CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
Documentation Best Practices Management Organizational Memory Docume

3103 -
3103 -    ..
3104 - Summary/Objective
3105 -
310501 - Follow up ref SDS 26 0000, ref SDS 19 0000.
310502 -
310503 - AIA Architect article explains importance of documentation for
310504 - accurate communication essential for effective management.  Time is a
310505 - critical dimension for identifying the context of documentation.
310506 - ref SDS 0 D97Q  Diaries and journals are common practices for
310507 - organizing information by time. ref SDS 0 D94Q  The article explains
310508 - the practice of keeping accurate records extends to Leonardo da Vinci,
310509 - who used contemporaneous notes to explain theories, research, plan,
310510 - perform, and report experiments, as a continual learning practice.
310511 - ref SDS 0 PR4F  AIA cites expanding information density that makes
310512 - documentation difficult to handle. ref SDS 0 XV5V  Research indicates
310513 - people transform requirements into suggestions when good management
310514 - seems beyond reach. ref SDS 0 Y23J  Documentation is a traditional
310515 - modality for transparency that justifies the exercise of power in
310516 - bureaucracy.  Regulations, contracts, policies, and standards require
310517 - documentation, and these requirements are beyond reach with
310518 - traditional technologies. ref SDS 0 G46F  Complying with documentation
310519 - requirements presents a burden of cognitive overhead that experts
310520 - teach can be accomplished by forming personal habits, and which fails
310521 - due to limited time. ref SDS 0 XV7T  Knowledge Management offers a new
310522 - paradigm to advance beyond traditional practices for documentation.
310523 - ref SDS 0 HA5G  Documentation can be significantly strengthened with
310524 - technology for command and control that facilitates dispute
310525 - resolution. ref SDS 0 SJ3I
310526 -
310527 -
310528 -
310529 -
310531 -  ..
3106 -
3107 -
3108 - Progress
3109 -
310901 - Documentation Best Practices for Project Management
310902 - Leonardo da Vinci Detailed Notebooks for Creativity Finding Solutions
310903 -
310904 - AIA Architect published an article in the April 2005 issue...
310905 -
310906 -                     To Document, or Not to Document
310907 -                     Basic documentation requirements
310909 -         ..
310910 -        http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek05/tw0408/0408bp_riskmanagement.htm
310911 -
310912 - ...correlates risk management requirements for organizational memory
310913 - with traditional records management practices, ref OF 1 0001, that
310914 - comprise best practices for project management.
310916 -  ..
310917 - The authors say...
310918 -
310919 -    1.  Many architects think of documentation as an irritation that
310920 -        encroaches on their design efforts.  They view documentation as
310921 -        a task of drudgery forced on them by the "technical guys" or
310922 -        the "lawyers." Actually, documentation is as integral to
310923 -        architecture as are sketchbooks, renderings, construction
310924 -        drawings, and change orders.  It is not a new concept, as
310925 -        history reveals that Leonardo da Vinci kept detailed notebooks
310926 -        in the 14th century. ref OF 1 0001
310928 -  ..
310929 - Edison used writing contemporaneous records of daily work to aid
310930 - research and development, reported on 041213. ref SDS 25 DK4N
310932 -  ..
310933 - Knowledge Management using technology to make traditional records
310934 - management faster, easier, and more useful was reviewed on 000307.
310935 - ref SDS 17 767G
310937 -  ..
310938 - Covey calls for keeping a journal to sharpen the saw, reported on
310939 - 921205. ref SDS 2 2231
310941 -  ..
310942 - Kaiser's Healthwise Handbook requires documentation to authenticate
