There is no answer for the best format for policies and procedures. It depends on a number of things.
Beginning to Determine Format
The format depends on your audience, material, and management. However, if you are writing policies and procedures for an outside licensing, accreditation, or regulatory body, you may not have a format choice.
Format and Audience: Figure out who your audience is because certain formats work better for certain audiences (i.e. flowcharts for engineers).
Format and Material: Your information should narrow your format options (i.e. safety procedures require absolute clarity, therefore, your format should be clear, distinct, and make the material easily understandable). The Format Options Chart (5-1) gives general guidelines for which formats to use with which types of material).
Format and Management: If you want a format that management is not comfortable with, make sure to explain it and present your reasons for choosing it.
Deciding on Page Layout
The page layout gives readers basic information about the policy or procedure, such as title, number, or effective date; it also identifies information that is critical to proper use. The amount and types of information you standardize in your page layout is up to you. The goal is to keep it simple so the standardized information that doesn’t detract attention from the policy or procedure itself. Readers should be able to scan the page layout quickly, and then focus immediately on the body of the text.
Choosing Among Format Options
Once you decided on page layout, you need to choose a format for the main text. You have several options: narrative, outline, playscript, or flowchart. You also have secondary format options: question and answer, troubleshooting, matrix table, and list. Once you choose a primary format, you need to use it throughout your document.
Using Primary Formats
The following are brief descriptions of primary formats, which are the mainstay of the document.
Narrative: standard sentence-and-paragraph style. Usually single column of unbroken print running from left to right on page. Two-column formats are also common. Used more often for policies than procedures. Not effective with complex, difficult, or lengthy material.
Outline: variation of standard narrative. Text is separated into distinctly shorter sections and subsections, all labeled. Section identified with numbers, letters, or an alphanumeric combination. Can be used widely. Used in both policies and procedures. Logical and easy to follow.
Playscript: Excellent for procedures that involve more than one person or department. In its simplest form, playscript has two columns. The first column tells who’s responsible, and the second describes what’s required. The steps in the second column are in sequence. This form can be adapted. Playscripting’s visual clarity makes it remarkably fast and easy to find information. Highly recommended for any procedure with more than on actor or responsible party. Not appropriate for policies.
Flowchart: a diagram of a process, which uses symbols and arrows to indicate flow and action. Commonly used in procedures than in policies, but can be used in either. Danger of flowcharts is that they can become cluttered and hard to read.
Using the Secondary Formats
Secondary formats are those that are used as inserts inside the primary format. They can stand on their own as primary formats in some highly specialized documents. There are four secondary formats: question and answer, troubleshooting (or help), matrix table, and lists. These formats summarize, clarify, or expand, on the information in the body of the text.
Question and Answer: used in both policies and procedures. Address items that are particular concern to readers. Sections simulate a personal conversation-worded informally. Good places to address the concerns you know readers have about the policies and procedures.
Troubleshooting: also called help sections and sometimes reference sections. Used primarily in procedures. Deal with breakdowns or exceptions. Often presented in chart format, where each problem is listed individually along with solution.
Matrix Table: connect one variable to a second variable. Excellent format to use when readers need to refer repeatedly to the information periodically over time. Eliminates the need for constant rereading and searching. Have wide application.
List: lists break the denseness of the printed page and let the eye skim quickly. Reader gets impression of information relatively easy to grasp and use. Main purpose is to shorten, organize, and clarity.
Combing Formats
All different formats are often combined and these combinations can be very effective. However, do not randomly or excessively change formats, because this can create a consistency problem.
Experiments and Hybrids
None of these formats is sacrosanct. Experiment with them, modify them, and adapt them to your needs. You can combine virtually any format option with any other option.
Thanks for reading our chapter summary! Gary and Jennifer
13 comments:
Which format option do I prefer?
I like using the question-and-answer secondary format to clarify main points. Knowing the reader/user and anticipating questions allows the writer to establish focus on key ideas.
Where do I use question-and-answer format?
I have used the question-and-answer format on informal communication (email and online course notes) and on formal communication (procedures/instructions).
Although the above format is a bit "tongue in cheek," I do find the technique effective. Like any good communication tool, however, overuse could have the opposite effect.
I use a lot of templates at work. I spend a considerable amount of time designing one in the correct format (depending on what the purpose of the document is) and then I make sure I keep that template, revising and updating once in awhile. Also, I need to make sure that the chosen format still adheres with the company document regulations (as of now, tehre are not too many, yet).
