Writing Effective Policies and Procedures : A Step-By-Step Resource for Clear Communication

Introduction xi(2) Acknowledgments xiii 1 What's a Policy, What's Procedure? 1(14) Why You Need Policies and Procedures 1(1) Policies 1(2) Procedures 3(2) When You Need Policies and Procedures 5(3) Written vs. Unwritten 8(2) What to Include in Policies and Procedures 10(2) Manuals and Handbooks 12(1) Chapter Summary 13(2) Tools and Resources for Chapter 1 15(11) 1-1: Summary Comparison of Policies and Procedures 17(3) 1-2: Subjectivity Checklist 20(2) 1-3: Common Topics-Health and Safety 22(1) 1-4: Common Topics-Personnel 23(1) 1-5: Common Topics-Administrative 24(2) 1-6: Level of Detail Checklist 26(1) 2 Where Do I Start? 26(17) The Four Steps of Development 26(15) Step 1: Planning 27(3) Step 2: Analysis 30(4) Step 3: Research 34(3) Step 4: Prewriting 37(4) Chapter Summary 41(2) Tools and Resources for Chapter 2 43(14) 2-1: Development Summary 45(1) 2-2: Planning Tip Sheet 46(2) 2-3: Sample Scheduling Form 48(1) 2-4: Analysis Tip Sheet 49(2) 2-5: Research Tip Sheet 51(1) 2-6: Sample Interview Note Form 52(1) 2-7: Prewriting Tip Sheet 53(2) 2-8: Mind-Mapping Instruction Sheet 55(2) 3 Isn't There a Law Somewhere? 57(12) A Basic Overview 57(1) What You Can and Will Be Sued For 58(1) Types of Violations 59(5) Disclaimers 64(1) The Necessity of Updating 64(1) Manuals vs. Handbooks 65(1) What the Courts Want You to Do 66(1) How to Protect Yourself 67(1) Chapter Summary 68(1) Tools and Resources for Chapter 3 69(13) 3-1: Legal Tip Sheet 71(6) 3-2: Implied Contracts on a State-by-State Basis 77(1) 3-3: Sample Disclaimers 78(1) 3-4: Sample Employment-at-Will Statements 79(1) 3-5: Sample Acknowledgment Statements 80(1) 3-6: Samples of Discretionary Wording 81(1) 4 What's the Best Way to Word This? 82(19) Technical vs. Narrative Writing 82(1) The Old Rules 83(1) The New Rules 83(1) Being a Word Miser 84(5) Being a Word Master 89(2) Developing a Rhythm 91(1) Being Correct 92(1) Considering the Reader 93(3) Using Special Techniques for Procedures 96(3) Chapter Summary 99(2) Tools and Resources for Chapter 4 101(33) 4-1: Wording Tip Sheet 103(12) 4-2: List of Wordy Phrases 115(1) 4-3: List of Redundancies 116(1) 4-4: List of Transition Words and Phrases 117(1) 4-5: List of Problem Words 118(2) 4-6: Guidelines on Misplacement 120(2) 4-7: Guidelines for Avoiding Sexist Language 122(2) 4-8: Formula for Calculating Reading Level 124(2) 4-9: List of Words That Turn People Off 126(3) 4-10: Guidelines for Avoiding Negativity 129(3) 4-11: Verb Bank 132(1) 4-12: Formula for Calculating Readability in Procedures 133(1) 5 Is There a Certain Format I Should Use? 134(21) Beginning to Determine Format 134(2) Deciding on Page Layout 136(2) Choosing Among Format Options 138(1) Using the Primary Formats 139(4) Using the Secondary Formats 143(7) Combining Formats 150(1) Experiments and Hybrids 150(3) Chapter Summary 153(2) Tools and Resources for Chapter 5 155(50) 5-1: Format Options Chart 157(1) 5-2: Page Layout Tip Sheet 158(6) 5-3: Narrative Tip Sheet 164(4) 5-4: Outline Tip Sheet 168(5) 5-5: Playscript Tip Sheet 173(7) 5-6: Flowchart Tip Sheet 180(9) 5-7: Question and Answer Tip Sheet 189(3) 5-8: Troubleshooting Tip Sheet 192(3) 5-9: Matrix Table Tip Sheet 195(6) 5-10: List Tip Sheet 201(4) 6 How Do I Get Them to Read This? 205(16) Setting the Stage 205(1) Hooking Them 206(1) Creating Visual Appeal 207(1) Avoiding Visual Clutter 207(3) Designing for Visual Appeal 210(1) Why the Elements Work 210(5) The Importance of Chunking 215(3) Being Consistent 218(1) Chapter Summary 219(2) Tools and Resources for Chapter 6 221(10) 6-1: Design Tip Sheet 223(8) 7 What's the Secret to Creating Good Manuals and Handbooks? 