310943 - accuracy of communications for effective medical practice based on a
310944 - doctor patient partnership using a Team Care model, reviewed on
310945 - 990625. ref SDS 16 TD5S
310947 -  ..
310948 - POIMS describes Knowledge Management objectives to advance the
310949 - traditional concept of documents. ref OF 7 K84L
310951 -  ..
310952 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
310953 -
310954 -    2.  The review of documentation in this article ranges from simple,
310955 -        handwritten "to-do lists" kept only for the purpose of
310956 -        organizing one's workday to more complex contracts that have
310957 -        significant legal implications.  All of these forms of
310958 -        documentation with which architects interact and are required
310959 -        to create, manage, and maintain form a necessary part of the
310960 -        culture and practice of architecture.  For some architects,
310961 -        documentation is a naturally occurring habit; for others, it is
310962 -        a burden that is often resisted and sometimes avoided
310963 -        altogether. ref OF 1 Q15L
310965 -         ..
310966 -    3.  Over the past quarter century, the sheer quantity of
310967 -        documentation generated through the design process has grown
310968 -        significantly.  Projects that required only a few file boxes in
310969 -        the 1980s result in many times that amount today.
310970 -        Documentation has become a time-consuming endeavor in the
310971 -        design and construction process that must be understood and
310972 -        managed. ref OF 1 P26L
310974 -  ..
310975 - Documentation is rising on compliance with environmental requirements,
310976 - fair employment practices, and other matters that do not contribute to
310977 - performance of the work.  This reduces time for documentation on daily
310978 - work needed to expedite getting things done, and to avoid mistakes.
310979 - Without effective intelligence, mistakes and delays escalate, which
310980 - then increases documentation to avoid accountability, and leads to
310981 - calls for avoiding "tangibles" in Knowledge Management, reported on
310982 - 040621, ref SDS 22 2U6Y, and confirmed the next day on 040622.
310983 - ref SDS 23 F64Y
310985 -  ..
310986 - File boxes of "documentation" fits the model of information density
310987 - that obscures understanding causation and finding solutions, reported
310988 - on 970702 for the Oakland Harbor project, ref SDS 10 CV6O, and
310989 - illustrated by the meeting earlier on 970110 in the San Francisco
310990 - District of the US Army Corps. ref SDS 9 2487
310992 -  ..
310993 - Accelerating information density ovewhelms limited span of attention,
310994 - causing continual bumbling, cited in an article reviewed on 970707,
310995 - ref SDS 11 0108; a later article described a tsunami of information
310996 - overload, reviewed on 980613. ref SDS 15 3499  On 980412 CBS 60
310997 - Minutes reported on information overload and impact on work
310998 - performance. ref SDS 14 8956
311000 -  ..
311001 - On 960304 research found popular culture focusing on accelerating
311002 - speed of technology, which does not address risks of new world order
311003 - that drive management toward entropy, ref SDS 8 RC5O
311005 -  ..
311006 - Information overload frustrates requirements for documentation called
311007 - out in FAR, reviewed on 020504. ref SDS 19 XV7L  Professional seminar
311008 - at Cal Tech on 921021 expressed frustrations managers feel because
311009 - they cannot comply with documentation requirements. ref SDS 1 3744
311010 - Frustrations from failing to perform good management drives competent
311011 - people to transform requirements into suggestions, rather than
311012 - transform practices with tools to comply, cited on 030826. ref SDS 20
311013 - 8K4G
311014 -
311015 -
311016 -
311017 -
311018 -
3111 -

