This column was written by Charles Watson of The Real Media Collective and originally published in print in the August issue of ProPrint magazine. To read the full story click here.

There are a multitude of beneficial and purposeful reasons for keeping records and they are not a relic of the past.

Depending upon the circumstances, they are used to record events, incidents, interactions with or without alien life forms, decisions, weather conditions, departure and arrival times, witnesses, situational outcomes and more.

Essentially, they are a diary with various practical, purposeful, and legal applications with the additional benefit of providing evidence should the need arise. From a business perspective they can make the difference between justifying or supporting a decision or outcome compared to being unable to establish the clear facts and reasoning in your decision-making process.

Documenting decisions

Most businesses will already use diaries and logs for safety related incidents. As printers you are likely to document work through a quality and process control methodology, such as ‘work tickets’ or similar. However, and although you are all time limited, appropriately documenting actions and decisions are useful in so many more workplace situations.

Interestingly, various surveys have determined that under 10 per cent of businesses keep actions and decisions within their business appropriately documented. Given the human memory can be inaccurate or change over time, the use of a work diary, journal or logbook can be used to refresh your memory or recall incidents at a later time, particularly if those notes were made at or close to the time of an event.
Executives, managers, supervisors and team leaders should all develop and maintain the habit of documenting and recording relevant details as and when necessary.

At a minimum, I recommend recording the following:

• Date, time and location
• Observations
• Details of an incident or agenda
• Persons who are present at a meeting, incident, or gathering
• A synopsis of conversations and particularly any responses from those present or involved
• Details of any images taken
• Decisions made and related details that lead to those decisions

Whether positive or negative in outcome, all documented details must be consistent, factual and not contain opinion or be judgmental in tone. Obviously not every issue you deal with on a day-to-day basis needs to be documented. However, if there is the possibility of a medium to higher risk arising from an outcome it is good practice to do so.

There is no need to write a thesis for each entry and the standard of entry does not need to be an attempt at writing a history textbook, but it is important to ensure there is a concise and complete record of events. My preference is and remains hardcopy,
and I am a huge fan of Moleskine diaries, but whatever works for you is okay so long as you can source it again if and when required.

Evidence

If your business faces a compliance or regulatory challenge, your documented notes can be used later as evidence to defend or support your decisions and actions. They can be used as evidence to assist in mitigating or even avoid liability in connection with litigious or regulatory breach claims made against your business.

Diarised notes can also be used when drafting and forming a witness statement and can be evidentially admissible in tribunals and courts if the need arises.

From a practising perspective, I have found when drafting statements with clients there is an ease to witness recollection by them being able to refer to those logbook or diary entries. They can provide greater and objective clarity over what could otherwise be a ‘he said, she said’ type situation particularly when a case is determined 12 to 18 months after an incident occurred. Additionally, there is a heightened likelihood of a statement being accepted by courts and tribunals when a statement has appropriate notebook entries attached and that were written at the time of an incident.

Okay dear readers, if I am being totally honest this article is somewhat self-serving.

If you follow these practices, it will help make my professional life easier if I need to advise or represent your business at a later date. However, these practices will also help to ensure any actions you take and decisions you make in your business have the best possible chance of a positive or even a successful outcome if challenged at a later time.

Live long and prosper.

The information in this article is of a general nature and should not be used in place of seeking specific advice relevant to circumstances.

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