| Document No. | JDS-QMS-000 |
| Revision | E |
| Date | 2026-03-25 |
| Status | APPROVED |
| Author | Nils Johansson |
| Approved by | Nils Johansson |
This Quality Manual defines the quality management system (QMS) for The Office of Nils Johansson. It establishes the policies, standards, and responsibilities that govern all engineering documentation and deliverables.
This system applies to all work produced under The Office of Nils Johansson, including but not limited to:
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Document Owner | The person who creates and maintains a document. Responsible for accuracy and timely updates. |
| Reviewer | Checks a document for technical accuracy and completeness before approval. |
| Approver | Authorises the document for use. For sole-proprietor operations, this is the owner. |
As a sole-proprietor engineering practice, Nils Johansson holds all three roles by default. When collaborators are involved, review and approval responsibilities should be explicitly assigned and recorded on the document.
Every document has a named owner who is personally responsible for its accuracy and currency. This is always documented in the document header. This explicit personal accountability (drawn from Chinese quality practice) ensures no document exists without clear ownership.
We produce engineering work that is accurate, traceable, and professionally documented. Every document is written clearly enough for someone unfamiliar with the project to understand. We maintain our documentation system not because it’s required, but because good documentation is good engineering.
The JDS documentation is organised in four tiers:
Tier 1: Quality Manual (this document)
↓ Defines the overall system, policies, and principles
Tier 2: Procedures & Standards (JDS-PRO, JDS-QMS series)
↓ Step-by-step instructions for system processes
Tier 3: Templates (JDS-TMP series)
↓ Standardised forms and document formats
Tier 4: Records (RPT, TSH, EXP, LOG, etc.)
Completed documents — the actual work output
All documents are assigned a unique number following the JDS numbering standard (JDS-QMS-001). Numbers are never reused, even if a document is retired.
Documents follow a controlled revision process (JDS-PRO-002):
Every document falls into one of three classification tiers:
| Tier | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Public | May be shared externally without restriction | Blog posts, published articles, open-source code |
| Internal | For internal use only; not for external distribution | Procedures, templates, project documents, quality manual |
| Confidential | Sensitive; restricted distribution | Client-specific data, pricing, personal financial records |
Default classification: Internal. Documents are Internal unless explicitly marked otherwise.
Controlled vs. Uncontrolled Copies: The Git repository (main branch) is always the controlled copy. Anything exported, emailed, or printed is an uncontrolled copy and should be marked accordingly. See JDS-PRO-005 for details.
JDS documents may exist in multiple formats depending on purpose:
| Format | Extension | Use | Controlled Copy? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Markdown | .md |
Primary format for all JDS documents | Yes (Git) |
| Excel | .xlsx |
Timesheets, expense reports, mileage logs — any document requiring formulas | Working copy; markdown template is reference |
.pdf |
Client deliverables, printed copies | No (always marked UNCONTROLLED COPY) | |
| Word | .docx |
Client-facing documents when required | No (markdown is source of truth) |
Rules:
scripts/generate-office-docs.py following JDS visual standardsscripts/md2pdf.py or scripts/md2letter.pyAll current documents are stored in this Git repository. Git provides:
The repository is hosted on GitHub, providing remote backup. Local copies should also be maintained.
Retired and superseded documents are moved to the jds/archive/ folder. They are never deleted — Git never forgets.
DRAFT → REVIEW → APPROVED → [IN USE] → REVISION → APPROVED
↓
SUPERSEDED / RETIRED → ARCHIVE
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| DRAFT | Document is being written. Not for official use. |
| REVIEW | Document is complete and being checked for accuracy. |
| APPROVED | Document is authorised for use. This is the “live” version. |
| SUPERSEDED | A newer revision exists. Kept for reference only. |
| RETIRED | Document is no longer relevant. Moved to archive. |
Every project type has a defined komplekt — the complete set of documents that must exist for the project to be considered finished. This concept, drawn from the Russian ESKD tradition, ensures documentation completeness is defined upfront, not discovered after the fact.
The full komplekt definitions are in JDS-PRO-006.
The principle: A project with an incomplete komplekt is not a finished project, regardless of whether the design or code is done.
The documentation system is maintained using the 5S methodology adapted for document management:
| Step | Application to JDS |
|---|---|
| Sort | Remove unnecessary documents. Retire what’s unused. |
| Set in order | Every document has a defined place and naming convention. |
| Shine | Review documents for accuracy. Fix errors and broken links. |
| Standardise | Use templates consistently. Enforce header and format standards. |
| Sustain | Quarterly audits and annual reviews to maintain discipline. |
The full audit procedure is in JDS-PRO-005.
When making significant changes to any document, record both the previous state and the new state. This continuous improvement practice makes changes visible and reviewable.
In JDS, this is achieved through:
jds/CHANGELOG.md| Objective | Measure |
|---|---|
| All deliverables are documented | Every project has a corresponding document trail |
| Documents are findable | Any document can be located in under 60 seconds via the registry |
| Revisions are traceable | Every change has a recorded reason, date, and author |
| Templates are used consistently | All recurring document types use the standard template |
| System is reviewed regularly | Quarterly 5S audits, annual review of QMS procedures |
| Komplekts are complete | Every finished project has a 100% complete komplekt |
| Documents reflect craftsmanship | Documents are professionally formatted and clear |
The documentation system itself shall be reviewed annually (or after significant changes to the business) to ensure it remains:
Review findings are recorded in a Management Review Report (JDS-RPT series) or as a Git commit.
When nonconformances are found — whether in deliverables, documentation, or processes — they are systematically investigated and corrected using JDS-PRO-008. This procedure satisfies ISO 9001:2015 clause 10.2 and ensures:
Improvements to the system can come from:
All improvement actions are tracked through the revision control process and recorded in the JDS CHANGELOG.