SUBJECTS
Documentation Intelligence Support for Good Management Accuracy

3203 -
320401 -  ..
320402 - Documentation Intelligence Support for Good Management Accuracy
320403 -
320404 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
320405 -
320406 -    4.  A management tool
320407 -
320408 -        Effective documentation habits are a necessary and valuable
320409 -        management tool, and the sometimes perilous path to a
320410 -        successful project always requires good solid project
320411 -        management.  Moreover, good project management always requires
320412 -        clear communication and careful coordination.  From concise
320413 -        contracts that define the obligations of the parties involved
320414 -        in a project to meeting agendas and meeting notes that
320415 -        facilitate effective project meetings, documentation is the
320416 -        essential fabric of project management. ref OF 1 E37I
320418 -  ..
320419 - Documentation supports transparency, which entails writing daily
320420 - records of performance that are audited for compliance with
320421 - objectives, commitments and requirements.
320423 -  ..
320424 - AIA requirements align with ISO and PMBOK requirements for an audit
320425 - trail showing traceability to original sources, reviewed on 950721.
320426 - ref SDS 5 1740  On 951026 organizations are unable to implement
320427 - requirements for documentation. ref SDS 6 3245
320429 -  ..
320430 - AIA expressly calls for a daily journal. ref SDS 0 D94Q
320432 -  ..
320433 - On 951221 Byte article calls for contemperaneous documentation of
320434 - software development. ref SDS 7 0966  On 980307 Andy Grove, CEO Intel,
320435 - says copious notes remove ambiguity of mental maps. ref SDS 13 3668
320436 - Eric Armstrong reported example of using diligence to write
320437 - contemporaneous records, during meeting on 000517. ref SDS 18 2064
320439 -  ..
320440 - Book on "Managing Toward Accountability" for educating enterprize
320441 - leadership presents documentation for accurate communications that
320442 - drive civilization through the exercise of power, reviewed on 970829.
320443 - ref SDS 12 6666
320445 -  ..
320446 - Kerzner reports that good management requires keeping good records of
320447 - communciations by writing a diary of daily experience, reviewed on
320448 - 950202. ref SDS 3 8447
320450 -  ..
320451 - FAR requires documentation showing the work aligns with objectives and
320452 - commitments, reviewed on 020504, ref SDS 19 XV7L; but cannot enforce
320453 - compliance. ref SDS 19 NS6F
320455 -  ..
320456 - Saying that "good management" always requires clear communication and
320457 - careful coordination does not solve the problem of making information
320458 - in documentation useful, per above. ref SDS 0 ZF7L
320459 -
320460 -
320461 -
320462 -
3205 -

SUBJECTS
Documentation Intelligence Support for Good Management Accuracy
Knowledge Management Improves Traditional Practice Documentation Pre
Cognitive Overhead Documentation Diligence Habit Good Management Exp

3705 -
370601 -  ..
370602 - Cognitive Overhead Documentation Diligence Habit Good Management
370603 - Good Management Requires Documentation through Habit and Diligence
370604 - Habits Need Technology Reduce Burden of Diligence Cognitive Overhead
370605 - Documentation Cognitive Overhead Habits Diligence for Good Management
370606 -
370607 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
370609 -         ..
370610 -    5.  The most effective managers develop personal documentation
370611 -        habits incorporated into their daily work.  Documentation is
370612 -        not drudgery to them because it is essential to the way they
370613 -        manage their projects.  Writing a meeting report, making
370614 -        handwritten notes, or sending a client a contract proposal
370615 -        becomes second nature to their design activities.  On the other
370616 -        hand, attending a meeting without an agenda, or making a site
370617 -        visit without preparing a field observation report creates
370618 -        angst for the effective manager.  This is counter to the smooth
370619 -        flow of communications and information on a successful project
370620 -        more so than concerns about risks. ref OF 1 5F8J
370622 -  ..
370623 - Covey calls for "sharpening the saw" with a diary that improves memory
370624 - and understanding of critical details in the context of objectives,
370625 - requirements, and commitments, reported on 921205. ref SDS 2 2231
370627 -  ..
370628 - Documentation is a common description for "tangibles" of
370629 - organizational memory, knowledge, knowledge management, intelligence
370630 - support, journal, diary, records management etc., reviewed in
370631 - preparing an ASB for the SDS program and Communication Metrics on
370632 - 040720. ref SDS 24 6W4N  Professionals and experts seem to be calling
370633 - for avoiding "tangibles" in Knowledge Management, reported on 040621,
370634 - ref SDS 22 2U6Y, and confirmed the next day on 040622. ref SDS 23 F64Y
370635 -
370636 -
370638 -  ..
370639 - Knowledge Management Converts Documentation into Intelligence
370640 -
370641 - Documentation, as described in the article, ref SDS 0 G46F, is
370642 - improved by SDS to provide intelligence support presented in POIMS.
370643 - ref OF 8 2300  POIMS further describes Knowledge Management objectives
370644 - to advance traditional practices for documentation. ref OF 7 K84L
370646 -  ..
370647 - This is a burden of cognitive overhead that requires diligence to
370648 - prepare documentation for good management.  However, the aims of
370649 - documentation for accuracy through traceability to original sources,
370650 - continual learning, and concurrent discovery, are difficult to achieve
370651 - with conventional means, and so discourages performance, as explained
370652 - in NWO. ref OF 16 PQ4M
370654 -  ..
370655 - Medical practice requires documentation to verify communications for
370656 - collaboration in the doctor/patient partnership; however, doctors do
370657 - not have time for compliance, reported on 990625. ref SDS 16 1978
370659 -  ..
370660 - FAR requirements for documentation of accuracy, also, align with AIA
370661 - requirements, as shown in the record on 020504, ref SDS 19 XV7L; but,
370662 - people have great difficulty developing habits sufficiently strong to
370663 - comply with requirements for documentation. ref SDS 19 NS6F
370665 -  ..
370666 - AIA proposals to form "good habits" reflect Covey's prescription, and
370667 - Edison's practice reviewed on 041213, ref SDS 25 433G, however, Covey
370668 - further notes that for most people making good management a habit by
370669 - writing things down to improve understanding, planning and execution
370670 - has proven inadequate for performing requirements of accuracy enabled
370671 - by documentation, reviewed on 921205. ref SDS 2 4803
370672 -
370673 -
370674 -
370675 -
370676 -
3707 -

