The Practical Guide to People-Friendly Documentation

Adrienne Escoe

Description

This innovative guide brings together practical solutions to the documentation challenges faced by today's organizations. From company policies and desk instructions to Baldrige and the ISO 9000 requirements, it applies a customer and quality-based systems approach to streamlining and managing your documentation system. This second edition is an organized toolbox of powerful methodology and metrics that shows companies how to steer clear of cumbersome and obsolete documentation and gives numerous examples of the tremendous opportunities - and pitfalls - presented by technology such as the Internet and web-based documentation management software.
The Society for Technical Communication (STC) awarded this book the Touchstone 2001 award.

Sujets

• Business
• Qualité, hygiène, sécurité, environnement
• Operations Management
• Production Management
• Gestion et management
• Economics

Informations

• Publié par: ASQ Quality Press
• Date de parution: 30 juin 2001
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781636940502
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

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Adrienne Escoe

The Practical Guide to People-Friendly Documentation

The Practical Guide to People-Friendly Documentation

Also Available from ASQ Quality Press

ISO 9000:2000 Documentation: Quality Manual and Operational Procedures Jack Kanholm

ISO 9000:2000 for Small and Medium Businesses Herb Monnich

Interpreting ISO 9001:2000 with Statistical Methodology By James L. Lamprecht

ISO 9001:2000 Explained, Second Edition Joseph J. Tsiakals, Charles A. Cianfrani, and John E. (Jack) West

ISO 9000:2000 Quick Reference Jeanne Ketola and Kathy Roberts

ISO Lesson Guide 2000: Pocket Guide to Q9001:2000, Second Edition Dennis Arter and J. P. Russell

ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q9000:2000 Series Quality Standards

The Practical Guide to People-Friendly Documentation

Adrienne Escoe

ASQ Quality Press Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Practical Guide to People-Friendly Documentation Adrienne Escoe

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Escoe, Adrienne. The practical guide to people-friendly documentation / Adrienne Escoe.—2nd ed. p. cm. Rev. ed. of: Nimble documentation : the practical guide for world-class organizations / Adrienne Escoe. c1998. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-87389-504-5 (alk. paper) 1. Quality control—Documentation. I. Escoe, Adrienne. Nimble documentation. II. Title. TS156 .E79 2001 658.5'62—dc21 2001040180 © 2001 by ASQ

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN 0-87389-504-5

Acquisitions Editor: Annemieke Koudstaal Project Editor: Craig S. Powell Production Administrator: Gretchen Trautman Special Marketing Representative: Denise Cawley

ASQ Mission: The American Society for Quality advances individual and organizational performance excellence worldwide by providing opportunities for learning, quality improvement, and knowledge exchange.

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Dedication

To Anastasia, Annalisa, and Sebastian and the joy of Grace.

Good keeps on happening.

Contents

Tables, Figures, and Checklists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Foreword to the Second Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Foreword to the First Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preface to the Second Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preface to the First Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Part I Need Chapter 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nimbleness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 2 Zero-Based Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customers and Other Sources of Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Litmus Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Streamlining Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Part II Implementation Chapter 3 Hierarchy, Structure, Format, and Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hierarchy and Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 4 Usability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Usability Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Readability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Web Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Internationalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Presentation Slides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 5 Electronic Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Information Management and Knowledge Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Standardization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Electronic Document Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . System Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ix xi xiii xv xvii xix

3 3 7 7 9 9 14 18

33 34 38 57 63 64 65 70 77 78 81 82 83 85 87

vii

viii

Contents

E-mail Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Case for Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 6 Measured Improvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customer Satisfaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zero Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Currentness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cycle Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cost: The Iceberg Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Part III Application Chapter 7 Quality Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANSI/ ISO/ASQ Q9001-2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Baldrige Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Six Sigma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total Quality Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 8 Other Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Employee Handbooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . User Manuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Safety Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ISO 14001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Additional Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 9 Documentation Relatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Approval and Digital Signatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 10 Documentation Center of Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Characteristics of a Documentation COE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outsourcing and Insourcing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Self-Directed Teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roles and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Part IV Information Tools Appendix A Performance Criteria for Policies and Procedures Writers and Editors . . . . Appendix B Performance Criteria for Policies and Procedures Word Processing and Secretarial Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appendix C Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

94 97 99 100 101 106 108 110 111

117 118 130 132 134

137 138 140 141 145 150

153 154 160 163

171 172 175 179 180 189 190 192 193

199

203 207 207 209 215 217

Tables,

Tables Table 2.1 Table 2.2 Table 3.1 Table 3.2 Table 3.3 Table 7.1

Table 7.2

Table 8.1 Table 9.1 Table 9.2 Table 9.3 Table 9.4

Figures Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2 Figure 2.1 Figure 2.2 Figure 2.3 Figure 2.4 Figure 2.5 Figure 2.6 Figure 2.7 Figure 2.8 Figure 3.1 Figure 3.2 Figure 3.3 Figure 3.4 Figure 3.5 Figure 3.6 Figure 3.7 Figure 3.8 Figure 3.9 Figure 3.10 Figure 3.11 Figure 3.12 Figure 3.13

Figures,

and

Checklists

Five sources of need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Proposed directives hierarchy, structure, and format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hierarchy of quality system documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basic hierarchy for corporate documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Considerations for selecting procedure formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANSI/ ISO/ASQ Q9001-2000 clauses that specify or imply data, documentation, and records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Examples of Baldrige Award criteria and documentation requirements and implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ISO 14001 requirements and implications for documentation and records . . . . . Sample legal research index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sample legal group file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sample records retention schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sample records listing with retention periods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The thud test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chronology of. .The Practical Guide to People-Friendly Documentation Theanykey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customer service feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Write for the Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .bumper sticker Producing zero-based documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Announcement to publicize and promote the streamlining initiative . . . . . Self-stick notepad giveaways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Promotional tent cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preliminary documentation improvement implementation schedule . . . . . Useful policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Example of a streamlined company policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sample hard copy procedures table of contents or online menu . . . . . . . Example A of plain vanilla (or narrative) procedure format . . . . . . . . . Example B of plain vanilla (or narrative) procedure format . . . . . . . . . Example of play script procedure format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Example of modular procedure format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Example of nonstructured and nonmodular plain vanilla format . . . . . . . Example of structured modular format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Example of flowchart format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Process map example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ABC forms management system operating procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . The passive writing path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13 23 34 35 49

122

132 147 155 156 156 157

4 8 10 12 14 20 21 21 22 27 36 36 37 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 47 54 60

ix