When new tools, methods, or standards are studied and adopted, the learning process is documented:
This practice, drawn from Chinese engineering tradition, builds a compounding knowledge base over time.
JDS is written entirely in English. JDS defines its own terminology and is the authority on how concepts are named within this system.
| JDS Term (authoritative) | Origin | Foreign Term (reference only) |
|---|---|---|
| Active Space | Japanese information design | Ma (間) |
| Compartment Design | Japanese information design | Bento |
| Visual Explanation | Japanese information design | Zukai (図解) |
| Craft Precision | Japanese manufacturing | Monozukuri |
| Complete Document Set | Russian ESKD | Komplekt |
| Ongoing Maintenance Program | Swedish regulation AFS 2017:3 | Fortlöpande Tillsyn (FLT) |
| Supervision Checklist | Swedish regulation AFS 2017:3 | Tillsynsprotokoll |
| Inspection Plan | Swedish regulation AFS 2017:3 | Kontrollplan |
JDS draws on the best practices of many engineering traditions worldwide. By adopting these concepts into English under JDS authority, the system becomes universally accessible while preserving full traceability to its sources.
Documents are not just carriers of information — they are engineered artifacts. The visual presentation of a document is inseparable from its content. JDS follows world-class information design principles, codified in JDS-PRO-007.
Core visual principles:
The quality of your documentation is the visible surface of the quality of your engineering. — Craft Precision principle
When starting a new project, explicitly identify what is reused from previous work versus what is new. Only fully document new elements. Reference previous project documentation for heritage items. This practice, drawn from ISRO’s frugal engineering tradition, can reduce documentation effort by 50–70% on repeat projects.
Implementation: every project README should include a “Heritage” section listing reused elements and their source.
Not all changes deserve the same documentation overhead. JDS uses three tiers, adapted from Embraer’s aerospace practice:
| Tier | Scope | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Safety-Critical | Changes affecting safety, structural integrity, or regulatory compliance | Full revision process (JDS-PRO-002), review, registry update |
| Quality-Affecting | Changes to technical content, calculations, or specifications | Revision with documented rationale |
| Administrative | Typos, formatting, broken links | Git commit with descriptive message, same revision letter |
For projects at the edge of proven experience, explicitly document what you do NOT know. This practice, drawn from Petrobras’ deepwater engineering, prevents the dangerous illusion of complete knowledge.
Knowledge Gaps section: Mandatory for complex or novel projects. Must be non-empty. Lists uncertainties, assumptions, and areas requiring further investigation.
Documentation Confidence Levels (from Baikonur Cosmodrome practice):
| Level | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Verified | Based on direct measurement or physical confirmation |
| Calculated | Based on engineering analysis with verified inputs |
| Estimated | Based on engineering judgment or analogous experience |
| Assumed | Based on assumptions that have not been verified |
Use these to mark critical data points in reports and specifications.
JDS incorporates the best principles from global documentation traditions:
| Principle | Origin | Application |
|---|---|---|
| One page per topic | Toyota A3 / Korean Bogoser | Keep documents focused; split if too long |
| Komplekt completeness | Russian ESKD | Define required documents upfront |
| 5S for documents | Lean manufacturing | Quarterly audit cycle for system health |
| Single source of truth | ISO 9001 / Apple DRI | Main branch = the truth. One owner per document. |
| Self-describing codes | Siemens KKS / ESKD | Document numbers encode type, domain, and sequence |
| Before/After tracking | Continuous improvement | Every change documented with previous and new state |
| Personal accountability | Chinese quality practice | Named owner on every document |
| Risk-based control | ISO 9001:2015 | Safety-critical docs get rigorous review; notes get lighter treatment |
| Craft Precision | JDS principle | The document itself reflects professional pride |
| Lagom | Swedish tradition | Just the right amount of documentation — not too much, not too little |
| Grundlichkeit | German Mittelstand | Document it once, document it completely |
| Heritage reuse | ISRO India | Only fully document what is new; reference previous work |
| Commander’s Intent | Israeli IDF | Every project starts with a clear statement of what success looks like |
| Golden Project | Taiwan TSMC | Designate reference projects; document only deviations for similar work |
| Design vs. As-Found | DNV Classification | Always document both intended state and actual state |
| Zero ambiguity | Swiss precision | A specification should leave nothing to interpretation |
| Horizontal deployment | Samsung Korea | When something goes wrong, ask: where else could this happen? |
| Active Space | JDS information design | White space organises; never fill space for the sake of filling it |
| Lifecycle documentation | NORSOK Norway | Documents follow equipment from cradle to grave |
| Knowledge gaps | Petrobras Brazil | Explicitly document what you don’t know |
| Failure memory | Indian Railways | Maintain a failure register; consult it at every project start |
| Rev | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2026-03-25 | Nils Johansson | Initial release |
| B | 2026-03-25 | Nils Johansson | Added Komplekt concept, 5S document management, classification tiers, before/after tracking, design principles from global best practices, technology absorption, archive structure |
| C | 2026-03-25 | Nils Johansson | Added Information Design (Japanese), Heritage & Reuse (ISRO), Tiered Change Control (Embraer), Knowledge Gaps & Documentation Confidence (Petrobras/Baikonur), expanded design principles table with 21 principles from 15+ global traditions |
| D | 2026-03-25 | Nils Johansson | Added Corrective Action section (§13) with reference to JDS-PRO-008, ISO 9001:2015 clause 10.2 alignment |
| E | 2026-03-25 | Nils Johansson | Added Language Policy (§15). All foreign loan words replaced with JDS-owned English terms. Added Supported File Formats (§6.4) — Excel, PDF, Word alongside Markdown. Sections renumbered. |