SUBJECTS
Amnesia Avoided Accuracy Strengthened by Diligence and Habit of Docu

3803 -
380401 -  ..
380402 - Accuracy Strengthened by Diligence and Habit of Documentation
380403 -
380404 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
380405 -
380406 -    6.  Selective amnesia
380407 -
380408 -        Owners sometimes forget that they have made a critical design
380409 -        decision, such as authorizing the designer to proceed to the
380410 -        next phase of services.  Contractors have been known to forget
380411 -        that they have advised the designer that a minor change in the
380412 -        work will have no cost or schedule impact.  Consultants can
380413 -        forget that they agreed to have their drawings ready to issue
380414 -        by a certain date.  Proactive documentation of decisions and
380415 -        reminders of commitments made by team members are essential
380416 -        management requirements and a definite advantage over the
380417 -        alternative of proving the facts after the fact without the fax
380418 -        (or letter, AIA G716-2004, or other written documentation) in
380419 -        hand. ref OF 1 RG9K
380421 -  ..
380422 - Tangible records of work seem to be discouraged in professional
380423 - circles advocating Knowledge Management, shown by the record on
380424 - 040621, ref SDS 22 2U6Y, and confirmed the next day on 040622.
380425 - ref SDS 23 F64Y
380426 -
380427 -
380428 -
380429 -
380430 -
380431 -
3805 -

SUBJECTS
Command Control Documentation Facilitates Dispute Resolution Law Sui

6403 -
640401 -  ..
640402 - Documentation Command and Control Facilitates Dispute Resolution
640403 - Command and Control Documentation Facilitates Dispute Resolution
640404 - Dispute Resolution Facilitated Documentation Command and Control
640405 -
640406 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
640407 -
640408 -    7.  The need for tangible evidence
640409 -
640410 -        Another practical use of documentation counters more sinister
640411 -        activities.  It has been established that disputes and claims
640412 -        typically are resolved by the most intact and explicit
640413 -        documentation.  In short, he or she who has the best
640414 -        documentation usually wins.  This quantitative and qualitative
640415 -        advantage of documentation in claims management has no doubt
640416 -        increased the overall amount of paper that typically is
640417 -        generated on a project. ref OF 1 RH4N
640419 -  ..
640420 - Command and control of the record is a traditional purpose of
640421 - documentation requirements, but fails due to information density that
640422 - overwhelms span of attention, reported on 970707, ref SDS 11 0108, and
640423 - which is common to bureaucracy that stifles productivity with
640424 - paperwork, reviewed on 040203. ref SDS 21 E44K  POIMS converts
640425 - paperwork and documentation into knowledge that empowers command and
640426 - control to work intelligently, quickly and accurately, which gives
640427 - people the best chance to get things done correctly, on time and
640428 - within budget, ref OF 10 1113, when disputes arise the inhernet
640429 - orderliness of SDS records and access through the organic structure of
640430 - context permits fast, favorable resolution. ref OF 10 2263
640432 -  ..
640433 - Professionals and experts seem to be calling for avoiding "tangibles"
640434 - in Knowledge Management, reported on 040621, ref SDS 22 2U6Y, and
640435 - confirmed the next day on 040622. ref SDS 23 F64Y
640437 -  ..
640438 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
640439 -
640440 -    8.  During the design and construction process, many communications
640441 -        affecting time and cost are exchanged.  Affirmative
640442 -        documentation, such as phase completion sign-offs,
640443 -        authorizations to proceed, site observation reports, meeting
640444 -        reports, and schedules are efficient tools of management that
640445 -        facilitate a more efficient and effective project delivery.
640446 -        ref OF 1 AI5N
640448 -         ..
640449 -    9.  As we move closer to "paperless project" methods, such as the
640450 -        building information model (BIM), which consists of data
640451 -        manipulated through 3D parametric modeling, this need for
640452 -        tangible evidence by our legal industry eventually may
640453 -        diminish.  However, for now, documentation will remain the
640454 -        hallmark of good project management. ref OF 1 UI6K
640455 -
640456 -
640457 -
640458 -
6405 -

