Documentation is a life method used to capture the content of a project or an event as a reminder and guide for those who participated in what happened and for those who were not there, it gives information they may need to move forward. It makes the team’s thinking visible and by providing a recorded memory, prevents continually forgetting the decisions or accomplishments and needing to repeat the work. In addition, it validates the work done.
It is important to document all facilitated sessions. Documentation also includes tracking the activities of the team/group working on a project. Documentation of the timeline of the project, project planning meetings and workshops enable tracking of project work and acknowledgment of teams and tasks. The level of sophistication or polish depends on each situation.
Documentation can also be used in creating funding proposals, jazzed up with graphics to create something for the public, or even to create videos.
There are many ways to do documentation. See the examples below. It may simply capture the results or product in a report, at times be only a photograph of the flip charts from a brief meeting, or it can be turned into various forms of prose. Creating a story from the documentation captures the significance of the “eventfulness.” Retelling the story breathes life into the eventfulness and brings meaning to the work.
PROJECT PLANNING OVERVIEW
The Story of the Co-op Launch 2002
Food Co-op Project 3 Year Development Cycle 2002-2004
FOOD CO-OP ACTION PLANNING
Note: this event used the standard Technology of Participation (ToP)® ToP Action Planning process.
Calendar, Coordination, & Resolve
The team created a timeline of these actions which were incorporated into the final 3-year development cycle.
Actual image examples: Graphic Facilitation, flip charts from planning sessions, and more.