Smart Home Documentation Standard
What every Smart Citizens project must document, in what format, and where it lives for the next ten years.
The essentials
- Every project generates a standard document set
- All artefacts stored in the Smart Citizens portal, indexed by site
- Customer receives a printable runbook at handover
- Every document is bilingual for customer-facing content
Purpose
Ensure institutional memory of every install survives staff changes and passes to the customer in usable form.
Scope
All Smart Citizens residential and commercial deliveries.
Design principles
Principle 1
Single source of truth — the portal, not a personal drive
Principle 2
Bilingual for customer-facing content
Principle 3
Machine-readable where possible (CSV, JSON) alongside PDF
Principle 4
Versioned with the same tag as the site controller
Engineering requirements
Engineering requirements
- Standard folder structure per site
- PDF + source file for every drawing
- CSV for every device inventory
- Bilingual customer runbook
- Handover certificate signed by owner
Best practices
Templates
Templates: Use only the approved Smart Citizens templates
Naming
Naming: Files follow site-code_document-code_YYYY-MM-DD.ext
Access
Access: Owner and property manager receive portal accounts at handover
Installation workflow
Installation workflow
How it works
1. Create site folder
Provision the portal folder structure from the template.
2. Upload design set
Signed drawings uploaded before mobilisation.
Configuration & programming workflow
Configuration & programming workflow
How it works
1. Populate inventory
Device inventory CSV maintained live during install.
2. Update as-built
Drawings updated within 48 h of any field change.
Commissioning steps
Commissioning steps
How it works
1. Attach evidence
Every commissioning artefact filed under /commissioning.
2. Publish runbook
Bilingual customer runbook generated and reviewed.
Validation checklist
Validation checklist
- All required documents present
- Bilingual runbook uploaded
- Handover certificate signed
- Storing files on a laptop
- Skipping AR runbook
- Un-versioned drawings
Quality assurance checklist
Folder completeness
Every mandatory folder contains its expected artefacts.
Runbook review
Runbook reviewed by an engineer not on the project team.
Acceptance criteria
| Feature | Target | Verification method | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
Portal folder populated | 100% of mandatory documents | Portal audit report | High |
Handover certificate signed | Yes | Owner signature record | High |
Risk matrix
| Feature | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
Documents on a personal drive | Medium | High | Portal-only rule; monthly audit |
Common mistakes & troubleshooting
Troubleshooting tips
How it works
Missing artefact at audit
Regenerate from the site controller export; upload immediately.
Documentation requirements
Documentation requirements
- Installation drawing set (PDF + source)
- Cable schedule (CSV)
- Device inventory (CSV + JSON)
- IP addressing plan
- Commissioning report (PDF)
- Customer runbook (PDF, EN + AR)
- Handover certificate (PDF, signed)
Maintenance timeline
Maintenance timeline
How it works
After every change
Update relevant document within 48 h and re-publish.
Annually
Portal audit to confirm nothing has drifted.
Version & change log
Version 1.0
Approval status: Approved · Effective date: 2026-01-15 · Last revision: 2026-07-08
Author / Reviewer
Author: Smart Citizens Engineering · Reviewer: Dr. Ashraf Nouri
Change log
v1.0 — 2026-07-08
Initial published edition. (Smart Citizens Engineering)
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Does the customer own the documents?
Yes — all customer-facing documents are licensed to the property owner for the life of the system.
Where are the drawings stored?
In the Smart Citizens customer portal under the site's Documents folder.
Smart Citizens Engineering. "Smart Home Documentation Standard." Smart Citizens, 2026-01-15. https://ai.smartcitizens.ae/standards/documentation-standard.
Smart Citizens Engineering (2026). Smart Home Documentation Standard. Smart Citizens. Retrieved 2026-07-23, from https://ai.smartcitizens.ae/standards/documentation-standard
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