SUBJECTS
Types Adequacy of Documentation

6503 -
650401 -  ..
650402 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
650403 -
650404 -   10.  Types and adequacy of documentation
650405 -
650406 -        Documentation can take many forms.  Because it can be generated
650407 -        by those who make decisions and those who react to those
650408 -        decisions, some forms of documentation by necessity must be
650409 -        more compelling than others. ref OF 1 OK3H
650411 -         ..
650412 -   11.  Different individuals develop different habits for making and
650413 -        maintaining documentation.  Just as there are messy desks and
650414 -        there are clean desks, there will be managers who produce clear
650415 -        pristine documentation, and others who will keep files of
650416 -        ragged notes on whatever paper is at hand.  Accordingly, the
650417 -        range of documentation considered to be adequate varies from
650418 -        almost nothing at all to an archive of properly filed and fully
650419 -        executed documents.  Below are a few examples. ref OF 1 NK3O
650421 -         ..
650422 -   12.  Agreements:  Contracts are the basic vehicle by which the
650423 -        obligations of the parties to a legal agreement are set forth.
650424 -        Contracts can take many forms.  When given a choice, the
650425 -        following are listed from most preferred to least. ref OF 1
650426 -        WK4N
650428 -         ..
650429 -   13.  Most Preferred
650430 -
650431 -        •  A fully executed AIA standard form of agreement, ref OF 1
650432 -           HO5I
650433 -
650434 -        •  A fully executed, customized agreement referencing AIA A201
650435 -           General Conditions of the Contract for Construction and/or
650436 -           other AIA documents
650438 -            ..
650439 -        •  A letter of agreement referencing an applicable AIA form
650440 -           contract
650442 -            ..
650443 -        •  A confirming memorandum sent to the other party, but not
650444 -           signed and returned
650446 -            ..
650447 -        •  An oral understanding with no substantiating documentation
650448 -
650450 -         ..
650451 -   14.  Least Preferred
650452 -
650453 -        Although recognized by law as binding in many (although not
650454 -        all) states, oral agreements are disputable and difficult to
650455 -        substantiate, due to the lack of documentation.  The old joke
650456 -        rings true when you consider that "oral agreements aren't worth
650457 -        the paper they're written on." ref OF 1 SO6M
650459 -         ..
650460 -   15.  Approvals, notices and phase completion sign-offs:  These are
650461 -        forms of documentation that can be generated by the owner,
650462 -        contractor or the architect.  The AIA documents contain many
650463 -        instances where such actions are required.  The preferences for
650464 -        these types of documents are, again listed from most preferred
650465 -        to least. ref OF 1 7Q7M
650467 -         ..
650468 -   16.  Most Preferred
650469 -
650470 -        •  A formal letter acknowledged in writing by the approving
650471 -           party, ref OF 1 MR8J
650472 -
650473 -        •  Confirming correspondence, letter, or e-mail sent by the
650474 -           party seeking approval to the approving party
650476 -            ..
650477 -        •  An oral notice, approval, or understanding with an oral
650478 -           acknowledgment
650480 -         ..
650481 -   17.  Least Preferred
650482 -
650483 -        Meeting Reports and Memos:
650484 -
650485 -           Some architects do not prepare meeting reports and they
650486 -           believe they are a waste of time.  If an architect attending
650487 -           a meeting does not prepare notes from his or her
650488 -           observations during the meeting-no matter how informal-we
650489 -           believe there is no justification for attending the meeting.
650490 -           Meeting notes are most effectively used as a project
650491 -           management tool if they are issued to the project team in a
650492 -           timely manner.  Reporting need not be a burdensome endeavor
650493 -           and can be useful in several formats. ref OF 1 KS9J
650495 -         ..
650496 -   18.  Most Preferred
650497 -
650498 -        •  A formal typed report, with a list of attendees, recounting
650499 -           in narrative form the discussions and decisions made during
650500 -           the meeting-this form of report is issued with attachments
650501 -           of all handouts reviewed during the meeting and generally
650502 -           contains an "aging statement" indicating that it is assumed
650503 -           that the attendee agrees with the statements therein if they
650504 -           do not respond within a certain period of time, ref OF 1
650505 -           OU4K
650507 -            ..
650508 -        •  A formal typed report in "Action Item" format, generally
650509 -           continued from a prior meeting, containing many items, with
