Documentation

When in doubt document. It never hurts to overdo the documentation. As mentioned previously, if you follow standard written procedures you can reference them as opposed to repeating them in your notes. Speaking of notes, I recommend handwritten notes in a bound notebook with numbered pages. This might sound strange to readers who are used to using computers for everything, but it is much quicker to jot notes onto paper. It is also easier to carry a set of handwritten notes to court.

The bound notebook has other advantages as well. No power is required to view these notes. The use of a bound notebook with numbered pages also makes it more difficult to alter your notes. Not that you would alter them, but a lawyer might not be beyond accusing you of such a thing. If you have difficulty finding a notebook with numbered pages you can number them yourself before use.

If you can work with someone else it is ideal. Pilots routinely use checklists to make sure they don’t miss anything. Commercial pilots work in pairs as extra insurance against mistakes. Working with a partner allows you to have a second set of eyes, lets you work more quickly, and also makes it even harder for someone to accuse you of tampering with evidence. History is replete with examples of people who have avoided conviction by accusing someone of evidence tampering and instilling sufficient doubt in a jury.

Few people love to do documentation. This seems to be true to a greater extent among technical people. There are some tools that can ease the pain of documenting your findings that will be discussed in later chapters of this book. An investigation is never over until the documentation is finished.