Less Paper. Better Process. An #infochat Wrap

Less Paper, Better Processes: #WPFD #Infochat WrapNuggets of “less paper” wisdom and ideas for personal and organizational efficiency.

#infochats: conversation, 140 characters at a timeAIIM hosts #infochats throughout the year on a variety of content-related topics.

To stay up-to-date, follow @AIIMcmty and #infochat for updates.

Q1: How do we really get a grassroots movement around World Paper Free Day and extend the conversation over a year?Addendum: Has “Paperfree” outgrown its usefulness or do we just need to define it better?

It’s not about eliminating all paper, but about process improvement and efficiency – and paper makes that HARD to impossible.

@WebFileExpress made a good point: “We have to swing the pendulum too far in order to arrive where we really want to be.”

While no conclusion was reached about using “paperfree,” this is what the day is about:

Going paperless isn’t the real objective, #paperless is a means to the end of improved business efficiency. @AIIMcmty

Q2: World Paper Free Day isn’t really about paper, what’s it about? Define it.

This was a common answer:@TheDeletistblog: It’s about redefining and streamlining processes so we can keep them digital. Ex wet signatures – let’s keep them digitalAnd@piewords: Today is about thinking before you print. We aren’t moving paper to digital, we are transforming Work, getting Smarter

@DrUKff suggested it’s about “seamless processes” as catchier than “let’s use less paper today day”

This is NOT what a seamless process would look like.

Q3. How do we begin to “Transform Work” by removing paper? What are the tools and culture changes we need to use/make?

@ron_miller: Toss the copy machines in the dumpster out back. Seriously, create a culture that doesn’t use paper unless absolutely necessary.

A number of folks suggested making printers less available and providing tools for sharing/collaborating on content digitally.

@piewords provides a useful reminder:Everyone focuses on features or the process, not on what the actual business goals are when going digital.

Transform, continued.

Stop paper from coming in from the outside with a digital mailroom

@thedeletistblog also suggested finding out WHY people are printing, then establish/determine an alternative.

@RonanLavelle1 outlines the foundational tech:ECM solutions, Workflow, eforms, and digital signatures are key enabling technologies to reducing paper in the enterprise.

Digital natives: an aside

All agreed that changing habits are required and a few people mentioned “digital natives.”

While a new generation whose familiarity with tech is growing up; their homework is still done on paper (very often).

@DrUKff provides a useful brake:Do not await too much from “Digital Natives” – they often do not know what happens in their machines and apps

Q4: Let’s pick up on @pieword’s point. Imagine a process w/o paper. How do you do it?

@birtie made a great point:Start thinking digitally, not applying digital to paper process. Start by defining electronic processes – few need paper.

But it’s hard:@DrUKff: @birtie Our culture was trained for thousands of years on paper organisation – we cannot change this in a decade

And @chris_p_walker:@piewords Because not everyone has access to the tools and infrastructure needed to go 100% digital

Q5: How do #mobile and the #cloud change the equation in the move to #paperless and automated biz #process?

@GoCanvasw/ mobile tech, paperless possible for workers in field. Grab more data & communicate w/ home office faster

@birtie@GoCanvas and this mobile revolution outside the office will underpin the one we are grappling with inside.

@WebFileExpressYou don’t have to be in the office where the file cabinet is! (And that darned copier…)

Q5: Mobile and Cloud

@piewordsMobile gives us lighter digital means to look at information, cloud makes it easier to cross org boundaries which meant printing

@jmancini77Mobile and cloud change everything – been gone from home for a week and only paper I’ve touched is USA today

@ron_millerIt totally changes the equation because you can have access to documents on any device any time anywhere. You don’t need paper.

Q6: We touched on ROI last time. Any examples/numbers/stats/anecdotal evidence to share about using #workflow #docimaging etc.

@chris_p_walkerYeah. Before -$56/invoice to process. After - $12/invoice [capture and process changes]

@GoCanvasOne customer saved $10,000/month switching from paper invoices to mobile apps

@WebFileExpressOne client eliminated a month-long backlog in processing applications by going electronic

Q6: ROI continued

@Thedeletistblog$250k saved in courier fees by turning a process from paper-based to electronic. It was a no brainer.

@piewordsDigitized a Pentagon process. Time for initial action item to Action Officer from 2 weeks to 2 hours

Storify for the complete #infochat

You can read the complete chat:http://storify.com/AIIMcmty/world-paper-free-day-infochat

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