650510 -           only items of new discussion documented-this form also
650511 -           typically contains an aging statement, ref OF 1 LV55
650513 -            ..
650514 -        •  Handwritten notations, often with attendees' initials in
650515 -           lieu of names, describing the discussions and decisions made
650516 -           during the meeting, ref OF 1 LV60
650518 -            ..
650519 -        •  A memo or e-mail listing summary bullet points, ref OF 1
650520 -           EP6I
650522 -            ..
650523 -        •  A handwritten note
650524 -
650526 -         ..
650527 -   19.  Least Preferred
650528 -
650529 -        As was observed in the first article of this series, the
650530 -        meeting report "is essentially a tool for reporting project
650531 -        progress to the owner.  If you issue the report, you will be
650532 -        able to recount the events as you experienced them.  If you do
650533 -        not issue the report, you will likely read results or opinions
650534 -        that do not coincide with your own.  If your contract or your
650535 -        project organizational structure does not allow you to issue
650536 -        the project meeting report, it will be necessary for you to
650537 -        rebut in writing each and every issue and event that is not
650538 -        consistent with your experiences and understandings.  Rebuttal
650539 -        is a laborious process that too frequently falls through the
650540 -        cracks of a busy schedule." ref OF 1 PQYW
650542 -         ..
650543 -   20.  Acknowledgement
650544 -
650545 -        A complete documentation process consists of two parts.  The
650546 -        first part is the creation of a particular document to
650547 -        chronicle a decision, understanding, or event.  The second part
650548 -        of documentation is to acknowledge that a particular document
650549 -        was sent or received or to confirm a decision or an act.  There
650550 -        are four fundamental issues in acknowledging documentation.
650551 -        Make sure:, ref OF 1 EU4G
650553 -            ..
650554 -        •  You can identify your document and that you have retained a
650555 -           copy in your files
650557 -            ..
650558 -        •  You have a record of when the document was prepared
650560 -            ..
650561 -        •  You have a record of when the document was distributed
650563 -            ..
650564 -        •  The receiving party received the document.
650566 -         ..
650567 -   21.  The nature of informal options for communication and
650568 -        documentation can be challenging when proving these four
650569 -        points, especially in proving that you sent the documentation
650570 -        and the other party received and agreed with it.  In the event
650571 -        of a dispute where you have no proof of acknowledgment, the
650572 -        problem can sometimes be solved by "discovering" copies of it
650573 -        in their files.  However, a formal documented acknowledgement
650574 -        is preferred to a passive acknowledgement in all cases.
650575 -        ref OF 1 OU5L
650577 -         ..
650578 -   22.  Registered mail or other forms of "return receipt" is effective
650579 -        in establishing acknowledgement of your correspondence.  In any
650580 -        case, some form of receipt record is the only way to be assured
650581 -        that the other party is in receipt of the document.  Simply
650582 -        knowing that they received the message is no guarantee that
650583 -        they understand or agree with it. ref OF 1 D26N
650585 -         ..
650586 -   23.  E-mail records
650587 -
650588 -        Because e-mail is a primary medium for communications today, it
650589 -        is worth mentioning that e-mail can be an effective means of
650590 -        documenting information in the actual format or as the
650591 -        distribution method.  You must remember, however, not to copy
650592 -        or store your e-mail before it is sent.  You generally must
650593 -        copy or store from the "sent" file in order to have the date
650594 -        included.  Also remember that your e-mail records do not
650595 -        necessarily go away by pushing the delete button. ref OF 1 S27K
650597 -         ..
650598 -   24.  Identification
650599 -
650600 -        For your documentation to be relevant to your project, it must
650601 -        reference the project in some way.  Architects typically
650602 -        accomplish this through the use of a project name and number.
650603 -        The name may have limitations if the project contains multiple
650604 -        phases.  Therefore, a unique project number is more effective.
650605 -        Make sure all documents, either sent or received, identify a
650606 -        project name or a project number.  Documentation that cannot be
650607 -        identified as relating to a specific project and event is
650608 -        useless. ref OF 1 F38L
650609 -
650610 -
650611 -
6507 -

