Skip to main content

1.1 Scope, Ownership, and Change Control

Ambiguity in organizational standards creates operational drag and inconsistent decision-making. The Dannie Operating System (DOS) functions as the definitive source code for human interaction, management logic, and corporate governance within the company. It replaces subjective interpretation with binary standards for how people are hired, coordinated, and evaluated.

System Scope

The DOS defines the architecture of the organization, not the physics of manufacturing. It governs the interface between employees and the company, and the protocols for decision-making.

Governed by DOS (Management Layer):

  • People: Recruitment protocols, onboarding logic, and offboarding sequences.
  • Structure: Hierarchy, reporting lines, and functional role definitions.
  • Coordination: Meeting cadences, communication protocols, and escalation paths.
  • Decisions: Authority limits (budgetary and operational), strategic planning cycles, and performance evaluation metrics.

Excluded from DOS (Technical Layer):

  • Engineering Standards: IPC classifications, component footprints, and schematic design rules.
  • Manufacturing Processes: Solder paste printing parameters, reflow profiles, and AOI programming guides.
  • Safety & Compliance: ISO 9001/13485 specific work instructions (unless explicitly referenced for governance).

Pro-Tip: If the question asks "How do I solder this?" look to the Technical Repository. If the question asks "Who decides if we buy the soldering machine?" look here.

Ownership and Change Control

Policies without clear ownership degrade into suggestions. Every module within the DOS must have a designated Owner responsible for its maintenance, accuracy, and enforcement.

Ownership Matrix:

  • If Module impacts Company Strategy/Culture → Then Owner is CEO.
  • If Module impacts Talent/Compensation/Org Structure → Then Owner is HR Director.
  • If Module impacts Operational Coordination → Then Owner is COO.

Revision Logic:

Dynamic organizations require dynamic standards. Static documents become obsolete risks.

  1. Major Revision: Changes affecting compensation, authority limits, or legal compliance.
    • Requirement: Review by Owner + Approval by CEO.
    • Notification: Company-wide push.
  2. Minor Revision: Clarifications, formatting fixes, or process optimization without structural change.
    • Requirement: Direct update by Owner.
    • Notification: Affected teams only.

The Single Source of Truth

Tribal knowledge is a liability. Reliance on "how we've always done it" or verbal tradition introduces variance and failure points during scaling.

The Documentation Standard:

  • Written = Standard: Only processes documented in this Handbook are enforceable standards.
  • Verbal = Suggestion: Unwritten instructions, Slack messages, or hallway agreements are operational suggestions, not mandates. They hold no disciplinary weight.
  • Conflict Resolution: If a verbal directive conflicts with the Handbook, the Handbook prevails until officially amended.

Exceptions and Waivers

Rigidity causes fracture; controlled flexibility allows resilience. Deviations from the DOS are permitted only through a formalized waiver process to manage risk.

Waiver Protocol:

  • Condition: Immediate operational necessity or experimental pilot.
  • Action: Submit "Process Waiver Request" to Policy Owner.
  • Requirement: Waiver must define a Termination Date (≤ 3 months).
  • Outcome: On expiry, the waiver is either revoked (return to standard) or the standard is rewritten to incorporate the exception.

Final Checklist

Parameter

Specification

Control Authority

Governance Scope

People, Decisions, Coordination

CEO / HR

Technical Scope

Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality

CTO / COO

Validity

Written content only

DOS Owner

Waiver Duration

≤ 90 days (Mandatory Expiry)

Policy Owner

Conflict Logic

Handbook overrides Verbal

CEO

Back to top