Pilot Project Report -- Background

Background

The Problem: Suffocating Under Piles of Paper

The University of Washington, like other large institutions, processes and stores a tremendous volume of paper every day. Some documents arrive by mail, some by fax, and some are created internally. Nearly all records are stored in printed format - even the ones created electronically. Microfilm and microfiche are used in some departments to reduce the bulk of the physical records, but retrieving such documents is often more difficult than retrieving paper files. Thousands of hours are spent searching for documents, alphabetizing and refiling them after use, and coping with lost files.

Offices Looked at Imaging Before

Several administrative offices considered imaging prior to this effort. Most of these efforts stalled at one point or another, frequently due to the expense of imaging systems and the difficulty demonstrating a positive return on investment.

One project in the Student Loan Office (SLO) had gone beyond the rest. Using the Financial Management Office quality improvement framework, a team spent over a year identifying requirements, creating detailed before and after process flows, estimating the costs and benefits, and contacting vendors. They concluded that imaging was the right answer for their business needs, and they were ready to purchase a departmental system. This prompted C&C and the Office of the EVP to consider the potential applications of imaging in other offices to see if the University could benefit from coordinated efforts.

The Decision to Pursue a Central Solution

If individual departments acquire their own imaging applications, it is easy to imagine several incompatible systems in place within five years. By that time, some of the vendors may be out of business, some of the applications may no longer be supported, and C&C would not have the skills to maintain the systems. Furthermore, while departmental systems might address local business needs, they might not have the flexibility and interoperability to share images and make them available for future uses.

Recognizing the potential benefits of a standard, centrally supported imaging system, the Office of the EVP asked C&C to study the administrative files on campus. The project in the SLO agreed to a delay pending the outcome of the study.