SUBJECTS
Time Critical Dimension of Documentation for Organizational Memory

6603 -
660401 -  ..
660402 - Time Critical Dimension of Documentation for Organizational Memory
660403 -
660404 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
660405 -
660406 -   25.  Father Time
660407 -
660408 -        The basic rule for establishing when a document was prepared,
660409 -        sent, or received is simply to place a date on everything.  You
660410 -        should date all documents you prepare as an integral part of
660411 -        the format of the document.  You should date all documents that
660412 -        you receive with a handwritten notation or a date stamp.
660413 -        Documentation will not be effective if it cannot be placed in
660414 -        the context of the project schedule. ref OF 1 J49M
660416 -  ..
660417 - Time is often missing from content on the Internet, and this causes
660418 - difficulty assigning chronological context.
660420 -  ..
660421 - Diaries and journals help meet the criteria for documentation to
660422 - identify the context of time for working intelligently, per below.
660423 - ref SDS 0 D94Q
660424 -
660425 -
660426 -
660427 -
6605 -

SUBJECTS
Transmittals Capture Documentation Identification and Context

6703 -
670401 -  ..
670402 - Transmittals Capture Documentation Identification and Context
670403 -
670404 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
670405 -
670406 -   26.  Transmittals
670407 -
670408 -        Transmittal forms or letters are useful for documenting
670409 -        quantities such as multiple drawings or submittals.  Rather
670410 -        than prepare an enclosure letter for each item, a transmittal
670411 -        form can indicate many items and the actions taken such as
670412 -        approvals or reviews.  Be sure to include the date sent and
670413 -        appropriate project identification on all transmittals.
670414 -        ref OF 1 R44M
670416 -         ..
670417 -   27.  Transmittal letters can also be useful in describing why a
670418 -        bundle of mixed items have been issued.  For example, a roll of
670419 -        drawings with different dates might be transmitted for purposes
670420 -        of making a building-permit submittal and may be transmitted on
670421 -        a date that is different from the one shown on the drawings.
670422 -        ref OF 1 455L
670423 -
670424 -
670425 -
6705 -

