I think JoCam is on the money. The bottom line is "does the note/memo/whatever" affect product quality, therefore requireing control. My experience is that most notes I see DO affect product quality. Extrusion temperatures, packing notes, bend angles, etc. and yes, different notes by different operators. Frequently changes do occur, and must flow down to the operator. When the operator ignores the intsructions and runs off his own notes, he breaks the chain of communication. We go from a controlled document to an uncontrolled one. Here, every operator has a binder with specific instructions for each job. Every page of that binder is a controlled document, directly affecting product quality. Every process needed to complete the product is spelled out in this binder, (there is a binder for every job). To add personal notes to this circumvents the control, and leaves us wondering what went wrong with the process, when really nothing went wrong, the process wasnt followed.