How to spread and save the company’s technical knowledge
“Ask For Comments” type of documents (similar to RFC)
This article is about a method for teams to communicate and align with complex technical topics. It helps with collecting input, defining solutions, and setting expectations. The AFC (“Ask For Comments”) proved itself in times when we needed to work remotely, making it even more relevant in the years to come.
“Ask For Comments” (AFC) is based on “Request For Comments” (RFC), which is a publication form used by Internet Engineering Task Force for decades. For example, internet protocols have been discussed by RFC since the 1960s; however, RFC is quite academic, and it doesn’t fit well into business/technical environments.
For this reason, I have adapted AFC for modern businesses, where efficiency and alignment between multiple teams are crucial. Most cross-department initiatives have similar pain points, which AFC also aims to address. This method has proved itself while working remotely.
Which problems does AFC tackle?
My first job in an enterprise environment was 15 years ago as a middle manager. Since then, I have noticed some issues are common in cross-department collaboration. Below are somw of the problems that AFC can help solve.
