Records Classification: Concepts, Principles and Methods - Information, Systems, Context

Records Classification: Concepts, Principles and Methods: Information, Systems, Context introduces classification, an early part of the research lifecycle. Classification ensures systematic organization of documents and facilitates information retrieval. However, classification systems are not prevalent in records management when compared to their use in other information fields.

This book views classification from the records management (RM) perspective by adopting a qualitative approach, with case studies, to gather data by means of interview and document content analysis. Current development of information systems do not take into account the concept of classification from a RM perspective. Such a model is required because the incorporation of information and communication technology (ICT) in managing records is inevitable.

The concept of classification from an RM perspective ought to be extended to the ICT team to enable the development of a RM system not limited to storage and retrieval functions, but also with relation to disposal and preservation processes. This proposed model introduces function-based classification to ensure records are classified in context.

• Gives a step-by-step functional model for constructing a classification system within an organization
• Advocates for the importance of practicing classification for records, towards competent, transparent, and democratic organizations
• Helps organizations build their own classification system, thus safeguarding information in a secure and systematic fashion
• Provides local case studies from Malaysia and puts together a generic, globally applicable model

Umi Asma’ Mokhtar is a senior lecturer of information science at School of Information Technology, Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. She was the recipient of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Travel Award from the Society of American Archivists in 2012. Her research interests are electronic records management, function-based classification, and information policy. She was the invited speaker at ASEAN: Records & Information Management Era in New Leadership Conference in 2010. Her papers have been published in international and national journals including the International Journal of Information Management and Records Management Journal. Currently, she is the co-researcher of InterPARES Trust project for Malaysian Team.

Zawiyah M. Yusof is a Professor of Records and Information Management at Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. She obtained her PhD in Records Management from Department of Information and Library Science, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom. Her research interests are Records and Information Management; Information Governance, Knowledge Management and Information Policy. Zawiyah has authored She is a steering committee for International Research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems (InterPARES) Project - Malaysia Team; research partner in InterPARES Trust (2013-2018) research project; and technical committee for Records Management (Malaysia).

She co-authored Issues in Records Management book with Robert W. Chell from West Glamorgan Archives and is a head of Information Governance Laboratory at her faculty. Zawiyah has been invited as keynote and guest speaker at international level and has also handled short courses to corporate and government institutions locally in records management. She has delivered her inaugural speech at her university in 2015 on topic Pengurusan Rekod dan Maklumat: Isu dan Cabaran (Records and Information Management: Issues and Challenges).

Prof. Zawiyah has been featured in Malaysia Who’s Who in the Civil Service: The Steel Backbone of the Government - Crème De La Crème, p:1272 , 2016; in Who’s Who in the World. 31st edition. New Jersey: Marquis Whos’Who® Publication, 2014, p:1699; and Outstanding 2000 Intellectual of the 21st Century 8th edition. St Thomas’ Place: International Biographical Centre, 2014.