Using Analytics to Clean Out the Esi Garage

As time passes and we acquire more “stuff,” it gets harder to winnow down our possessions. Who longs to spend the weekend cleaning the garage? It’s easier to keep piling things up, with no discipline for storage or removal. The same issues pervade the electronic information management environment; the overwhelming volumes of data generated daily lead to a similar approach to electronically stored information.

Savvy companies are adopting sound information governance (IG) policies to promote efficiency when locating information, and to facilitate greater compliance with electronic discovery, data security and privacy requirements. As companies look toward the next generation of technology and archiving systems, establishing a solid IG program will make moving data from one system to another and retrieving it easier.

Embarking on a program can be daunting. Start by culling through the data in discrete chunks until all has been reviewed and a system is in place for future storage. Legal and Compliance should ensure policies are sound; data deletion must be defensible.

Employees need to be aware of the corporation’s records retention and information management policies. Training should teach managers and staff to rethink how they use data, so they keep only what is required or needed. Individuals should be guided by the legal and compliance specialists, as well as e-discovery experts conversant in defensible deletion. Training contemporaneous with establishment of a new system provides an opportunity to emphasize the importance of litigation holds.