Don’t ask clever questions.
Just notice things.

Look for

Paper stacked beside the copier Someone stood at the machine, waiting A wall or room of archive boxes A printout covered in highlighter Courier bags or sign-here flags Folders called Scans, Scans2, TO FILE A handwritten sign on the copier A desktop scanner next to a big Sharp Boxes in a room that should be an office

Listen for

“We scan it, then we can’t find it.” “That machine is tied up for hours.” “We print it, mark it up, scan it back.” “We have to black out the private bits.” “We drove it over for a signature.” “The auditor asked. It took two days.” “Legal want it numbered and searchable.” “Only Sandra knows where those files are.” “We’re running out of room.”

Tick what you see

Makes it urgent

One of these and it happens this quarter.

Court deadlineAudit or OIA requestPrivacy complaintOffice moveNew records managerMerger or new branchFleet renewalSomeone retiring

Ask, then shut up.

The pause is the sale.

“What does the person do while the machine’s running?”

“If I asked for a file from 2019, how long?”

“Where do your scans go — and who else can open them?”

“Does anyone print things out just to mark them up?”

“How much of this building is storing paper?”

Don’t ask clever questions. Just notice things.

Look for

Listen for

Makes it urgent

Ask, then shut up.

Don’t ask clever questions.
Just notice things.