Why you need to decide if your CMS can truly handle the full life cycle of investigation management

In a bid to maintain operational efficiency and effectiveness amidst reducing resources, many investigative agencies opt for a Case Management System (CMS). However, the inherent design of a CMS means that they’re often not as productive as the agency would have liked. To ensure all cases remain open and free from regulatory scrutiny, the 2022 Australian Government Investigations Standards (AGIS) requires that all entities must have an electronic investigation management system (EIMS) to record, collate and manage investigations.
Why is this? The problem is that while CMS tools have delivered improved cycle times for many simple structured investigations, they lack the automation needed for unstructured investigations. They’re great for managing cases, but for increased productivity, and to keep up with the rise of digital evidence, an EIMS is what’s needed.

Here are few reasons why:

• Focus on investigations – EIMS are designed specifically to support the investigation process, while CMS are more general-purpose tools that can be used to manage a variety of cases. EIMS provide features that are specific to investigations, such as tracking evidence, managing witness interviews, and conducting forensic analysis
• Enhanced collaboration – EIMS are designed to facilitate collaboration between investigators and other stakeholders involved in the investigation process. They provide tools for sharing information, assigning tasks, and tracking progress, which can help ensure that all parties are on the same page and working together effectively
• Better data management – EIMS are better equipped to handle large volumes of data, including multimedia content such as photos and videos. They provide features for organising and analysing this data, which can be critical in complex investigations
• Improved efficiency – EIMS can automate many of the manual tasks involved in the investigation process, such as data entry and report generation. This can help investigators save time and focus on more important tasks, such as analysis and decision-making
• Compliance and security – EIMS are often designed to meet specific compliance requirements, such as those related to data privacy and security. They provide features for controlling access to sensitive information, ensuring that data is stored securely, and maintaining audit trails to track who has accessed the data and what they have done with it.

What it comes down to is that while CMS can be useful in managing a wide range of cases, an EIMS can provide a more specialised and efficient solution for managing complex investigations.

CMS vs EIMS – what’s best for your agency’s investigative activity management?

To help you gain a clearer understanding of the differences between EIMS and CMS, we’ve developed the Standard Case Management vs. Electronic Investigation Management systems guide. In it, we cover:

• The case management mirage – although accountability, tracking and reporting of cases can be significantly increased through a CMS, the efficiency and effectiveness of investigations often remains unchanged. Why is that?
• Understanding case management vs investigation management – the important difference between Transactional Work and Exploratory Work
• Investigation management methodology – the area where innovation or strategies for improvement should be targeted

Collaborative EIMS provide a way to harness the advantages of automation in situations where people, information, and processes intersect. An effective EIMS will enhance workflow, boost investigator efficiency, and decrease investigation cycle times without imposing a transactional framework on the exploratory aspect of investigations, which is often seen in conventional CMS.

Get the full story – download the CMS vs EIMS guide today.