Purpose
The Ohio Electronic Records Committee (OhioERC) is a voluntary committee with no institutionalized, continuing support except that provided by the agencies and organizations employing its members. It has no budgetary resources except occasional grants for special projects. OhioERC projects often compete with regular job responsibilities for the time and attention of committee members. The committee meets at a minimum four times per year. Because of these circumstances, it is essential that OhioERC members follow through with assigned tasks in order for the Committee to accomplish its mission in an effective, timely way. This is all the more necessary given the fast-changing world of electronic information management where currency of information is essential for success.
Because the work of the OhioERC is carried out through established committees and occasional task forces, project management is the responsibility of the chairs of those committees. The bulk of committee work is carried out remotely by individual committee members, and it is rare that committees are able to meet in person between quarterly meetings in Columbus. To facilitate committee work, the following procedures are suggested.
Responsibilities of The Ohio Electronic Records Committee
- At regularly scheduled OhioERC Meetings the Committee will officially form and charge Subcommittees, Task Forces, or Workgroups to conduct the business of the OhioERC.
Responsibilities of Subcommittee Chairs/Project Managers
- Working with team members, identify expected outcomes and products
- Define scope of the project and make certain all subcommittee members are aware of expectations
- What specific products or decisions are expected from this project?
- Outline tasks that need completed to accomplish outcomes
- Not only what specific tasks are required, but who will be expected to complete them
- Is contact information for these participants current?
- Specify processes, resources, equipment (including software) needed to do the work
- Are knowledge and/or resources outside the subcommittee required?
- Will reviewers be necessary to critique work once completed?
- Are communication methods among subcommittee members established and possible for all members?
- Are there budgetary implications of this work for the institutions that employ subcommittee members, and if so, can the members commit to help?
- Map tasks to timelines for completion
- Review timeline with OhioERC Chair to make certain it meets his/her expectations.
- Make certain all subcommittee members know due dates for assignments.
- Follow-up with subcommittee members to remind them of deadlines.
- With committee members, revise deadlines if necessary.
- Provide a summary of the subcommittee’s actions at OhioERC meetings.
Responsibilities of subcommittee/task force/team members
- If assigned a specific task, know deadline for completion and agree to stick to it.
- Communicate with the Subcommittee Chair/Project Manager if you cannot meet a specific project deadline. If you find you cannot meet the expectations as a subcommittee member due to job responsibilities or other deadlines, reconsider accepting the assignment in favor of someone who can.