State Agency Records Management Officers and Data Management Officers

Coworkers analyzing data

For all state agencies, no matter the size, the Records Management Officer (RMO) is an essential member of the agency staff. And, while the RMO position was first established in 1997 (75th Leg., R.S.), the relatively new position of Data Management Officer (DMO) was established in 2021 (87th Leg., R.S.). Designating a DMO is required for agencies of 150 or more employees (although smaller agencies, such as TSLAC, can designate a DMO as well). This new position was established to enable larger state agencies to manage the substantial amount of data they produce and possess.

What does each position actually do?

Records Management Officer (RMO)

File Cabinet and files

Per Government Code 441.184, “Each state agency head shall act as or appoint a records management officer for the state agency to administer the agency’s records management program.” An agency’s RMO, for example, is responsible for making sure that a records management program is established and maintained, training agency employees regarding state laws and procedures relating to management of state records, as well as making sure the records management program is adequately documented and designed to furnish information upon request.

An RMO, among other things, must:

  • Conduct and/or oversee the inventory of all agency records;
  • Protect confidential and vital records;
  • Manage both active and inactive records of an agency; and
  • Approve all requests to dispose of state records

To see more of the duties of the RMO, read our blog post, What Does it Take to be a Records Management Officer?

Data Management Officer (DMO)

Pieces of Data

Per Government Code 2054.137, a state agency with over 150 full-time employees must “establish an agency data governance program to identify the agency’s data assets, exercise authority and management over the agency’s data assets, and establish related processes and procedures to oversee the agency’s data assets”. The DMO, for example, will post data sets to the Texas Open Data Portal, make sure that an agency’s confidential information is secure, and ensure data is meeting legal requirements.

For a DMO, their duties also include:

  • Identify where all agency data is located (including on any SAAS services);
  • Ensure the agency remains the custodian of their data;
  • Make sure that the data is being protected; and
  • Ensure that the agency implements and is utilizing policies and procedures that govern the data

Any full-time employee of an agency can be the DMO— the agency head, the RMO, Legal Counsel, or an employee hired specifically for the position. The DMO must introduce themselves to the Department of Information Resources (DIR). While there is no formal process for introducing themselves, the new DMO will need to reach out. DIR’s Texas Data Management Framework Learning Guide is a great place for an agency’s DMO to acquaint themselves with the intricacies of data management.

For a more thorough explanation of a DMO’s duties, read our blog post, DIR and TSLAC Guidance Document: Governing Data, Records, and Information Together.

And, for an in-depth look at the relationship between Data, Information, and Records, read our blog post, The Relationships between Data, Information, and Records.

Why Manage Data?

organizing data onto spreadsheet

Many people use “data” and “information” interchangeably. However, there cannot be information without data. To put it simply, data is the building block of information. But raw data on its own without any context is meaningless. When the raw data is collected and organized, the context of the information can be interpreted and understood. When data is organized and given context, it becomes a record. Those records are then organized into a records retention schedule that state agencies use to properly maintain and retain their records.

Working Together

DMO/RMO Venn Diagram

Yes— the DMO’s role sounds very similar to the RMO’s. However, the RMO is responsible for the records management program, while the DMO is responsible for overseeing and maintaining the agency’s data. TSLAC recommends the DMO and RMO have a symbiotic relationship along with considering each other’s policies and procedures when creating their own.

And, of course, your TSLAC analyst is here to answer any questions you have and guide you through this brave new world of data and records.

Records in different forms

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