Dave Simmons

14 Steps for a Cleanout Project’s “Before” Picture

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Are you prepared for the walk-up cleanout request? What do you collect to design a good Records Cleanout project? 

Getting a “before” picture is what we forget or rush through too quickly. This post shows you what to do.

We just completed a 2-year project touring GSA’s 10 regional offices. Here is what we learned from digging our way through 68 closets, file rooms, libraries, and storage closets.

Does this sound familiar?

“I need help with a “records management” project.”

I’m willing to bet it’s thinly-disguised cleanout project that this person either wants to outsource to you, doesn’t want the responsibility for making decisions, or simply wants the space cleaned out.

Are you ready for this encounter?

This is the Walk-Thru stage of a Records cleanout project – creating the “Before” picure. The scope, timing, urgency, and agency value will come to light in this stage, so best buckle down and gather the info.

A walk-thru is a key activity for gathering information needed for a successful RIM project.

When You Get the Cleanout Request

1. Set up a time to tour the space with the requester. Do it now, if possible. If not now, let the requester make the appointment.

2. Have a checklist ready for the needed information (Here’s one for you to modify)

3. Listen for success markers: Space, Money, Time to locate, Aggravation, Peace of Mind. Understand the requester’s metric for success

When Touring the Space

4.  Take pictures. Stand at one wall and shoot the opposite wall. Get all flat walls.

5.   Identify the type of records found in this space (contract files, drawings, invoices, budgets, audiovisual materials)

6.   Identify “Non-record material” (office supplies, furniture, holiday and party supplies, equipment)

7.   Draw a floorplan – Nothing fancy. Just draw the plan, any furniture (file cabinets, shelves, boxes)
      * Get the space dimensions, and, if possible, the square footage of the space in question (measure it yourself, if not possible)

8.   Evaluate the Content Value

Is the non-record content of value, or are the records important (permanent or long-term interest), if of low value, consider steps to process that content (throw out, shred, sell, remove to other space)

 9.   Estimate the space used

10.  Listen for concerns or issues that may come up, especially from people closer to the issue

* (Hoarding, approval process for disposables, PII, “Sensitive information protections,” access issues)

After Touring the Space

11.  Compile and verify the information collected

12.  Discuss with colleagues and boss for similar, if any, project

13.  Make a decision.

14.  Note the decision and date it at the bottom of your checklist.

Make clear “before” pictures of that cleanout request and you will have enough for a well-designed project.

Even if the cleanout request doesn’t pan out into a RIM project, it’s best to document what is there. Trust me, you may turn this project down this year, but somebody else will decide next year, or 5 years from now that this would be a good “records management” project for you. Best to be prepared and save yourself collection time in the future.

Why RIMwork and Not “Records Management?”

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I get that all the time. After too many show-stopping questions like “what is a record” and “what is records management,” I’d like to clear the air.

“Records Management” is a diminutive – a bland,  important-sounding phrase used to describe something you’d rather have done automagically out of sight. 

Adding “Information” reminds folks that we are not  document morticians, but sustain the information ecology of the agency; from creation, to reference, to disposal stages, regardless of format.  

Besides, life on the RIM sounds edgy.

Breaking RIM Down

Records are “proof” of an agency’s work – stuff we have to keep for a time and then either dump or preserve as public documents.  

Information is both the content iteslf and a description of key search fields so one can find it again. 

Management is the identification, mapping, preserving, referencing, and disposal of an agency’s content. Shortened to RIM, it’s the all-encompassing concept for what we do.

RIMwork is to remind us to DO THE WORK, not merely talk about it in endless meetings or lay in mental fetal positions mewling about our victimhood.  

Want pity for your situation?  HR is down the hall, or you can try your luck at FedJobs.gov for something better.  

We are hesitant to begin unless we are certain of success, firm backing, and a well-defined plan.  

Baloney.  Get started somewhere — anywhere.   Do the work.  

When I became a GSA Records Officer in 2013, I encountered entropy at its best. The record schedules and File Plan were out of date, we had piles of boxes of un-inventoried materials, our IT office was openly hostile to anything “records management,” and our leadership just wanted us to “disappear” any problems encountered.   On top of that, most of the 11 offices and the Central Office were all undergoing moves, renovations and space “restacking.”  The records began falling out of the closets before we were even ready to respond!

The journey to where we are took about 7 years. Yes, we made mistakes.  We had lots of do-overs, scrapped or halted projects, or frustrated attempts to help the agency manage its collected content in a better way.  However, GSA’s RIM program is better than when we started.  

That’s “progress” in my book.  Now, it’s time to share what I learned in hopes that it may save you  some hair, reduce the forehead marks on your desk, and make your doctor happy.

Spring Cleaning – Record Cleanouts

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Spring RIM cleaning is for sweeping out, shredding, boxing up, and reducing federal agency clutter. This Spring, we will focus on preparing, designing, convincing support, and implementing cleanout projects. I have compiled project examples, tips, checklists and other resources to get you started.

Clutter is evidence of deferred decisions.

“We’ll take care of that later.”
“We have too many other things to work on.”
“Clear out that space now, I need the room.”
“No time! No space! No patience!”

If you are on the receiving end of those messages, I bet you feel the uptick in blood pressure. Well, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Even if most people want to avoid “other people’s messes,” we need to be ready. We can use those cleanouts to garner support, build our subject matter expert network, and visibly get stuff done. RIM success is about building that trust, network, and making life in your agency more organized.

Photo by Melissa Walker Horn on Unsplash

This Spring we will explore:

•  Designing cleanout projects
•  Preparing for the walk-in cleanout project need
•  Making a case for cleanouts
•  Understanding how cleanouts help the agency
•  Eating a cleanout project one bite at a time.

“When life gives you lemons, make orange juice and leave the world wondering how you did it.”

― Mitch Griego\

 

Got cleanout stories? Bring ’em out!

I’m looking for “before” and “after” pictures, and a brief description of what you did and how long it took. Even if you have a “before” picture and are looking for advice, perhaps we can post it for RIMwork subscriber responses.