The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/116777
TO GOVERN IS TO TAME to cross-border scrutiny, etc., characterization and predictive coding tools can help determine whether certain data is of a type requiring special attention. Depending on the product and its approach, these tools can rely on indexing engines, content analysis and, of course, the metadata inherent in the stored information in order to give the organization actionable intelligence on which to base its retention/ destruction decisions. CHARACTERIZE VS. CLASSIFY Given the amount of information typically at issue, organizations must be willing to sacrifice exact classification in favor of characterization — a less exact but, under the right circumstances, reasonable, proportional and defensible approach to acting upon information not readily classified, and not subject to an active legal hold. Characterization seeks to sort information within a margin of risk tolerance defined by the organization and particularized in the context of the information at issue. Characterization allows you to associate information with general retention policies and procedures, and then consider taking action against it. TIME TO TAKE ACTION After you've characterized or classified your data, the next thing to do is act on that information — and that action should be defined, documented and communicated to the information stakeholders through a defined communication plan, audience-appropriate training and on-demand support. Information stakeholders include everyone involved in both the data governance initiative and in the daily creation and use of unstructured information. Experience has shown action on information assets without the adequate involvement of the information stakeholders is sure to raise issues best addressed proactively. The same tools that helped you identify and characterize the information also may be able to act upon it. Depending on the tool and the desired action, many tools can move or remove selected data at the push of a button. But action should be taken only pursuant to your plan. IMPORTANCE OF A DOCUMENTED PROCESS Ultimately, you will need to decide what stays and what goes as a result of your analysis. Each category should be the result of a deliberate process — one that is well-defined and documented, and one that closely mirrors existing records retention approaches. Rethink Intranets & Extranets How's integrating WorkSite content into SharePoint working out for you? It may be time to RETHINK how you manage your SharePoint sites. Ascera for SharePoint Simplify secure collaboration over SharePoint intranets and extranets • Publish WorkSite content directly to SharePoint without IT support • Synchronize WorkSite and SharePoint content • Automate provisioning and create standardized folders on demand • Unify the user experience – regardless of device – Solutions for WorkSite, SharePoint, email, and mobile working in SharePoint 2013 www.prosperoware.com/rethink © 2013 Prosperoware, LLC Peer to Peer 53