Creation of a successful, efficient, workable EIS management program requires attention to the following elements:

Understand the Objectives of the Enterprise.  It is critical that each company specifically identify its EIS objectives based on the type and size of the business.

Practice Minimalism.  Data should be discarded unless there is a good business or legal reason to retain it.  Integration of this principle requires that a company, once again, take a hard look both at the types of data it collects and the regulatory constraints relating to that data. 

Keep It Simple.  An EIS management program must be simple and easy to implement.  Once the policy becomes too complex, it is virtually guaranteed that employees will simply ignore it. 

 

  Use IT Infrastructure.  There must be adequate IT resources to implement the policy.  Where possible, automated systems should be used achieve the policy goals.

Secure Information.  Information security is fundamental to protecting the assets of the enterprise and must be considered at each step of EIS policy creation and implementation.

Control EIS Distribution.  Because EIS can be easily copied and transferred with the stroke of a key board, an EIS policy should include internal distribution controls, both in the form of employee rules and the use of IT tools.

Be Consistent.  EIS policy implementation and enforcement must be consistent.  Inconsistent document retention actions can create a taint of intentional spoliation and wrongdoing.

Enforce the Policy.  Enforcement must be simple and consistent.  The policy should use both automated systems to dispose of unnecessary data and procedures to motivate employees to appropriately deal with the rest of the data that cannot be addressed through automated systems.  

As an advocate, ADR neutral, and business consultant, Robert Copple is an established leader in EIS and eDiscovery.  He has worked with a number of companies in the design and implementation of internal business EIS management programs.  His approach to developing EIS management programs requires the input of business, legal, and IT representatives to tailor a policy to the specific needs of the company.     

 

 

 Mr. Copple is one of the founding members of the CPR International Institute for Dispute Prevention and Resolution Panel of eDiscovery Neutrals and works closely with CPR and other organizations in developing arbitration rules that address eDiscovery concerns.  He has published and presented extensively on EIS and eDiscovery.

Selected RFC EIS Publications and Presentations (click title to download):