231(12) What to Put in a Manual or Handbook 231(1) The Design Elements 232(4) The Production Elements 236(4) Distribution Issues 240(1) Chapter Summary 241(2) Tools and Resources for Chapter 7 243(21) 7-1: Table of Contents Tip Sheet 245(3) 7-2: List of Illustrations Tip Sheet 248(1) 7-3: List of Forms Tip Sheet 249(2) 7-4: Introduction Tip Sheet 251(2) 7-5: Glossary Tip Sheet 253(2) 7-6: Appendix Tip Sheet 255(2) 7-7: Index Tip Sheet 257(3) 7-8: Production Tip Sheet 260(2) 7-9: Sample Distribution Form 262(1) 7-10: Sample Log Form 263(1) 8 Did I Forget Anything? 264(15) Creating a Perfect Document 264(2) Verification 266(1) Validation 267(1) Editing 268(2) Proofreading 270(3) Approval 273(3) The Critical Decision: Who Reviews? 276(1) Chapter Summary 277(2) Tools and Resources for Chapter 8 279(18) 8-1: Verification Tip Sheet 281(2) 8-2: Validation Tip Sheet 283(3) 8-3: Editing Tip Sheet 286(2) 8-4: Proofreading Tip Sheet 288(2) 8-5: Sample Approval Form 290(1) 8-6: "Unoffical" Approvers Analysis Form 291(2) 8-7: Approval Tip Sheet 293(1) 8-8: Guidelines for Using Multiple Reviewers 294(1) 8-9: Guidelines for Reviewing Your Own Work 295(2) 9 No One Ever Told Me About That 297(8) How to Notify Users 297(4) What to Put in Your Notice 301(1) Special Cases 302(1) Notifying Managers First 302(1) Multiple Notices 303(1) Chapter Summary 303(2) Tools and Resources for Chapter 9 305(13) 9-1: Notification Tip Sheet 307(4) 9-2: Sample Transmittal Memo 311(2) 9-3: Sample Transmittal Form 313(1) 9-4: Meeting Work Plan 314(4) 10 But That's Not the Way We've Always Done It 318(11) Don't Give Up 318(1) Dealing With Resistance 319(2) Grace Periods 321(1) Delivering Bad News 322(2) Here Comes Trouble 324(2) When the Writer Is the Resister 326(1) Chapter Summary 327(2) Tools and Resources for Chapter 10 329(14) 10-1: Resistance Tip Sheet 331(4) 10-2: Guidelines for Delivering Bad News 335(2) 10-3: Guidelines for Receptivity 337(2) 10-4: Guidelines on Resistance Factors 339(4) 11 We Haven't Used That Procedure in Years 343(14) When to Revise 343(5) When Not to Revise 348(1) How Much to Revise 348(1) How to Revise 349(1) How to Clarify the Changes 350(3) How to Hold Users Responsible 353(3) Chapter Summary 356(1) Tools and Resources for Chapter 11 357(15) 11-1: Sample Review Schedule Form 359(1) 11-2: Sample Review Planning Form 360(1) 11-3: Revision Tip Sheet 361(4) 11-4: Sample Notice of Policy/Procedure Discrepancy Form 365(1) 11-5: Sample Input Form 366(1) 11-6: Sample Revision Record Form 367(1) 11-7: Sample Acknowledgment of Revision Form 368(1) 11-8: Sample Action Memo 369(1) 11-9: Sample Revision Service Form 370(1) 11-10: Sample Revision Index Form 371(1) 12 We're Thinking About Going On-Line 372(9) What It Means to Go On-Line 372(1) The Advantages and Disadvantages of Going On-Line 373(3) The Case of External Users 376(2) Designing an On-Line System 378(1) Chapter Summary 378(3) Tools and Resources for Chapter 12 381(8) 12-1: On-Line Tip Sheet 383(6) Index 389