How to Save Yourself from Project Documentation Nightmare

I am pretty sure that you’ve been in a situation where a project generates a lot of documentation. Often, this leads to wrong conclusions, chaos, lower quality of the results and customer disappointment. Also, one of the modern challenges is to store the documentation in a secure place. I can speak a lot on how you can store your documents, but I am pretty sure that you already know….but don’t do it. Why is that? No time? You think that it will be hard to start doing things differently because that will influence some other processes? If you are in this kind of situation, let me share 2 approaches that you can start using today, that will have minimum impact on your regular workflow.

Approach #1: Use an online tool for secure storage

The best way to file your documents is using a reliable online platform or tool that will help you be on top of the documentation processes. This means that, no matter what happens in your city, or country, you have your files “in the cloud” and you can access them anytime from anywhere. But, you don’t need only a storage functionality. You are going to request the following things:

Real Time collaboration

Nowadays, you have to love technology advancement. Maybe the best thing with an online document management tool/software is that you can allow multiple people to have access to the same documents. Better than that, is the feature that allows you same time editing. Make sure to be clear on who from your team will have the permission to upload, read and edit files online.

One stop shop

This basically means that every file will be in one place and there is no risk of missing files when you need them the most.

Tracking and reporting

Have you been in a situation to work on an old document, without knowing that your colleague already updated it days ago? Well, this problem will be automatically solved for you with the tracking and reporting feature.

Approach #2: Assign a lead person for the documentation process

With the first approach you choose the vehicle that will help you “go places”. Now, in this part, you will assign a driver that will be responsible for the drive. The “driver” will take charge for everything that goes in and everything that goes out, together with the updates and changes that happen.

Backups

Using an online tool for storing and managing your documentation means that you should do constant and secure files backup. Since this should be done regularly, the person in charge should even have a calendar reminder – to make sure that it will be done consistently. This is done in case you need to recover a lost document that is critical for your work and projects.

Monitoring

As I mentioned above, the lead person should have things under control when it comes to who is doing what in the file system. Any changes or acting against the rules should be regulated and reported to you. When you have the eyes on the ball, you will protect yourself from many unpleasant surprises.
What kind of documentation storage and managing system do you use? We hope we’ve answered some of your questions regarding construction site reporting and construction project documentation.