SUBJECTS
Diary Journal Powerful Format Positions Documentation in Context of

7003 -
700401 -  ..
700402 - Diary Journal Powerful Format Positions Documentation in Context
700403 -
700404 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
700405 -
700406 -   28.  Journals
700407 -
700408 -        A very important part of being an effective design
700409 -        professional, whether you are a manager or a designer, is by
700410 -        keeping a journal or sketchbook.  Journals and sketchbooks
700411 -        present opportunities that cannot be supplanted by other forms
700412 -        of record keeping, including personal history and fulfillment.
700413 -        Journals provide a contemporaneous trail through the daily
700414 -        activities of your practice.  They place your work, thoughts,
700415 -        and ideas in time and context.  They provide a venue for
700416 -        keeping notes as well as business artifacts such as business
700417 -        cards.  A journal provides a convenient palate for sketches as
700418 -        well. ref OF 1 266I
700420 -  ..
700421 - Diaries and journals help meet the criteria for documentation to
700422 - identify the context of time, per above. ref SDS 0 D97Q
700424 -  ..
700425 - Diaries and journals align with AIA requirements for traceability to
700426 - original sources, per above. ref SDS 0 G46F
700428 -  ..
700429 - POIMS presents diaries and journals for managing the context of time
700430 - that enables working intelligently by maintaining the structure of
700431 - cause and effect, ref OF 8 2300, citing SDS support for chronology,
700432 - context, and connection for intelligence support. ref OF 9 8555
700434 -  ..
700435 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
700436 -
700437 -   29.  The modern equivalent of the journal may be considered to be
700438 -        the handheld personal organizer such as a Blackberry or a Palm
700439 -        Pilot.  These devices record schedules, schedule archives, and
700440 -        contemporaneous notes, and can even send e-mail at an
700441 -        architect's fingertips. ref OF 1 V73K
700443 -         ..
700444 -   30.  The restaurant napkin
700445 -
700446 -        No discourse on documentation can be complete without giving
700447 -        proper attention and recognition to the classic design canvas,
700448 -        the restaurant napkin.  The folklore of great designs and ideas
700449 -        created over the dining table is without limit.  But the real
700450 -        point is that when it comes to documentation, something is
700451 -        better than nothing.  When the defining moment comes, and your
700452 -        Palm Pilot or journal is not handy, grab anything-a business
700453 -        card, a scrap of paper, or a restaurant napkin-and chronicle
700454 -        the event or decision at hand. ref OF 1 H84G
700456 -  ..
700457 - On 950303 Morris developed the bow and arrow analogy to explain SDS
700458 - support for keeping the work aligned with target objectives.
700459 - ref SDS 4 M34O
700461 -  ..
700462 - The record on 950303 demonstrates how to incorporate informal writing
700463 - into a record of personal and organizational memory.
700464 -
700465 -
700466 -
700467 -
700468 -
7005 -

SUBJECTS
Documentation Diligence Habit Implementation Method Habit Essential

7903 -
790401 -  ..
790402 - Documentation Essential Practice Deployed through Diligence Habit
790403 -
790404 - AIA Article on Documentation Continues...
790405 -
790406 -   31.  Conclusion
790407 -
790408 -        This ugly duckling called documentation will always be a part
790409 -        of our professional design services.  Diligence and consistency
790410 -        in attending to the necessities of effective documentation are
790411 -        necessary to be successful in our practice.  Documentation must
790412 -        follow the basic rules that it be identifiable, dated,
790413 -        acknowledged, and retained.  It is a tool that we simply cannot
790414 -        afford to do without. ref OF 1 I85H
790416 -         ..
790417 -   32.  Documentation can be viewed as a burdensome drudgery or it can
790418 -        become a part of the way we work.  Effective project managers
790419 -        typically develop a routine for documenting their projects so
790420 -        that documentation becomes a useful habit that is as easy as
790421 -        filing or making copies.  But like it or not, documentation is
790422 -        an essential part of the fabric of effective project
790423 -        management.  And effective project management that results in
790424 -        successful projects is always the best form of risk management.
790425 -        ref OF 1 V86H
790427 -  ..
790428 - AIA proposals on forming "good habits" reflect Covey's prescription,
790429 - which has proven inadequate for performing requirements of accuracy
790430 - enabled by documentation, reviewed on 921205. ref SDS 2 4803
790431 -
790432 -
790433 -
790434 -
790435 -
790436 -
790437 -
790438 -
790439 -
790440 -
790441 -
790442 -
7905 -