Phenomenology as a Path to Understanding Document Management: methodological notes from research conducted at IFTM Campus Uberlândia

Abstract

Objective: To present the methodological path and the final interpretations derived from a completed master’s research that employed Phenomenology as a way to understand document management based on the meanings attributed by technical-administrative staff in a Federal Educational Institution, emphasizing the relevance of lived experience in everyday archival practices.

Method: This qualitative research was grounded in Edmund Husserl’s Phenomenology. The apprehension of the phenomenon occurred through a discussion circle with staff members who work directly with document organization at the Federal Institute of Triângulo Mineiro – Uberlândia Campus. The phenomenological analysis was guided by the concepts of intentionality, noema, noesis, and epoché, aiming to describe the meanings attributed to everyday archival practices.

Results: The results show that the experiences narrated by the participants reveal fragmented documental practices, strategies of improvisation, work overload, and the absence of consolidated archival policiesfeatures that mirror the reality of many public educational institutions.

Conclusions: The study highlights the need to develop methodologies that value lived experience as a legitimate foundation for understanding and qualifying document management. The findings indicate the potential to support institutional policies that are more sensitive to the everyday realities of administrative sectors, contributing to more integrated, consistent practices capable of strengthening the preservation of documentary memory.