Policies and Procedures - an idea for LJN - Forum

Hopefully one of the things that LJN will do is improve the industry in various ways, especially raising awareness and standards on different issues as people read, join in and learn.As I've mentioned in another thread, there is little point in people wasting time re-inventing the wheel time and time again. Simple policies and procedure, documents etc.The NFTMO has a large library of policy and procedures used by TMOs and who are happy to share their documents and other public documents to help TMOs to raise their game.This is one of many services run by the NFTMO which makes it relevant and a key source for information.I am wondering if something similar might work here, would members be willing to offer up documents to help others?While I understand some concerns that members might have. After all most of you who have these have probably gone through the pains in developing them, and why bother helping someone who cannot help themselves? My only real reply to this one is if someone has gone to the trouble of locating LJN then they are likely to be looking to improve their business and/or service in some way, fly by nights are hardly likely to bother.

Hi Phil,

I think there is two ways it could be done, companies can offer to share documents they are happy to do so. For instance they may not be happy to share current documents, but in reviewing a policy and updating it they may be happy to share an older more dated policy which would at least be a starting point for others who are looking for such policies.

The other way is for companies to be able to ask for a particular document, and members can choose wether they are happy to share a particular document.

Another way it can work is I've noticed you have done work on helping gardeners to recognise the full costs of what they are doing. It would be easy to put this information onto a spreadsheet for members to use as a tool in helping to cost up jobs, or to work out the volume of work they would need to make a living. This would be particularly useful to those new to the profession.

Another way this could be developed, and you have already started this, is for members to contribute articles/videos/diaries.

As you say you have already provided ways for these things to be done, I guess what I'm suggesting is finding a way for these to be looked for and easily found. For instance I noticed someone had posted a diary of jobs to be done during a month. The problem is if it is posted on the forum than it can easily get lost within the posts. Within a year you have a diary of recommended jobs to be done which would be of interest to keen gardeners, those starting out, small organisations like ours, but all lost in hundreds of posts.

I guess the best way I see this moving forward is to provide a resource page with links to appropriate sources on the network, and/or an ability to search the whole website, rather then setting up formal areas like the NFTMO has done. My issue with search engines is first you need to be aware that it is there, and sometimes finding the right key words can be difficult. I like lists I guess because while searching for one thing I can find something else that might catch my attention but I would not thought of looking for.

Sorry not sure if this is what you are looking for, or if I've missed the point.

One concern I would have is that, as in real life, there are unscrupolous sites out there, and are more than happy to plagarise a successful site to boost their own. That said I have found that they often lack the sense of community from where they have stolen their content from. But it is not nice to see.

Replies

PRO

Phil Voice February 28, 2009 at 11:27am

I am sorry for the late reply to this George but I have been giving this some thought through this week.

I think that your suggestion is a good one and to a large degree, the site does offer up the facility for document authoring, exchange and display but I guess you are thinking of a depository that is searchable in isolation of the other site content?

Do you think that you could expand a little more on how this could work?
dgeorgea February 28, 2009 at 6:37pm

Hi Phil,

I think there is two ways it could be done, companies can offer to share documents they are happy to do so. For instance they may not be happy to share current documents, but in reviewing a policy and updating it they may be happy to share an older more dated policy which would at least be a starting point for others who are looking for such policies.

The other way is for companies to be able to ask for a particular document, and members can choose wether they are happy to share a particular document.

Another way it can work is I've noticed you have done work on helping gardeners to recognise the full costs of what they are doing. It would be easy to put this information onto a spreadsheet for members to use as a tool in helping to cost up jobs, or to work out the volume of work they would need to make a living. This would be particularly useful to those new to the profession.

Another way this could be developed, and you have already started this, is for members to contribute articles/videos/diaries.

As you say you have already provided ways for these things to be done, I guess what I'm suggesting is finding a way for these to be looked for and easily found. For instance I noticed someone had posted a diary of jobs to be done during a month. The problem is if it is posted on the forum than it can easily get lost within the posts. Within a year you have a diary of recommended jobs to be done which would be of interest to keen gardeners, those starting out, small organisations like ours, but all lost in hundreds of posts.

I guess the best way I see this moving forward is to provide a resource page with links to appropriate sources on the network, and/or an ability to search the whole website, rather then setting up formal areas like the NFTMO has done. My issue with search engines is first you need to be aware that it is there, and sometimes finding the right key words can be difficult. I like lists I guess because while searching for one thing I can find something else that might catch my attention but I would not thought of looking for.

Sorry not sure if this is what you are looking for, or if I've missed the point.

One concern I would have is that, as in real life, there are unscrupolous sites out there, and are more than happy to plagarise a successful site to boost their own. That said I have found that they often lack the sense of community from where they have stolen their content from. But it is not nice to see.