Capturing the gains made:
System documentation

System documentation is the term we use to describe a comprehensive set of documents (electronic or hardcopy) that effectively captures organisational knowledge and learning to sustain improvements made over time.

it is a collection (repository) of the key documents that reflect the way in which an organisation conducts its business.

System documentation provides the foundation necessary to continually improve. It captures creativity and knowledge that would otherwise be confined to someone's head or the practice of a few. It reduces waste and frustration. It eliminates the need to reinvent processes each time they are used, or when someone leaves the organisation.

It provides a means to communicate with stakeholders across the organisation, to induct, train, coach and support.

System documentation can comprise:

• system maps
• plans
• processes with associated policies and supporting documents
• records
• document control.

The structure and interrelationships of these documents are shown in the diagram (below left).

System Documentation can apply to a whole organisation and parts of the organisation. In a school it can apply to classrooms, teams, programs, and projects.

Improvement is quickly lost where there is not a process in place to capture and hold the gains made

We have developed a School Process Reference Model to assist schools with their System Documentation efforts. The Model is an inventory of school processes and policies designed to assist schools with identifying their most common processes and policies.

The processes and policies within the Model are assigned to one of three major categories:

• Learning (the school’s core business!)
• Leadership (school direction and outcomes)
• Administration (support school operations).

To learn more about System Documentation, purchase a System Documentation Guide.