Access to data empowers digital investigators to be more proactive in collecting, analyzing, and sharing information, which aids in faster matter resolution. Yet, as both law enforcement and corporate investigators realize, data has limited value unless it is analyzed by the right people at the right time. It takes leading-edge technology to parse the data and enable it to be shared effectively as an investigation or a case is being built.
Where real-time teamwork is critical
The digital age amplifies the challenges in collecting and collaborating on data. Just as many businesses have transcended physical boundaries, criminal activities and corporate misconduct now move seamlessly across towns, states, and countries thanks to the internet and mobile technology. As boundaries blur because of digital behaviors, the need for multi-agency and cross-functional team collaboration becomes even more urgent.
This is a tall order when digital evidence plays a role in nearly 9 in 10 law enforcement investigations, and both and corporate investigators feel critically challenged by an excess of disparate data sources and the need to derive insights from the vast quantities of unstructured data they contain.
Fortunately, the digital age also brings solutions that facilitate how law enforcement and businesses can maximize productivity using real-time, simultaneous collaborative review and analysis.
The right tool can make a difference
Cases and investigations require a wide range of participants across departments or jurisdictions. In companies these might include digital experts, inside and outside counsel, IT, human resources, and others. In law enforcement, personnel involved might include digital forensics investigators; local, county, and state police; and the FBI or any number of other agencies, depending on the severity and location of the crime.
Using a browser-based platform to share work on a centralized data repository puts the data and evidence at the fingertips of all participants in a digital investigation, whenever and wherever they need it. Robust review and collaboration on collected data can expedite the investigation.
With easy role-based access control, database admins can ensure data is shared with the right team members, as needed. Even non-technical users can participate in the process without compromising the data, as they are granted access only to their need-to-see information.
Sharing the data this way, in real time, allows team members to focus simultaneously on the information relevant to their roles, increasing the effectiveness of all participants.
Benefits for remote investigations
Digital data investigations often require the collection of evidence in the field or from a source that’s not physically present. Remote digital fact-finding includes the collection, analysis, and preservation of potential digital evidence found on mobile devices, the cloud, and computers, without altering the device or data.
For investigators in the field, company employees in multiple offices, or external participants (e.g., outside counsel), a browser-based tool reduces location- and time-based constraints, giving them anytime, anywhere access to the data. Real-time data sharing aids remote investigators in their decision-making by providing visibility into the up-to-minute evidence being collected, as well as enabling them to quickly share feedback on the data with others.
Effective collaboration maximizes resources
As multiple studies have found, collaboration promotes greater efficiency in service delivery. Working together helps address gaps in intelligence, gives a clearer picture of what’s happening in an investigation, and minimizes duplication of effort. It also promotes communication, which maximizes resources and prevents misdirected effort.
Investigative teams harnessing the power of real-time collaboration improve their efficiency and effectiveness and move more quickly toward resolving investigations.
Oxygen Analytic Center
Oxygen Analytic Center simplifies the investigative and eDiscovery processes by enabling real-time collaborative review and analysis within and across teams. Take control of your data, easily sharing the right information with the right analysts. This browser-based solution gives multiple users simultaneous access to their assigned datasets from anywhere, any time, from any device, so everyone on the case can maximize their productivity, end evidence analysis backlogs, and resolve investigations faster.