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Writing Clear Processes and Procedures |
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2 days
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Kathleen Mohn, Barry Mohn, Janet Bailey
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In this two-day program, participants learn the key steps of the writing process, with emphasis on how they apply to Writing Clear Policies and Procedures.
- Planning your document in minutes, considering users and categories of information
- Formatting according to purpose, audience, and industry standards
- Free-writing your ideas for ease of writing
- Editing for clarity and correctness
- Proofreading for perfection
Participants also learn to:
- Differentiate between policies and procedures and know when to write either
- Overcome writer’s block
- Master a logical process for writing clear, direct, and succinct policies and procedures.
- Target policies and procedures to project topic; requirements and conditions; and audience needs.
- Apply key tips and techniques to achieve readability and retention of information.
- Increase awareness of how plain English, clear syntax, and use of the imperative can make procedures readable, firm, and direct.
Before the class session, participants submit sample documents that the instructor evaluates and uses to tailor the course to the participants' needs.
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Although the topics may change with the evaluation of a client’s sample documents, here is a general program outline:
1. Review of Basics Related to Policies and Procedures
2. Steps to Effective Writing, Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
of Procedures:
a. Brainstorming and organizing your thoughts to write an
actual policy or procedure
* Clustering to cut writing time, group items,
and develop headings
* Using “to” phrases to stay directed
* Checking the five Ws to cover your bases
b. Ordering your ideas for typical policy or procedure
c. Free-writing your ideas
* Using a plain-English style
* Capturing ideas without editing
* Checking for specific language, avoiding evasive
vocabulary
d. Reviewing policies and procedures for clarity, usability,
and conciseness
* Making sense, using Ten Tips for writing easily
understood procedures and processes.
* Knowing standard flowchart symbols for multiple-step
procedures.
* Evaluating policy or procedure against three criteria
* Writing complete sentences, using the imperative for
procedures to sound firm and direct
* Avoiding wordy phrases
* Incorporating parallel structure for easy reading
* Applying the Flesch-Kincaid Index to target Levels 6-9
* Improving readability with five font and formatting tips
* Punctuating for clarity
e. Proofreading for perfection—Two foolproof techniques
3. Final Exercise: Apply workshop concepts to reviewing a
procedure
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