This post is part of a four part series for what it takes to build a Task library. Documenting the tasks, once identified is the next logical stage. There are several key steps to consider before actually starting the documentation process. These include:

1. Designing and cataloging your Task library labeling system
2. Determining what tools and systems you will use to capture, publish and maintain the library. (e.g. Word, Excel, Visio, TaskMap etc.)
3. The metadata that will be included with each Task
4. Release, revision and version control of the Task library information

Designing and cataloging your Task library labeling system

This is one of the most important planning elements in your success. Depending on the system you are going to use you are likely to have to determine the following:

• The naming convention for your processes or procedures that the Task library is going to used. e.g. a logical naming process for maintenance processes
• Individual task numbering and labeling for tasks to be reused
• Some form of release numbering or versioning to indicate when it was released
• Decide how you are going to group your libraries
• Determine how many tasks are going to be in a library

For example below shows the beginning of a new library to build a task library associated with how to learn to ride a motorcycle according to Motorcycle Safety Foundation standards. (From their BMC course, I am a certified RiderCoach). Two of the tasks here would be learned in the early stage of that course, how to get onto a motorcycle and how to start it up. Obviously these would be used in many/all activities later in the course and therefore would make good candidates for inclusion in a task library.

As TaskMap has been used here as the means to create this library, I could use the following guidelines based on the earlier guidelines:

• The Library will be called “Motorcycle Master Task Library-Release 1.01”
• The tasks will call called their logical names according to the Task Descriptions (Mount motorcycle, Start up motorcycle). I would always use a verb noun format as this is an activity.
• The Task ID (identifier) is generic in the example below, this could be changed to: MCTL01 and so on, where MCTL is an abbreviation for MotorCycle Task Library

Example of task information documented in Excel using TaskMap Capture for Excel

Tags: bmc, design and cataloging tasks, documenting task libraries, elements, foundation standards, labeling system, libraries, library information, logical stage, maintenance processes, metadata, motorcycle safety foundation, naming convention, new library, task library