webMyCal

February 12, 2006

Pros and Cons of Keeping Written Records

There is a difference between ability to do something and the need to do something. Everyone should be capable of understanding of why records need to be kept.
Pros on Keeping Detailed Written Records

  • It is the only way you will keep your records.
  • If only based on memory, the records will be lost and forgotten.
  • Not keeping records leads to delays; just doesnt work. End up having to repeat the same mistakes.
  • the most important things to keep records of is of things not to do
  • Written records are incredibly valuable in terms of letting a project work effciently
  • They are desirable when there is one person involved; they are critical when having two person involved
  • Written records are a way of having people who no longer exist to provide information. It also allows replication, it allows you have the same project be done by someone else and get done again. Ex. Good open source kits have step by step instructions. This allows people to have desirable variations. Same thing on construction, people have instruction on building a colonial and a ranch. With good instructions, they can create a combination of the two.
    Cons of Keeping Written Records

  • There is a cost to creating records, time.
  • You are trying to get something done and you want to make sure that you have the knowledge, skills, etc.
  • There are tasks that don’t get documented
  • When getting something small done; people will not want to write records.
  • Must make the decision rationally, make a case for the decision you can make
  • There is a reason not to write detailed records, in business, there is something called business retention policy. Well run businesses destroy written records. There is liability for something that is done when you do not have records.

    Filed under: webMyCal — Oscar Acosta @ 11:25 pm

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