Learning patterns/Managing the tech-pool

A learning pattern forvolunteer management

Learning Pattern Library

Managing the tech-pool

problemHow not to lose the overview over your tech-pool.

solutionLabeling, constant functionality checks, and a structured wikipage help you to keep your equipment together

creator• Annemarie Buchmann (WMAT)

created on11:31, 28 March 2017 (UTC)

status:DRAFT

What problem does this solve?

A growing number of equipment needs to be systematically monitored, since especially photography and video equipment is very detailed and consist of a lot of different parts.

Furthermore, lending equipment to different persons or for larger projects, with a lot of people involved also means to keeping overview over all the equipment an organization has is key. Especially when Wikimedia organisations and individuals cooperate for the larger projects (like “Wiki loves Parliaments”), with equipment belonging to various people and organisations, one needs to know exactly what belongs to whom.

What is the solution?

Get yourself a labeling machine and start labeling. Label everything. Everything one can detach from a camera can get lost seperately. Don’t forget to label cabels - they get confused the easiest.

What to write on the label: “Owner: and the thing it belongs to, if it’s not too obvious“.

Have a structured Wikipage where you keep track of your techpool. Not only to keep track of what you give to whom or who reserved what, but also what your techpool consists of exactly. This might be essential to those people handling the techpool, who are not experts in using the gear in question.

Things to consider

• The labels tend to peel off over time
• Check the equipment through as soon as it is returned

When to use

• any time you lend out equipment

See also