AutoGov

Naming Conventions Make for Good Manners

As AutoGov grows we're finding that almost everything we do requires a written procedure. Otherwise every day is ground hog day -- a terrible resource waster.  We're striving to avoid the curse of small business where only one person has the key to the mailbox.

Today we tackled how to establish standard methods for naming our files.  Scintillating, I know.  But let's tell the truth here.  How many valuable heartbeats have you wasted searching your email attachments, your C Drive, that extra jump drive you carry around, your old laptop, blah, blah, blah -- looking for that document you swear that you have somewhere? We just want to be able to find our stuff!

So off we went, launching our "Naming Convention" work session.  Thirty minutes later we were done with the job.  And we had reached consensus on how to name our documents, the categories for cataloging and electronic filing processes.  Surprisingly this seemingly dull task gave rise to some interesting suggestions and the result reflected the wisdom of the group. It was a thoughtful thirty minutes. 

I liken some of these mundane office processes to good table manners.  Table manners are only really important to us when you're stuck eating with a real slob.  Miss Manners 911.  Same is true at work.  Being able to readily retrieve information is never more critical until you have spent half your day searching for that detailed flowchart "we already did" that you just have to have for the client deliverable that is due in two hours,

 Be kind to yourself and your co-workers.  Embrace the mundane!