I have decided to write a post on this subject, because of what just happened last night. I was given a procedure to run after a nightly update. (Update is a procedure that is ran to process information).
First the account of what happened:
I read over the instructions right away early in my shift as to get ahead of the game and to understand what was to come. The instructions seemed very simple. There were 16 steps to follow. I was told that I did this before, though I did not remember right away. I came up with two questions that I had to clear up. I called my supervisor and she later returned my call and answered my questions. I then had to call technical support of a company that deals with our software and ask them some questions.
Well, even after covering my bases and preparing myself, I still ran into issues. Granted some were my fault and I admit that. But, had the information I was given been more clear and precise, the hour that I lost could have been shrunk down to 10 minutes top.
I think the problem is that we are all too busy and in a hurry that we tend to get things done haste fully thus not taking the time to make sure the accuracy of the work we are doing.
In the past two to three years, I have had to do a lot of documentation on procedures and I do understand how it can be when creating procedures for tasks to be done especially when one is in a hurry. So, I’ve been there and can sympathize. We just need to be considerate to the person or persons on the receiving end of the instructions/documentation that we are producing. A poorly written document can lead to major frustrations.
In a perfect world, and what I normally try to do is to read over anything that I put together a few days before I give anything out so as to make sure there is nothing left out or unclear.
Other outcomes:
For those of you who’ve been there, I can tell you that here is a list of what is said about people in this situation:
1. That person doesn’t know what he/she is doing?
2. It should have been done this way
3. These are bad instructions
4 This was left out
This list can go on and on, but, you should get the picture. I’ve actually sat by someone who said stuff mentioned in the above list and I just sit there nodding my head in acknowledgment’s to what was being said. Documentation is like a work of art, it can create impressions about you from others good and bad.
So think about what you are doing before your next draft.
Posted by Tim 