This chapter is a good resource for formatting. I found myself picturing the different styles I could use for each of my projects in this class. If doing a project on my own without reading this, I would never have thought about creating a flowchart, but I think it's a great tool. I don't think I will be able to use it for any of my projects in this class, but I will have to remember to try it when I have an appropriate document sometime.
I thought this chapter had a lot of good, practical advice and really appreciated the insights it gave on formatting. To the best of my knowledge, I have not encountered the playscript format before, so it was very interesting reading about that and how it can best be employed. I was also not as familiar with the uses of the matrix format, so that was also very good advice. I found the sections on combining the different formats to be useful, particularly the cautions they give on combining certain formats.
I have always chosen the formatting I use by "feel" -- that is, what feels right to me. I've used all types of formatting, but typically that has depended on the type of material. I haven't really considered the type of user before. Now I'll know better!
It's odd that Campbell states that the secondary formats can sometimes stand on their own as primary formats, but that that usage "is relatively infrequent." FAQs--one of the most ubiquitous documentation tools on the Internet--consist entirely of the question and answer format. Similarly, many software products boil down a good portion of their online help to procedure lists (including Microsoft Office products). Perhaps she was referring purely to the policies and procedures realm of documentation?
Also, thinking about flowcharts, these seem to be disfavored of late because the idea is that lay people are scared of them. This may be somewhat untrue, however. I seem to recall examples of "fun"-looking if/then documentation with cartoony graphical design that are essentially dressed-up flowcharts. There's nothing inherently scary about flowcharts--maybe it's all those diamonds, rectangles, and rhombuses that freak people out.
Once again very straight forward and useful chapter by Campbell. I have used some of the formats the textbook is talking such as question-and-answer format.
Being new to the technical communication field I find this information very useful. When my group discussed the procedures project last week I took another look at the chapter 5 to see what format could work the best. Helpful resource.
Another informative chapter from Campbell. It's difficult to say if one format is superior to another. Again, the audience dictates the preferred format. I thought the playscript idea was interesting. With all the derivations for the playscript format it seems to have a variety of useful scenarios. For instance, in a large organization where multiple departments have a stake in a procedure the format would seem to be beneficial.
I think the most beneficial information to take from the chapter centered on the notion that most formats require concise wording. It seems almost cliche, but too often the untrained writer loses sight of the importance of keeping things tight and clean.
I was a bit surprised by the breakdown of the primary and secondary formats. I'm especially surprised that Q&As are considered a secondary format because I see them so often on their own, especially online. I wonder if this is because the Internet lends itself to more of a quick, problem-solving format rather than long narratives.
I have used a couple of the formats that were listed. My favorite is the outline. I am using that currently to outline my APP, it keeps me on track and I know what I need to do next.
I've used the flow charts numerous times for scientific assignments and procedures. It was useful in getting from point A to point B and filling in the steps in between.
This textbook is quite a helpful tool that I know that I will pull out as a reference in the future. The straight forward approach with the inclusion of useful tools and checklists at the end of each chapter is truly useful, and this chapter was no exception. I find myself pulling this book out with each assignment that I am working on and thumbing through it to get ideas for improvement.
I have to say - there are times when I definitely have major issues with format. I've written for a software company and now write for a medical company, and what I'm currently working on right now mirrors what I did for the software company exactly, however, I can't decide if the same format, word choices and verbage are still correct to use in this manner.
I even notice in the meetings with the two women responsible for the program I am documenting, one of them prefers things one way while the other prefers them another. This makes things pretty difficult from time to time, but I think I just have to go with my gut instinct and follow what I think the users would have the easiest time following.
I actualy have some experience with layout and format. With the Minnesota English Journal, the format has basically stayed the same for years. This last fall, I was interested in making some minor changes, such as title typeface and alignment.
The typeface traditionally being used actually has a funny story to it. It was at one time a font that was available on the system the document was created on. Somewhere down the line, however, the system was updated or swapped out, and that font was no longer on the newer system. Well, what this did was change that font to the font known as "default"! I made some suggestions as to what font would be a good replacement, but it was shot down for God knows what reason!
I also made some adjustments to alignment. Previous designers had not used guides to keep everything consistent in its placement. This resulted in some ugly layouts. I explained the reasons as to why this needed to be changed, and it was accepted!
So I can understand what the author is saying when it is said that it is important to let the organization know what you want to do regarding updates/changes. It is never a good idea to say something as simple as, "I made the some changes. Here they are." You have to explain what you did and why you did it, as well as why it's an improvement. Even if your idea is ultimately shot down, at least you worked your expertise into what you were doing.
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