We continue to be bombarded with more and more information all the time. It arrives in numerous shapes and sizes (paper, books, files, disks, DVD, VHS, etc.) and comes from a wide variety of sources (face-to-face, electronic, paper-based, voice mail, postal, etc.) With access to so many things, from so many sources – it’s a wonder we keep it all straight.

Or do we?

According to a Steelcase survey sixty-one percent of respondents indicate that paper-based documents are the most difficult source of information to access. One reason may be that people are too busy and simply do not allocated the time necessary to set up and maintain an organizational filing system. Another reason to consider is that there are multiple ways to organize the same information (by date, by project, by topic etc.).

The following organizational method is proposed as one way to help people find what they need and therefore be as effective as possible in their workplace. It is called the Triple A model and consists of a time based (i.e. frequency of use) way of staging information. The three components are active, anticipated and archived.

• Active – This is the zone for your most frequently used information (hot projects, daily files, calendar, “to do” lists, etc.) It is located closest to your primary work area.

• Anticipated – This area is near your main workspace (within sight and in easy reach) and is good for storing materials that are frequently referenced, but may not be used on a daily basis.

• Archived – Furthest away is the archive zone and is best used for material that is dated, referenced infrequently and considered “archival.”

Because the way we work is often a fluid and flexible process, many materials move continuously from zone to zone. For more information on the Triple A model and other ways to organize your workspace see the Steelcase knowledge paper, “Creating Order Out of Chaos.”