But shadows hover. The equilibrium of the documentation formula is lost if only one element of the formula is used to justify the acquisition and implementation of a tool. The resulting shift in focus and funding would greatly weaken the documentation effort, undermining the return on investment and changing a potential asset into a definite expense. The first step in acquiring a documentation tool is to recognize that most tools cater to only one element of the documentation formula. For example, many tools concentrate only on documentation production and management.
Electronic mail handles only the destination element.
The communication component has not yet been structured sufficiently to acquire its own set of tools. Communication is considered more a result, rather than a force. Tools that might relate to communication are based on their ability to accumulate and measure statistics, or on game playing and multimedia. However, in spite of publicity, these tools are still in their formative stages. Much astute hands-on administration remains before they implement the documentation formula successfully.