Best Practices

Best Practices · 26. September 2024

Here are 10 key signs that an organisation is not paying enough attention to Document Control (DC): 1. Exclusion from key meetings A major red flag is when Document Controllers are not invited to important meetings (for example, project and progress meetings, kick-off meetings, etc). This suggests that management does not fully understand the value of Document Control or how integral it is to the organisation's success, leading to serious mistakes down the line.

Best Practices · 26. September 2024

Document Control teams are often under-resourced, grappling with a high volume of tasks despite limited personnel and budgets. This constraint forces them to be innovative in their approach to managing documents and maintaining compliance. However, sacrificing quality, compliance or traceability should never be an option when looking at reducing manhours spent on Document Control tasks. One of the options we have is leveraging automation tools. By finding clever ways to optimise their pr

Best Practices · 26. September 2024

In any business, entity or project, both strategy and tactics play crucial roles in achieving success. Though often used interchangeably, the two terms represent distinct concepts, and understanding their differences can greatly enhance your approach to problem-solving.

Best Practices · 24. September 2024

In today’s digital world, documents are the backbone of operations in nearly every organisation. Documents hold vital information that can impact decision-making, compliance, and day-to-day operations So it’s fair to ask your employer if they would pay for your training, education or certification, as it will also bring value to the organisation. But, for many, this conversation might feel uncomfortable. That’s why we have listed 10 tips to help you approach this conversation confidently.

Best Practices · 10. May 2023

A constant struggle that Document Control professionals talk about a lot is the difficulty in getting people (e.g. authors or external suppliers) to submit their documents on time and well in advance, so that Document Controllers can have the time to check the documents, to send them back for modifications if required, and to get the document ready to be transmitted or distributed by the day on which it is actually due.

Best Practices · 24. August 2022

Now that, in many regions around the world, the pandemic has stabilised, we are back in the office and we realise with shock that we have to learn to work together again, in the same office space. Here are 7 tips on how to maintain peace in the office.

Best Practices · 05. November 2021

Document Control is a profession where it is important to know the what (tasks), the how (processes & tools), the why (values, ethics, reasons), the who (roles and responsibilities). There is a lot to learn and continuous learning and continuous improvement really differentiates between Document Control professionals and others. There are a lot of free resources out there that you can use to either improve your awareness or improve your skills.

Best Practices · 12. July 2021

If you publish a weekly report pertaining to documentation, you have a weekly opportunity to add value to the work of your interfaces and users. If you do not yet produce weekly reports, it is advised to consider introducing this practice. Weekly reports are meant to provide valuable information to their readers, wherever they sit in the organisation chart.

Best Practices · 12. July 2021

This series tackles the myth that poor Document Control can only cause damages in hazardous activity sectors. Episode 2 takes the example of poor document control impacting a couple selling their apartment.

Best Practices · 31. March 2021

This series tackles the myth that poor Document Control can only cause damages in hazardous activity sectors. Episode 1 takes the example of a revision control mistake on a quotation.