Simplify Your Collaboration with a Unified Source
Getting your first office job can be a steep learning curve. Suddenly, you're grasping the "workflow" of your team, tackling questions about your "bandwidth" to take on new tasks, and finding yourself constantly in the loop and on the dot, all in the name of learning. You've likely come across a new workplace concept – "Single Source of Truth," a tool that helps you stay organized. Here's what you need to know about it and why you should consider implementing it in your workplace.
What is a Single Source of Truth (SSOT)?
When your boss mentions a "Single Source of Truth," they're referring to a collection of all relevant information and resources needed for a specific project or the project as a whole. This can include things like contracts, instructions, schedules, contact forms, templates, comments – to name a few.
It should be well-organized and easily accessible for all team members working on the project. In the past, this might have been a big old folder, but modern versions might be cloud-based software like Google Drive.
The use of Single Source of Truth resembles the "Action Method" for productivity, where you use a spreadsheet to categorize tasks into action steps, reference materials, and secondary elements. Reference columns contain information relevant to task completion and can be considered mini-SSOTs.
How to Use SSOT
In a team setting, you can make use of collaboration tools like Google Drive, OneDrive, or SharePoint. One of the first documents should be a list of all team members and their contact information, ensuring that every team member has access to the SSOT. You might also want to establish a naming convention, such as LastName_DocumentTitle_Date.extension, to make files easily identifiable as you fill your folder.
If necessary, provide editing permissions to team members, allowing them to mark their progress and add resources as they become available. If you have a large team or require some oversight, limit editing permissions to managers.
SSOTs eliminate the confusion of who does what and how, and streamline the ascension of team members. If a team member becomes unavailable, their responsibilities and the resources they use for completing their tasks can be quickly identified and addressed.
You can also utilize SSOT for your personal tasks, such as tracking the progress of your own work projects or managing other affairs, such as household chores or maintenance tasks. Create a folder with contact information related to your personal tasks, ensuring that you have easy access to details if you need to delegate tasks or provide updates.
While "Single Source of Truth" may sound pretentious, it is indeed a real business philosophy that simplifies your life and provides you with additional tools for managing other tasks. By having a unified source of information, you work more efficiently and have more resources to tackle other challenges, such as growing your bandwidth.
Further Reading
First, consider implementing a Single Source of Truth in your workplace. By leveraging methods like these, increase collaboration and help your team stay organized and productive.
