Actual Zettelkasten · Field Practice

2. Field Practice

Context Without Effort

ID: field-practice-context-without-effort
Family: Field Practice
Tagline: Let place and tags set the paperwork.
Quote: “The system should already know the job.”

Why This Matters

Picking job codes and tasks by hand slows crews and adds mistakes. Context should come from where you are and what you’re near.

How It Works

  • Map locations to sites and parcels ahead of time.
  • Use tags on equipment and zones to clarify work.
  • Only ask people to choose when there is real ambiguity.

Reflection

When the system understands the site, workers can focus on the work instead of the form.

  • Effortless Proof
  • One Badge, Whole Day
  • Passive Association

Audiences

Field

Effortless Proof

ID: field-practice-effortless-proof
Family: Field Practice
Tagline: Let time and place record automatically.
Quote: “The work proves itself.”

Why This Matters

Clearing up missing or wrong time records costs hours. When proof is captured as crews move, there is nothing to chase later.

How It Works

  • Start tracking when a worker arrives on site.
  • Tie time records to actual locations, not just job names.
  • Keep storing events even when the signal drops.

Reflection

Good records feel like a side effect of doing the job right, not a second job.

  • Presence Becomes Proof
  • One Badge, Whole Day
  • Keep the Work Moving
  • Truth You Can Stand On

Audiences

Field

Get Paid Right

ID: field-practice-get-paid-right
Family: Field Practice
Tagline: Let clean records protect both crew and company.
Quote: “Pay should match the work, every time.”

Why This Matters

Nothing damages trust faster than a short paycheck. When records are solid, both sides can see and fix problems quickly.

How It Works

  • Match each hour on the check to a site and job.
  • Show workers their own time history clearly.
  • Lock records once both sides have agreed.

Reflection

Reliable pay builds crews that stay instead of crews that leave.

  • Effortless Proof
  • 395… Exactly
  • Precision Finance

Audiences

Field, Finance

Know the Truth On Site

ID: field-practice-know-the-truth-on-site
Family: Field Practice
Tagline: Give foremen live, simple facts.
Quote: “Don’t wait until tomorrow to know today.”

Why This Matters

If supervisors only see yesterday’s report, they can’t fix today’s problems. They need clear status while crews are still on site.

How It Works

  • Show who is on which site right now.
  • Highlight crews that started late or left early.
  • Flag areas with unusual idle time for review.

Reflection

When leaders see reality in time, small adjustments prevent big issues.

  • Effortless Proof
  • Presence Becomes Proof
  • Real-Time Reflection

Audiences

Field, Leadership

Less Admin, More Work

ID: field-practice-less-admin-more-work
Family: Field Practice
Tagline: Strip away busywork from the field.
Quote: “Crews are hired to build, not to type.”

Why This Matters

Time spent filling forms and correcting time is time not spent producing value.

How It Works

  • Remove manual time sheets where possible.
  • Use badge data as the first source of truth.
  • Reserve human input for real exceptions.

Reflection

When admin drops, output and morale rise together.

  • One Badge, Whole Day
  • Effortless Proof
  • Automating Hidden Steps

Audiences

Field, Leadership

One Badge, Whole Day

ID: field-practice-one-badge-whole-day
Family: Field Practice
Tagline: Make the badge the only touchpoint.
Quote: “Carry one thing and forget about it.”

Why This Matters

Phones, apps, and terminals all compete for attention. One simple badge that just works is easier to carry and easier to trust.

How It Works

  • Avoid depending on phones or on-site terminals.
  • Let the badge cover the entire shift from start to finish.
  • Design so crews rarely need to touch or think about it.

Reflection

The more the badge fades into the background, the more useful it becomes.

  • Effortless Proof
  • Context Without Effort
  • Tools for Humans

Audiences

Field

Presence Becomes Proof

ID: field-practice-presence-becomes-proof
Family: Field Practice
Tagline: Turn normal movement into evidence of work.
Quote: “Being there creates the record.”

Why This Matters

Manual check-ins create gaps and disputes. Continuous presence at a site is the simplest signal that work could happen.

How It Works

  • Use location as the base signal for time.
  • Treat leaving the site as the natural stop time.
  • Flag odd patterns for review instead of blocking work.

Reflection

When just being on site generates proof, good behavior becomes the easiest behavior.

  • Effortless Proof
  • 395… Exactly
  • Motion → Work Session

Audiences

Field, Leadership

Proof Without Training

ID: field-practice-proof-without-training
Family: Field Practice
Tagline: Make usage obvious at a glance.
Quote: “If you need a manual, it’s too complex.”

Why This Matters

New tools often stall because training never reaches everyone. Field tools must make sense from day one.

How It Works

  • Keep physical interactions to one or two gestures.
  • Use simple light or vibration cues instead of menus.
  • Test with new hires who have never seen it before.

Reflection

When people understand a tool in seconds, adoption takes care of itself.

  • Tools for Humans
  • One Badge, Whole Day
  • Convivial Tools

Audiences

Field