RiC and Microsoft 365

[Andrew Warland]

Hello everyone and thank you for allowing me to join your group. 

This post follows an email exchange with Adrian Cunningham and Daniel Pitti. Let me state up front I am not here to promote any product in particular, including Microsoft 365, but I have a lot of knowledge and expertise in this area that may be of interest. 

By way of background I have a long history in data and data modelling, with (a) 8 years recent experience (to 2019) working as the senior data and information architect for a large (9000 user) and complex organisation, creating all the conceptual and logical data models, and (b) close to 15 years experience with SharePoint and from 2016 with Office (later Microsoft 365) as a Global Admin, and as a consultant in this space currently. 

I wrote a paper on my blog in 2010 titled 'The Semantic Office', which drew on a combination of Web 2.0, RDF and xml-based documents. 

So, I was very interested to see the release of RiC 1.0. I mentioned it several times during the course of two keynote speeches in the UK 10 days ago (IRMS and then IM Tech in mid May 2024), noting that records managers and IT vendors (including Microsoft) need to 'think differently', especially given that Microsoft 365 includes graph technologies. 

I appreciate that Microsoft 365 (and SharePoint) is not always favourably accepted, but it's now the status quo in so many organisations. It has become for many the primary method to create and capture digital records with fewer records ending up in traditional ERMS recordkeeping systems. NARA's Capstone model for mailboxes underlines this problem. 

But, while Microsoft 365 includes graph technology, the location of the records makes global access (in terms of RiC) difficult for records managers and archivists. 

• Email records often remain in 'personal' mailboxes (which could be regarded as Record Sets)
• 'Compliance copies' of Teams chat and channel posts are stored in hidden folders in both personal and Group mailboxes (along with various content stored in around 450 other folders)
• Records are likely to be stored in OneDrive account (also likely to be Record Sets)

Ironically, existing AI/Machine Learning Tools, as well as Content Search and eDiscovery options, all in Purview, allow organisations to find content wherever it is stored, so there is a precedence for how this might work. 

I can conceptualise how RiC could be deployed in Microsoft 365 but it will take a while (I'd suggest 2030 or later). 

I'd be happy to discuss any aspect of Microsoft 365 and RiC further if anyone is interested. 

Thank you

Andrew Warland

Melbourne, Australia