How to be an effective Document Controller?
The Document Controller function, often underestimated, is indeed crucial to the success of any construction project. It is a kind of a central point for all participants in the process where all current knowledge about the development is focused. The task is very responsible, so if you want to fulfill it successfully, you should master the following skills:
- organizational skills
- analytical skills
- interpersonal skills
Sounds a bit like the requirements for a super hero candidate? Let’s have a closer look at them.
Organizational skills
Services of Document Controller are used by all project participants in terms of access to data and document management. That’s why he or she should be fully aware of the investment process, the roles of individual teams and tasks carried out by process participants.
The Document Controller must understand the investment implementation process at every stage to effectively program the workflow of documents related to the project. It should be remembered that this is not a purely administrative function, but also a business function, therefore an effective Document Controller must have detailed knowledge about the activities of a specific business area of the company, and even the entire enterprise. The Document Controller must understand the needs of the project, which result in the way of processing and storing documentation, as well as the consequences of changing data or not solving data problems.
Analytical skills
We assume that when using electronic documentation management support systems, everything should go smoothly, but this is not always the case. Sometimes documentation problems can be very detailed and complex. A good Document Controller will be persistent in solving these problems and bringing matters to a close. This aspect is not only about solving the problem, but also, if possible, identifying and removing the cause, as well as optimizing the process, therefore analytical skills are invaluable for this work.
Interpersonal skills
The Document Controller must be a good negotiator, a diplomat and a law enforcement body in one. Regardless of his formal function in the project, the Document Controller should be respected by other team members, then the possibility of enforcing appropriate actions on time will become much easier. Inquisitiveness in all matters related to the project and being diplomatic at the same time is a balance that is not that easy to achieve. In the case of the Document Controller, such a combination of features can be a recipe for successful cooperation with all parties involved – often with people at different levels in the organization.
In summary, the Document Controller is a person with a rare combination of skills – from organizational skills to analytical and interpersonal skills. This is an invaluable function for the project, regardless of whether it is performed by the investor’s employee or if the Document Controller is employed outside the organization. With a very wide spectrum of Document Controller responsibilities, tools supporting documentation management such as the Effective Data Management (EDM) platform become indispensable in his or her daily work.
If you are thinking about implementing a solution supporting the work of Document Controller, please talk to our consultant.