the results can be that you have incomplete records in your system.
One of the side consequences that often remains unseen until you try to change the process or the system is fear. Employees who finally master the complicated process or system are afraid to change and fear that if a process is simple, it cannot be right. Most employees want to do the right thing. So the fear of something being wrong and then receiving the blame can often paralyze decision making.
Managing electronic records is not simple, because there so many factors or issues to consider. As information management professionals we should look for the least complicated solution possible so the business can go about achieving its mission. We need to remove the consequences, aide organizations in managing their records as effectively as possible in the most efficient and simpl
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