In the Field

I’m going to keep this section brief for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the tools landscape changes rapidly with new releases launched daily, and secondly, I don’t think it’s the best use of your time to go chasing shiny objects. In the early days especially, it’s easy to get caught testing out the latest and greatest gadgets feeling like you’re being productive. But trust me, this isn’t the best approach.

You’re best off mastering a handful and keeping it simple. In the previous chapter, I talked about the two foundational tools you’ll need: your systems management and project management software. Now let’s talk about the other core tools you’re going to need specifically for your documentation efforts. There’s recording, storage, transcription and some general office suite tools.

It might sound like a lot, but the good news is, you’re probably already familiar with some and have access to others. Let’s break down exactly what you need to get started …

Video recording¶

Perhaps your next most essential tool will be your video recording tool. Whether you’re documenting a complex software process or capturing a physical procedure, being able to record what your knowledgeable workers do is crucial.

For screen-based processes, you’ll need reliable screen-recording software. The good news? Most computers already come with this functionality built in. And if not, there are plenty of screen recording solutions available, from basic to advanced options. Who knows, you might even be using a fancy AI assistant notetaker that will do the job.

For physical processes (those tasks that happen away from the computer) a smartphone is often all you need. Your phone captures high-quality video that’s more than adequate for process documentation. Whether you’re recording warehouse procedures, customer service interactions or manufacturing processes, just keep it simple.

I remember working with Kane, a Systems Champion at PorterVac, a company that cleans roofing gutters. Kane faced an interesting challenge: how do you document processes that happen two stories up in the air when you don’t have any hands free?

His solution? A GoPro camera attached to his head. He’d follow the tradespeople around, recording their every move. From their initial safety checks to their conversations with clients, from how they set up their equipment to how they sent their work back to head office after a job was complete. Nothing fancy, just a raw video recording that got the job done.

Just keep in mind that clear audio is just as, if not more, important than the video image itself. This audio not only ensures the viewer can follow along but will also play a key role in producing transcripts that you’ll feed into AI for documentation. Therefore, if your audio quality is poor, it’s worth the investment to get a quality microphone.

Video storage¶

Next up, you’ll need somewhere to store your video recordings. While some screen-capture software might handle this for you and may even allow for additional video uploads, you’ll likely still need a dedicated video-hosting solution to ensure smooth playback. Nothing kills your flow quite like waiting for a training video to load!

Professional video-hosting platforms like Wistia, Vimeo or even YouTube can be excellent solutions. Now, I know what you might be thinking: Can’t I just store videos on our shared drive, like Google Drive or SharePoint? While technically possible, dedicated video hosting offers several advantages, from smoother playback across all devices to no massive storage files clogging up your drive. These platforms handle all the technical heavy lifting of video compression and delivery.

If budget is a concern, start with YouTube’s private video options. You can always upgrade to a more business-focused platform as your needs grow. Just ensure whatever platform you choose allows for embedding videos directly in your systems management software. Your team shouldn’t need to leave your systems platform or download files to watch process videos.

Transcribing¶

Now that you’ve captured and stored your videos, let’s talk about turning them into usable documentation. Converting video content into written documentation is a crucial part of your systems work. The good news is, there’s a good chance one of the recording or storage tools you select will have this capability built right in.

Just learn which tools do and don’t, and think about how to seamlessly integrate transcribing your videos into your documentation workflow. Rather than seeing it as a separate step, think of it as part of your natural process. Record your video, generate the transcript, feed the output into AI and shape that content into clear, usable documentation.

Office suite essentials¶

Whether you’re using Microsoft Office, Google Workspace or another platform, these everyday tools play a crucial supporting role in your systems work.

Your calendar becomes your best friend for coordinating extraction sessions and team workshops. Email (if you’re not using internal communication tools) helps you keep everyone in the loop about systems progress. And cloud storage gives you a place for those miscellaneous but important files that don’t quite fit in your systems or project management platforms (e.g. working documents, spreadsheets, presentations, videos).

Think of your office suite as your catch-all solution: it fills the gaps between your more specialised tools. While it might not be the star of the show, you’re using this tool daily. Just make sure you’re familiar with the basic features and shared drive locations your team uses.

But wait, there’s more!¶

So far, I’ve focused primarily on the tools you’ll need for the job of the Systems Champion. However, it’s worth noting you’re going to become something of a software anthropologist. Through your work, you’ll discover tools you never knew existed in your organisation and you’ll learn to understand how they all fit together.

You’ll find each department has its own set of tools – its own digital territory. Accounting might live in Xero or QuickBooks. Marketing probably has a suite of tools for social media and email campaigns. Sales likely has their CRM. Your job isn’t to become an expert in all of these, but you do need to understand their purpose and how information flows between them.

I’ll give you some direction on taking a software inventory in the “Implementation” chapter toward the end of the book, but I did want to mention it here. This knowledge becomes invaluable when you’re documenting processes that cross department boundaries. It helps you understand the full journey of information through your business. Plus, you’ll know exactly who to talk to when you need deeper insights into specific tools.

Your job isn’t to become an expert at every tool within the business. In fact, it’s best to be tool agnostic and try not to become overly dependent on any single piece of software. Tools change, each department does things differently and new solutions emerge. Focus on the principles and practices that make things work, not the specific tools you use to achieve it.

Start with recording, storage, transcription and your office suite. In the next chapter, we’ll explore where AI will fit into your toolkit. Find out what you already have access to, focus on those core tools and if you need more help, check out the recommendations at SystemsChampion.com/resources.