Document Organization / Folder Hierarchy

[MS]

Greetings all!

I'm new to this forum (and still scratching the ITIL surface), so I appologize in advance if these are newbie questions.

Is there a good example for how to organize documents to best support the ITIL process framework?

The answer, in its simplest form, would be to show how you could setup a hierarchy of folders on a shared drive to store files and documents.

Ideally, I'd like to find out what metadata attributes would be used when storing documents in a content management system (e.g. Documentum). And since many content management systems present content in a hierarchical folder/cabinet structure anyway, the simple answer from above would still be useful.

I have already set up a simple folder structure that I've been using and tweaking over the last couple months, but I'd like to find out what's been working for other organizations.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Mike

[JoePearson]

Getting a good document structure is important. Useful attributes might include things that facilitate access according to the type of lower-level task being done, without requiring the user to remember exactly the structure of ITIL ("which activities are in which processes?").

But without wanting to be negative, you can optimise and tag your process documents endlessly and still not have them used effectively. Other facets you'll have to pay attention to include training and awareness - including on-going awareness assuming you will apply continual improvement to you processes; and ideally some kind of integration of the processes into workflow, in a service desk tool for the parts of the processes that touch the service desk, in other tools, mgt controls, meeting agendas etc for other processes.

[Timo]

Hi Mike,

Your question is fairly simple but I am afraid it is impossible to provide you with a simple answer that will instantly fit your purpose.

The question of document organization and management is one that in my mind has never been properly answered or addressed either through methodologies or tools.

Way to organize your documentation will depends on quite a few things:
- single tools/technology to maintain and manage
- process for managing docs
- various levels of access to folders, documents, intranets, etc
- governance/approval structure
- control mechanisms
and many many more

It is a tedious and continuous process to create a proper document management structure and one that, in my mind at least, cannot be implemented all at once.

Start high up and identify what type of documents you will be using, who will be using them, how will they access them, how you will control and manage content and you might start seeing a picture emerging.

Sorry if I could not be more concrete, but as I said in the beginning, this is not a simple area to address.

Good luck,

Michael