Implementing folderless document management using metadata

1. Speaker: Kjeld Stipsen Implementing folderless document management using metadata

3. Kjeld Stipsen Manager – Information Management Office: +31 (0)20 593 9195 Mobile: +31 (0)6 2220 1049 kjeld.stipsen@accenture.com introduction Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 266,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Accenture's clients span the full range of industries around the world and include 89 of the Fortune Global 100 and more than three-quarters of the Fortune Global 500. www.accenture.com

4. Today’s topics Metadata & SharePoint • Why metadata instead of folders? Metadata in practice • Context of the case study • Building a metadata taxonomy in SharePoint2010 • Implementation of folderless document management • Showcase of the metadata replicator • Q&A

5. Why metadata instead of folders? The case for change Metadata vs Folders Governance of metadata

6. The case for change • Folders are no longer sufficient: • Exponential growth of information • Increased pressure on productivity • Trend towards collaboration around content instead of only document sharing leads to information being present in various different repositories. • The “Flat” structure of SharePoint’s information architecture and limitation of windows do not cater for extensive folder structures. • Metadata is a more flexible way of managing your information. • SharePoint is made to work with metadata

7. Metadata vs Folders in SharePoint • Advanced permissions in a single document library. • In simple and static information repositories folders are more efficient as metadata. • To easy the pain when transitioning from a folder-based document management culture. • Faster in migrating from traditional document management repositories based on folders. • Deep folder structures are hard to navigate. Metadata Folders • Multi-dimensional navigation. • Leverage collaboration on content. • Enhanced search capabilities. • Slice-n-dice your information to tailor your information management. • Prepopulate the metadata based on the information available in the background.

8. Multi-dimensional navigation. • 2 dimensional navigation with folders: • Only up or down. • Time lost in clicking wrong or empty folders. • Multidimensional navigation with metadata: • Sort on any of the available metadata columns. • Filter the information according to your ad-hoc preference.

9. Paradigm-shift: How different is metadata? • We’re no longer remembered “where we put our information” • We’re now remembering “how to get to my information”

10. background

11. User community • 140.000 Employees • ~75.000 Knowledge workers worldwide • Spread over 80 countries • Young and dynamic workforce • SAP/Microsoft Strategy • SharePoint as only Enterprise DM solution. • Using Lync, Outlook, MySites, Office, etc. • ECM Maturity • Long history of ECM usage • SharePoint is more than just document management • Knowledge is a key asset! • Selling Knowledge is the biggest source of income

12. Collaboration Applications Managing Information How we position SharePoint SharePoint as single document management solution SharePoint as enabled for state-of-the-art collaboration SharePoint as Application hosting platform Notes: Satellites are examples only

13. Our SharePoint – information architecture model SharePoint Online Metadata Store Metadata Sync Master Data Management solution On Premise SharePoint (US) Metadata Store On Premise SharePoint (NL) Metadata Store On-premise SP2010 On-premise SP2010 On-premise SP2010

14. Building a metadata taxonomy

15. Building a metadata taxonomy • Metadata taxonomy aligned with process model to provide future compatibility. • Combine several types of metadata: • System metadata • Business Process metadata • Team specific metadata • Personal metadata • Site-level metadata • Document-level metadata • Records management metadata

16. Design of the metadata sets Records Management Enterprise Process Model Master Data Management Business Users Enterprise Metadata Framework

17. Metadata frameworksWork-flow for Creating a Metadata set (1) Process Owner Endorse list of Metadata sets Assign Process DVO Validate Metadata set Sign-off Metadata set Provide input on Metadata Process Data Value Owner Process & Data Architects Determine list of Metadata sets and identify Process Owners Business Readiness Focal Point Analyze Metadata Determine attribute names and values Design Metadata set Business Readiness Workstream Hand-over Metadata set to Developer Workstream & Process Owner Build Metadata set on test Developer Workstream

18. Metadata frameworksWork-flow for Creating a Metadata set (2) Actions: • Link to Business Readiness Checklist

19. Metadata frameworksWork-flow for Creating a Metadata set (3) Actions: • Link to Business Readiness Checklist

20. Metadata frameworksWork-flow for Creating a Metadata set (4) Actions: • Link to Business Readiness Checklist

21. We created a template to structure the metadata analysis. This template defines all information needed for a single term set. Example: Standardizing the metadata analysis phase

22. End goal Metadata framework Site Columns Site Columns and Managed Keywords are for that Document Library only, to make it fit better with your day-to-day document management processes. Metadata framework Metadata Set Project stage Project docType Project activity File based metadata Site level metadata RM metadata Document based metadata Managed Keywords This is the only specific metadata for your process: the rest will be provided automatically

23. Implementation of folderlessdocument management

24. Big Bang Top-down support needed. Connected to existing business processes. Less total effort, high initial investment needed. Need to get it 1-time-right. Always ready before the migrations come in! 2 approaches We considered 2 approaches on how to implement Metadata • Oil-spill method • Starts small, grows big. • Continuous effort and growing need for governance. • Low initial investment needed, higher total effort. • Focus on the value added pieces of your information management landscape. • Balance pace with incoming users.

