In a recent Virtual Coffee with Consulting webinar, the Zasio team explored a timely shift reshaping the information governance software landscape: the move from traditional, document‑centric retention schedules to a holistic, process‑driven approach.
As organizations grapple with exploding data volumes, evolving privacy laws, and increasingly complex systems, one thing is clear. Old methods can’t keep up. Process‑driven retention offers a path forward.
What is Process-Driven Retention?
Process-driven retention is a strategic information governance framework that determines data lifecycles based on business processes and data dependencies rather than static, document-centric records.
Why Traditional Retention No Longer Works
For decades, retention programs were built around one deceptively simple question: Can I destroy this record? It was a world of self‑contained documents, straightforward classifications, and predictable lifecycles.
But that world is gone.
Modern organizations operate in an environment where:
- Data is no longer self‑contained.
- Information is generated continuously across systems.
- Records are often reconstructed, not stored as static objects.
- Retention schedules rarely cover all the data an organization touches.
This disconnect has opened a gap between what retention schedules say and what actual business processes require.
The Data Explosion Changed the Rules
Data today is not merely an output, it’s the raw material that organizations process, refine, and reuse. The line between “data,” “information,” and “record” is now fluid:
- Data: raw, unstructured bits.
- Information: data given meaning.
- Records: documented evidence of activities.
Traditional schedules were built to manage records, not the sprawling ecosystems of structured and unstructured data that now feed them. So, organizations are increasingly forced to ask: What do we keep? What counts as a record?
These questions aren’t academic. They shape compliance, risk, and efficiency.
Then Privacy Changed the Rules Again
As privacy mandates gained strength, they introduced obligations that frequently conflict with retention requirements. Among the new challenges:
- Right to be forgotten obligations
- Mandatory deletion maximums
- Conflicts with statutory retention minimums
- Data dependencies across systems
- Requirements not covered by most retention schedules
In other words: it’s no longer enough to know when you can delete something. You have to know when you must.
Enter Process‑Driven Retention
Process‑driven retention reframes the conversation around context. Rather than evaluating a piece of information as a standalone object, it looks at how that information flows, transforms, and supports business operations.
It asks not just what the data is, but:
- Who generates it
- Who processes it
- Where it is stored
- What activities rely on it
- What privacy, security, and legal obligations affect it
- What upstream and downstream dependencies bind it
This approach breaks down silos and reveals the true lifecycle of data—not just the record‑keeping lifecycle.
What Makes This Approach Different
Process‑driven retention is:
- Purpose‑driven rather than content‑driven
- Holistic and fabric-oriented, not siloed
- Metadata aware, using context as an asset
- Structured around dependencies, not isolated artifacts
- Supportive of both privacy and operational requirements
It connects the dots across teams such as legal, IT, records management, operations, privacy and creating shared visibility into the data landscape.
Real‑World Examples in Action
The webinar walked through scenarios that highlight the value of process‑driven thinking:
- Energy Consumption Data in Utilities
Hourly energy logs feed billing, outage reports, efficiency analyses, and forecasting. They also intersect with marketing, customer success, and project management processes. Deleting logs isn’t just a retention question, it’s an operational one.
- Time Clock Logs in HR
Clock‑in/out data drives timesheets, pay slips, benefits eligibility, PTO management, and performance reviews. The decision to delete this data has far‑reaching implications.
Implementing Process‑Driven Retention
Transitioning to this modern model requires organizational commitment. The webinar outlined key steps:
- Form a cross‑functional steering committee
- Conduct risk and dependency analyses
- Revisit policies and retention schedules
- Map systems and data flows
- Aggregate data where possible
- Align onboarding and offboarding processes across systems
It’s a foundational shift, but one with significant payoffs. Greater compliance clarity, reduced risk, and more resilient information governance overall.
Looking Ahead
As data complexity grows, retention programs must evolve to match. Process‑driven retention equips organizations to manage information with nuance, context, and foresight. It’s not simply a new technique. It’s a modern mindset for a modern data world.
If you’d like guidance on adopting a process‑driven approach, our team is here to help.
Disclaimer: The purpose of this post is to provide general education on information governance consulting. The statements are informational only and do not constitute legal advice. If you have specific questions regarding the application of the law to your business activities, you should seek the advice of your legal counsel.