documentationwills

Documentationwills is a coined term describing a formal class of documents that codify directives about the creation, management, and disposition of records and documentation within an organization or for digital estates. The concept treats documentation practices as actionable obligations, akin to a will that indicates what should be produced, by whom, and under what conditions, especially after key events such as project closure, personnel change, or the death of a creator.

The purpose of documentationwills is to improve traceability, accountability, and compliance with records management and data governance requirements. They aim to define what documents must be created, the metadata and formats to be used, retention and disposition rules, access controls, and transfer procedures. They can support succession planning for digital assets and help maintain organizational knowledge and continuity during transitions or disruptions.

Typical components of a documentationwill include the scope of the documents covered, assigned roles and responsibilities, required metadata and document formats, versioning and provenance rules, retention schedules and disposition criteria, access and security provisions, triggers for review or amendment, and an audit trail of changes and approvals.

Applications for documentationwills appear in corporate governance, digital estate planning, archival and records management, and research data management. They are intended to complement existing standards and policies, but their adoption depends on organizational culture and legal enforceability. Critics note potential complexity and ambiguity in how they are interpreted or enforced, especially across jurisdictions or in informal workflows.