Chapter 2 — Ownership, rules and safe practice

Chapter 2 — Ownership, rules and safe practice

Lesson map

Lesson 02 published. Map, example, EX053.

flowchart TD
  N0["Learning outcomes"]
  N1["2.1 Simple rules"]
  N2["2.2 Asking only for what is needed"]
  N3["2.3 Security habits"]
  N4["2.4 Keeping and deleting"]
  N5["2.5 Getting agreement"]
  N6["Concepts — a rule that staff can finish"]
  N7["Data — fields the new sheet drops"]
  N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> N5 --> N6 --> N7
  N7 --> EX["Worked example"]
  EX --> Q["Exercise EX053"]

Logical drawing

flowchart LR
  N0["Learning outcomes"]
  N1["2.1 Simple rules"]
  N2["2.2 Asking only for what is needed"]
  N3["2.3 Security habits"]
  N4["2.4 Keeping and deleting"]
  N5["2.5 Getting agreement"]
  N6["Concepts — a rule that staff can finish"]
  N7["Data — fields the new sheet drops"]
  N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> N5 --> N6 --> N7 --> Q["EX053"]

[Learning outcomes]
    |
    v
[2.1 Simple rules]
    |
    v
[2.2 Asking only for what is needed]
    |
    v
[2.3 Security habits]
    |
    v
[2.4 Keeping and deleting]
    |
    v
[2.5 Getting agreement]
    |
    v
[Concepts — a rule that staff can finish]
    |
    v
[Data — fields the new sheet drops]
    |
    v
[Worked example] --> [Exercise EX053]

Learning outcomes

You will (1) write simple rules for each kind of data; (2) apply basic security habits; (3) decide how long to keep records.

2.1 Simple rules

Kwame writes a page of rules with Ms. Fischer's help. Newsletter emails are used only for the newsletter. Allergy notes are kept in a locked folder behind the counter and shown only to staff preparing that customer's order. Rotas are shared through the staff messaging group the café pays for, not personal social media. Invoices are filed by supplier and date in one shared folder. Each rule names the person responsible, so staff know whom to ask. The page fits on one side.

2.2 Asking only for what is needed

The old sign-up sheet asked for name, email, phone, birthday and home address. Kwame asks why. Mrs. Adeyemi says only the email is needed for the newsletter, and a first name makes emails friendlier. Kwame removes phone, birthday and address from the new sheet. Ms. Fischer explains that collecting less data means less to protect, less to lose and fewer questions from customers about why the café wants their details. The new sheet is quicker to fill in, and Kwame notices that more customers sign up in the first week than before.

2.3 Security habits

Kwame lists habits for staff: lock the till computer screen when stepping away, use separate logins for the till system rather than one shared code, keep the sign-up sheet out of customers' reach, never photograph customer details on personal phones and report lost papers or devices to Kwame the same day. He explains each habit at the next staff meeting with a real example of what could happen, such as a customer reading the sign-up sheet on the counter. Staff agree readily.

2.4 Keeping and deleting

Kwame sets keeping periods. Newsletter emails are kept while the customer stays subscribed and deleted soon after they unsubscribe. Old rotas are kept for the period employment rules require, then deleted. Supplier bills remain until the accountant names the tax retention end, and only then are they shredded. Allergy notes are reviewed every six months with the customer. Photos from events are deleted after a year unless people agreed to longer use. He writes each period beside the matching rule. Mrs. Adeyemi checks the tax and employment periods with her accountant.

2.5 Getting agreement

Kwame shows the rules to Mrs. Adeyemi and the assistant manager. The assistant manager asks whether staff may still swap shifts by text. They agree that shift swaps go through the paid messaging group, which keeps numbers private. Mrs. Adeyemi signs the page and asks Kwame to pin it in the staff room. Ms. Fischer reminds him that rules work when people understand them, so he should explain changes rather than just announce them. Kwame explains each change at the next staff meeting.

