BPM: An Ethical Perspective August 23, 2010 By Bob Larrivee, Director & Industry Advisor for AIIM

Imagine that while you are mapping a process and conducting an information audit, you uncover information that may be significant to an organization or individual. Perhaps you find your long time acquaintance at work has a tendency to side step the process in order to relax a bit while on the job. Perhaps you are exposed to information about your friend that is personal in nature and you wonder if you should say something. Maybe you are the boss and you get a report that shows one of the five people who works for you produces 20% less than the rest of the team. This is where an ethical approach is needed.

It is one thing to map and monitor the workplace but what you do with the information you uncover makes all the difference. In the examples I presented, and these are but a few, you would be faced with a decision on how to respond or react to your findings. This is where you enter the Ethics Zone. It is not uncommon to find discrepancies or become exposed to information of a private nature when you launch a project but before you act, make sure you have all of the facts. Here are several questions you could ask before acting.

• Have you defined the problem accurately?
• How would you define the problem if you stood on the other side of the fence?
• How did this situation occur in the first place?
• Can you discuss the problem with the affected parties before you make your decision?
• Could you disclose without reservation, your decision or action to your boss, CEO, the board of directors, your family, or society as a whole?

In my view, these are but a few of the questions you could and should ask when you are faced with the challenge of making an ethical decision. Remember, the basis for ethical behavior is to do what is right with a focus on Fairness, Privacy, Accuracy and Integrity. Many professions have ethic review boards that are in place to ensure members of their ranks perform in a proper way. We in the information management field should take the same steps in our daily activities. Look at processes, take stock of your information resources and if you uncover something that does not seem right, take action but make sure you have all of the facts. Investigate the situation and determine what steps can be taken to correct this situation whether it is training, additional tools are needed or even disciplinary action. Whatever you do, take time to understand fully before you act and in the end you know what you did was right.

What say you? Have you had to make some ethical decisions in your organization? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

Bob Larrivee is a Director and Industry Advisor with AIIM. Bob is an internationally recognized, lecturer with over twenty-five years of experience in the application of advanced technologies and process improvement. You can contact Bob via email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and follow him on Twitter @BobLarrivee