Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
to the original sender. This protects the identity of list membership
and ensures that members of moderated groups must reply through
the list rather than directly to all members individually.
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Access mechanisms.
Almost any type of criteria can be used to
specify e-mail mailing list membership inclusion, creating both a
powerful mechanism for business communication and the source of
so many spam messages. Mailing lists can be created by assignment,
through elective subscription, or automatically through criteria for
automatic inclusion of accounts based on group or role assignment.
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Assignment.
List management can become very complex and time-
intensive without adequate planning and control to maintain and
update list assignment. A communications strategy and governance
council should be developed early in the planning phase of any
enterprise architectural project, to ensure that adequate resources
and controls are in place before they are needed.
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Subscription.
Elective subscriptions can allow users to receive e-mail
messages sent to listings created for specific purposes or topic areas,
based on their own choice and without requiring action on the part
of the central information technology personnel.
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Automation.
Mailing lists can be automatically populated from
database sources to target an audience based on whatever criteria are
desired. Recruitment, sales, and customer management functions
can automatically target groups of e-mail addresses based on past
purchases, location, and other identifying qualities. Operational
mailing lists can be populated automatically, with all members
assigned to a particular group or role within the organization.
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Information Archival.
Mailing list archives can provide a rapid
means for users to identify responses to common questions or requests.
They also create a living history of published communications and
announcements, which is automatically updated as new messages
are transmitted, improving information access and topic awareness.
This body of data should be included as part of the organizational
process assets (OPAs) used in future project planning actions.
Tip:
Archiving of electronic communications, both asynchronous and
synchronous, is a growing issue for enterprise networks. Storage, manage-
ment, control, retirement, and the ability to provide access to archived
