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This paper aims to document a case study of recent use of the International Records Management Trust's Records Management Assessment System (RMCAS) software tool.

The author used RMCAS as the primary data collection tool in an assessment of records management across the London Museums Hub.

The application of RMCAS in a museum context underlined its flexibility for use within the public sector outside of central government ministries. While RMCAS continues to serve as an excellent data collection tool that can deliver high‐level analyses, its use outside central government highlights the potential benefits of some re‐design in its next generation.

This paper can serve as a guide to others considering the use of RMCAS outside its original context.

This study aims to review and understand the state of records management practices in Malawi, focusing on both public and private sector organisations.

The hermeneutic framework underpinned a qualitative review of the study phenomenon. The inclusion and exclusion criterion for the literature was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis methodology. Fifteen documents met the eligibility criteria and informed the study findings. The literature comprised of journal articles, dissertations at both master and doctoral levels, and conference papers.

The study found that records are created, captured and maintained both in print and electronic formats. It also confirmed that different types of organisations (public, private, academia and civil society) recognise the need for proper records management practices. However, effective and efficient records management is besieged by numerous obstacles, including lack of funding, absence of records management policy, standards and procedures at both institutional and national levels, poor records classification systems and a lack of top management support. Most importantly, the review shows that the majority of studies in Malawi have focused on academia, with little attention to other equally fundamental areas such as agriculture, trade, tourism, transport and energy. Thus, this situation calls for more empirical studies of records management practices in those sectors.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first kind of review to be done at a national level, so the findings provide significant insights for policymakers and research practitioners on records management research trends to date in Malawi.