Documentation For Projects - Areas To Note

Here are a few suggestions that may help to handle documentation for projects, not typically those that you would be archiving, but those that require your action.

Preliminary screening:

Once you have evaluated your initial inflow of data, discard as much as feasible. It's more difficult than you might believe. It's simple to keep several documents beyond a reasonable time limit, thinking that they might be applicable later. It is generally the case that should you want the information eventually, it ought to be quickly accessible.

To assist you with this system you can sort items using a simple four square grid. A four square grid could be defined as urgent/important, urgent/not important, not urgent/important and not urgent/not important. Are they 'important' or 'urgent'? Urgent documents have a deadline to satisfy and are typically imposed externally. Important items rely on the extent of time you wish to devote to them. The more important the more time you will invest with them (and possibly more resource). Everything that comes beyond these could be thrown away (or delegated, see below).

So, you should finish up with 4 heaps of documentation to focus on, one in each of these 4 squares:

Not urgent/important, not urgent/not important, urgent/important and urgent/not important

If you are in the fortunate situation of having an assistant then they might do this for you if you have been through the procedure with them first.

As soon as you have your documentation 'ranked' you could deal with it in the sequence above. You should assess what documentation for projects you need to manage on a weekly basis. Preferably, you will discover a few that leave the system altogether.

You could initiate a 'day file' process. Have a numbered folder for every day of the month and add things to these that ought to be handled on that day.

Paperwork for delegation:

This could be an astute method of saying, 'No' to get out of managing the paperwork.

Good delegation is incredibly beneficial, leaving you time to focus on the important activities. In this situation ensure the person has the ability to cope with the job; both timewise and possessing the required experience.

Paperwork filing:

Remove 'not urgent' things from your immediate frame of reference by filing them, but maintain a regular eye on them. Your filing system ought to be thorough and agreed with your helper (if you possess one).

Action for documentation:

Hopefully, only urgent files will remain that want activity by yourself.

A 'today' folder may prove useful for items that must be carried out that day (although a few items may have an in the future target date). If you have a secretary they can maintain this folder.

Documentation eradication:

Old paperwork that is no longer of any use might continue to be around. These pieces of paper ought to be disposed of frequently. Set up a frequent time and procedure for performing this.

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