How can we improve Defence’s dreaded document control?
The Insight
Almost everyone hates document control in Defence projects. This hatred, or dismissal, can lead a project astray – especially in Defence with HOTO and the evidence folder. Every good project has a good document controller (or an automated document control system). They know how to successfully manage the three key areas of confusion:
The amount of documentation
The bracket for the correct amount of submitted documentation has minimal wiggle room. Too much can cause confusion, may be overwhelming or not properly read through. Too little can leave people uninformed and on different pages.
The quality of submission
Mismanaged document control increases the time (and frustration) spent on projects. By fielding phone calls and emails tracking the progress of the project, communication is being double-handled. Poor document control ensures there is no or minimal record of what has happened, with no or minimal ability to accurately plan or forecast.
The mix of stakeholders
Defence projects have a significant number of stakeholders. The projects are conducted on Defence sites that are usually on Commonwealth land and the requirements for documentation must adhere to Australian Standards all while complying with Defence requirements.
Good document control enables accurate communication, project tracking and project recording, and minimises the chance of delays. While there is an efficient and effective way to document control, there is always room for improvement.
The Impact
Always striving to improve document control will improve overall project success by increasing the possibility of meeting projected timeframes and therefore improving stakeholder satisfaction.
Plan documentation at the beginning of the project
This may seem obvious but you need to know exactly what documents you will need by the end of the project before mobilisation even starts. This includes when you’ll need to receive each document by, if there are any special requirements, and how the document submission process will be tracked.
“Pigeonhole”, don’t “post-box”
One strategy you can use to track documents that come in is by pigeonholing them. At the beginning of the project, set up folders for all of the required documents that you will need by the end of the project. When a document comes in, send it to the folder. As you track the progress of your project, you’ll be able to monitor which folders are still empty. This will indicate what documents are missing.
Don’t overshare
Understanding who your stakeholders are and how they want to handle documentation is crucial. You need to make sure that you are keeping them informed only with the information they actually want to know, in line with when they want to know it. Too much information is just as bad as too little information. Similarly, more communication does not equal better communication.
Document control tracks communication between parties and the progress of the project. This process increases the transparency between all parties which minimises the chances of miscommunication. Understanding the importance of document control helps to further uncover more productive ways to work. The more streamlined the process is, the easier it is, thus saving you both mental and emotional energy.