Worked example

Kwame writes rules naming who is responsible, cuts the sign-up sheet to first name and email, lists security habits explained with examples, sets keeping periods and gets the rules signed and pinned in the staff room.

Synthetic case. Rules are synthetic.

Errors and limits

Copying a large company's long policy into a café produces rules nobody reads.

Concepts — a rule that staff can finish

A café rule fails when it is long, when it collects data nobody will use, or when the only way to obey it is a private text message.

Mrs. Adeyemi checks the tax and employment periods with the accountant. Kwame does not invent those periods.

Data — fields the new sheet drops

Less data means less to protect, less to lose and fewer questions from customers. The new sheet is also faster, which is why more people signed up in the first week.

Decision flow — someone wants one more field

flowchart TD
  A["A form asks for another customer field"] --> B{"Does the newsletter or the order need that field?"}
  B -->|No| C["Remove it. Do not store it just in case"]
  B -->|Yes| D{"Is there already an approved place and a named person?"}
  D -->|No| E["Do not collect it this week"]
  D -->|Yes| F{"Can staff obey the rule without a personal text or a personal phone photo?"}
  F -->|No| G["Change the channel first. Paid group, not a private text"]
  F -->|Yes| H["Add the field, the period and the person on the one-page rules"]
  H --> I["Mrs. Adeyemi signs. Kwame explains the change. He does not only announce it"]

Worked example — a birthday for a free cake

A supplier offers a free cake if the sign-up sheet collects birthdays. Kwame refuses the field. The newsletter needs a first name and an email, which is the reason the old birthday column was removed. A cake is not a new purpose written on the rules page. If Mrs. Adeyemi later wants a birthday offer, that is a separate rule: a named person, a period, and a channel that is not a personal phone. It is not added in the margin of the newsletter sheet.

Synthetic case. The free-cake bargain and the handwritten margin are invented.

Apply

• EX053 — Birthday field. Why does the birthday stay off the newsletter sheet, and what would a later birthday offer need before any date is collected? Rubric: 3 = the newsletter does not need it; a later offer needs its own rule, a named person, a period and an approved channel;; 2 = the newsletter does not need it;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
• EX054 — Shift text. Two staff swap a shift by private text. Which signed rule did they miss, and where must the swap go? Rubric: 3 = swaps go through the paid messaging group so numbers stay private;; 2 = the paid group, without the reason;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.

Exercises

• EX014 — Newsletter use. What may newsletter emails be used for? Rubric: 3 = only the newsletter;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = other;; 0 = none.
• EX015 — Allergy access. Who may see allergy notes? Rubric: 3 = staff preparing that customer's order;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
• EX016 — Rota channel. How are rotas shared? Rubric: 3 = the paid staff messaging group;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
• EX017 — Kept sign-up fields. Which fields stay on the new sign-up sheet? Rubric: 3 = first name and email;; 2 = both;; 1 = one;; 0 = none.
• EX018 — Collect-less benefit. Why collect less data? Rubric: 3 = less to protect, lose or explain;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
• EX019 — Till login habit. What replaces the shared till code? Rubric: 3 = separate logins;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
• EX020 — Loss reporting. When should lost papers be reported? Rubric: 3 = the same day;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = wrong;; 0 = none.
• EX021 — Unsubscribe action. What happens to emails after unsubscribing? Rubric: 3 = deleted soon after;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
• EX022 — Allergy review. How often are allergy notes reviewed? Rubric: 3 = every six months;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = wrong;; 0 = none.
• EX023 — Photo period. How long are event photos kept by default? Rubric: 3 = one year;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = wrong;; 0 = none.
• EX024 — Shift swap answer. How do staff swap shifts now? Rubric: 3 = through the paid messaging group;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = text;; 0 = none.
• EX025 — Rules location. Where are the signed rules displayed? Rubric: 3 = the staff room;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = other;; 0 = none.
• EX026 — Explaining changes. What does Ms. Fischer say makes rules work? Rubric: 3 = people understanding them;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.

Continue studying — lesson 02 (chapter 02 of 04)

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