25. Based on a process model Process elements are translated into metadata sets Designed 100+ metadata sets in ~9 months time.

26. governance • People • Metadata sets have an owner, up to Vice-President level. • Attached to process model for standardization purposes. • Processes • Request changes online, routed to appropriated approvers via workflows. • Policies • Non-replaceable metadata • Replaceable metadata • Import & Synchronization • Technology • Metadata replicator to keep all metadata fields in Sync.

27. Change Request processes Support processes Records Management processes • Request for new metadata • Request to change metadata • Request to delete metadata Support on faults in Metadata Emergency Escalation process Metadata alignment with RM Metadata mapping with RM Governance – examples roles & processes • Certain roles need to be defined to manage the metadata in an efficient and effective way. • And in addition, processes are needed to support the lifecycle of metadata • CIO supported • SharePoint Governance Board • Sponsorship on VP level Strategic Level • Change Management • Information Risk management • Records Management • Line Managers support Tactical Level • Site Collection admin • Site Owner • RM/IM Officer Operational Level

28. Metadata replicator • The MMS Replicator (Metadata synchronization tool) is a custom dev tool allowing us to synchronize metadata between all farms, ensuring they are 100% identical (identical GUIDs) On-premise SP2010 On-premise SP2010 On-premise SP2010

29. The metadata replicator (1) • Navigate to https://<SharePointUrl>/sites/SAEFAdmin • Configure the metadata replicator The actual synchronization of the managed metadata will be done by a timer job that by default runs at 12:15 AM each night server time (for EU based servers this is 01:15 NL Time), so the changes won’t appear immediately but will be synchronized with the BPOS MMS every night.

30. The metadata replicator (2) • For changes or additions to the metadata, we upload a control file in a special document library in SharePoint. • The owner of the respective metadata sets automatically receive a notification via a workflow, and are requested to review and approve/reject the requested changes.

31. Success stories • Legal cases can be tagged via specific metadata, and entire collections of related cases can be viewed instantly across the globe. • Architecture teams fully adapt Metadata to standardize their work processes. • Finance teams use metadata combined with workflows to manage the different stages of their document flow.

32. Challenges during creation of metadata 1 2 3 4 5 6 Produce BrainstormAssets Remove Resolve Publish Current Institutional Context and Rationalize Into Asset Classes Inconsistencies Business Context Diagram and Information Model The Enterprise Content Classonomy Brainstorm Business Processes • Business processes or organizational hierarchy? • what level of detail to pick? • Hardest part!!! • quality of metadata is subject to quality of SME input. • subjective vs objective criteria. • Much easier to guide the SME and have experienced analysts do this, than to train the SMEs in doing this. • other benefit is consistency. • SharePoint technically not able to filter out inconsistencies. • manual exercise. • don’t abbreviate • It should all fit together. • work done on separate classes (term sets) should fall under the umbrella defined in step 1. • Enterprise taxonomy doesn’t mean its useful for everyone. • Compliance driven versus user driven. • How to establish governance?

35. Taxonomies Taxonomies are a hierarchical classification of grouped terms. In SharePoint2010, taxonomies will translate into columns, with the metadata behind it. Taxonomy, Ontology, Folksonomy and Thesaurus • Ontology • Ontologies are a semantic way of describing related terms that have no hierarchical relationship but a many-to-many relationship • Not supported by SharePoint2010 • Example: • The term “Tiger” may be linked to the term “Asia” or “Golf” This is what Metadata sets are based on • Folksonomy (keyword tags) • Folksonomies are used for social tagging of content, using unstructured and unrelated keywords • SharePoint2010 can also manage this centrally, using a managed keywords repository. • Example: • You can tag a document with your own name, a specific topic and a buzzword that makes it easier to retrieve. • Thesaurus • Can be seen as synonyms and replacement words. • By default supported by SharePoint2010 via the FAST search engine. • Example: • Searching for “DS”, “Downstream” and “Downstrm” will all lead to the same search results. Managed keywords

36. references • Technet: URL Path Length restrictions >here< • Corebix: Top 6 questions about SharePoint storage limits >here< • SharePoint Dragons: Using folders or not? >here<