It’s a difficult topic really. There’s so many inputs to communication (even if you ignore the spins applied by RHQ/WHQs). Then there’s the old risks that RHQs/WHQs applied their own deadlines/spin/rules on things. Link into this a chain of command. Some of the list you quote are not dissemination of information, they are information in their own right (ACTOs/ACPs/CROs etc). Even before full electronic media these occurred in their own rights albeit through hard copy updates. Fine if you were the one updating the book that night, but not so if you were a fairly new CI.
I don’t actually see the ACO any different to any organisation when it comes to information dissemination in modern times, and electronic methods have done nothing to make this more informing, if anything I would say we get too much information and or sources of information, to the point where you don’t really read it as it’s on a screen and I’ll be damned if I’m spending mine or someone else’s money printing ATC missives, unless it’s for cadets or can be condensed to 1 or 2 pages. I ping things around to staff that come in and if one or two read it you’ll be lucky.
We used to get post once or twice a week, which was pretty stable in terms of dissemination and I think that more was read. I know I don’t read all emails and or attachments/links, as reading things off a screen is not the best way. This applies to ATC and work.
I do think that e-comms has lead to later notifications and shorter return dates, which is bone-idle laziness on the part of various HQs and relying on people being constantly in touch. But to me it smacks of people not being on top of their game and rushing to send things out that should have been sent two or three weeks beforehand and landing sqn staff with rushed admin jobs.
Many of the items listed by Jaques have always been there, but now because they can be stuffed somewhere like sharepoint or sent by the click of an electronic button, there is little or no thought put into things as there is no physical work involved, they are pinged out into the ether, with an expecatation that it will be read. At our company emailed CV’s and job punts (unless specifically requested in an advert) are deleted without even looking at them. But if it comes in the post and the letter has to be opened, then they are read.
If everyone conformed even 10% towards the MoD guidlines on information and asset management we’d be moving in the right direction.
Some of the things that irritate me most are:
Wings republishing documents on their own Bader site. Where required, they should be offering a link to the document on HQAC sharepoint instead of downloading it and reuploading it again. This simply causes wastage of storage space, multiple copies of the same documents floating about, and the ever present outdated copies in cirulation when the original has been updated.
HQAC/Regions/Wings uploading to the stupidest possible locations. Ideally someone should come up with a definitive guideline Corps-wide file structure that everyone should follow (where possible/appropriate). It would make finding things SO much easier.
People uploading things to the aforementioned random places on Sharepoint and then emailing the wing to say “The documents are on wing Bader site”…expecting us to go searching for the damn things! :mad:
Links should be included in emails so that one click takes you to the relevant documents.
Such a structure exists. The problem is that the lower levels of that structure need to be fitted to a unit’s business outputs. These differ from unit to unit. Equally, it’s possible for units to set up sub-sites for specific projects - a very good idea in theory but a pain in reality.
Your wing uses a subsite to handle shooting-related documents (or used to). These should be filed under Activities > Shooting.
I’ve also seen announcements named like this, which doesn’t help with filing/searching: