The role of information architecture in the automation of records in Botswana in an e-government setting

Purpose: Government entities often implement automated records management systems, often without a clear governing framework to facilitate such automation. This study aims to explore the role played by information architecture (IA) in records automation in Botswana and propose a guiding framework in the context of e-government. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study uses a focused literature review to study the importance of IA in records automation in e-government. Findings: Without proper IA, information organization including retrieval/access to records becomes difficult. Practically, this would practically and negatively affect process automation in e-government solutions. Research limitations/implications: The proposed framework can guide e-government record automation in Botswana. However, its limitation lies in the fact that it has not been tested, thereby limiting its practicality until tested empirically. Practical implications: The proposed framework can be used to inform record automation management processes in the realm of Botswana’s e-government project. Originality/value: The proposed framework contributes to the body of knowledge on the automation of records and e-government in Botswana specifically and Africa in general.