Policies and Procedures 1995 PIC Meeting  

This session is intended for those interested in (a) policies and procedures as a subject, (b) networking with others concerned with policies and procedures, (c) learning about this PIC, (d) influencing the direction of this PIC, or (e) listening, commenting, or volunteering. The first portion of the meeting will briefly review the PIC's history, mission, membership, budget, teams, goals, and progress. The second portion will be open to discuss new business.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>Policies and Procedures

Policies and Procedures 1996 PIC Meeting  

This session is intended for those interested in (a) policies and procedures as a subject, (b) networking with others concerned with policies and procedures, (c) learning about this PIC, (d) influencing the direction of this PIC, or (e) listening, commenting, or volunteering. The first portion of the meeting will briefly review the PIC's history, mission, membership, budget, teams, goals, and progress. The second portion will be open to discuss new business.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Writing>Policies and Procedures>Technical Writing

Assessing the Maturity Grade of Policies and Procedures Programs  

Policies and Procedures (P and P) refers to the types of communication about an organization’s internal operating practices. A P and P program refers to the context in which an organization develops and manages its P and P communications. Because a P and P program is an on-going investment, its role and value to an organization should be assessed. A P and P program must provide performance-based communication, using performancebased means, for an organization that is performance oriented. Urgo and Associates devised a model to assess the maturity of P and P programs. The model consists of a questionnaire and matrix that work together in measuring and describing four grades (levels) of maturity according to five functions commonly found in P and P programs.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Management>Policies and Procedures

Review: Best Practices in Policies and Procedures  

Page's book makes the first attempt to open the door to examples of tables of contents of P&P from a variety of organizations. He also makes an admirable attempt to position and show the P&P analyst/writer as more than a scribe, as a leader who adds value by formulating best P&P practices in collaboration with others for their organization.

Urgo, Raymond E. Technical Communication Online (2003). Articles>Reviews>Documentation>Policies and Procedures

Contracting and Consulting for Policies and Procedures Engagements  

As the number of persons employed by some U.S. organizations declined since the late 1980s, so have employment opportunities for Policies & Procedures (P&P) practitioners. During this period, the number of contractors and consultants has increased to meet the needs of newly changed organizations. A useful way for P&P practitioners to learn how they can provide contracting and consulting services is to understand three roles in leveraging such services: an extra pair of hands, expert, and collaborator.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Business Communication>Policies and Procedures>Technical Writing

Designing Policies and Procedures Information  

The policies and procedures (P&P) developer must address more than format and style issues in designing policies and procedures information. There are at least five levels of design for policies and procedures information. Level 1 concerns the architecture in which the information resides. Level 2 concerns the type of relationship that exists among documents within the architecture. Level 3 concerns the approach used in designing and developing the information content within a policies and procedures document. Level 4 concerns the writing methods to use. Level 5 concerns the various writing techniques for presenting information in units individually and collectively within a policies and procedures document.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Documentation>Policies and Procedures

Flowcharting Performance-Based Processes and Procedures  

This session distinguishes between analytical- and performance-based flowcharting of process and procedures. The session will present why, how, and when flowcharting is considered superior to text alone, along with defining flowcharts and symbols. The session distinguishes between processes and procedures and the various styles, formats, and trends that have developed historically primarily due to different origins, purposes, and technologies. The session also presents recommended standards for creating flowcharts, and addresses issues on tools, training, and trends.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Project Management>Planning>Workflow

Flowcharting Processes and Procedures  

This discussion offers participants an overview of what process and procedure flowchorting is in the technical communication's universe of charting. The discussion distinguishes between information for “process” verses “procedure” and from other types of information. The discussion presents standards for using basic symbols and assembling them for effective and efficient communication design. The discussion presents various styles and formats for presenting process and procedures flowcharts, along with tools and techniques for creating and using flowcharts.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1994). Design>Graphic Design>Charts and Graphs

Forming a Policies and Procedures Professional Interest Committe  

This session offers participants an opportunity to learn and contribute ideas about forming a policies and procedures professional interest committee (PIC) within STC. The presenter defines 'policies and procedures' and its growing importance in industry. Represents STC’s requirements for forming a PIC. He proposes a mission statement, goals, objectives, and activities for having this PIC. Participants comment on and volunteer for making this PIC a success.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Collaboration>TC>STC

Marketable Skills for the Policies and Procedures Professional  

Changes in the economy and within organizations continue to require that demonstrated value be produced from the labor force. In order for policies and procedures (P&P) professionals to demonstrate how their work adds value to an organization, they need to develop and diversify their skill set to be more accessible and valuable in the services they provide.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>Documentation>Policies and Procedures

Who Should Document Organizational Policies and Procedures?  

Senior-level managers in organizations often over- or underestimate the role employees should take in documenting policies and procedures (P&P) on their operating practices. Solutions to this challenge include engaging the talents of a P&P writer, having stakeholders participate in a P&P information development process, and training employees in P&P writing skills.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>Documentation>Workplace

Defining Policies and Procedures: Three Perspectives

Most people, including P&P practitioners, define P&P on a micro level, primarily because they have not considered other perspectives. Here are three perspectives about policies and procedures by which you can think, speak, and act in today’s workplace.

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Documentation>Policies and Procedures

What’s Causing the Popularity of Policies and Procedures?

What’s causing the buzz of interest in P&P? Here are five trends that contribute to the growing popularity.

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Documentation>Policies and Procedures>History

Exodus of “Baby Boom” Generation Increases Need for Policies and Procedures

For many years, employee retirement was considered a normal part of attrition. Today, however, that attrition is becoming a major concern in organizations. In the United States alone, the so-called “baby boomer” generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) has already begun retiring. This concern is one for which policies and procedures (P&P) communication is being called to the rescue.

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Documentation>Policies and Procedures

Forgotten Media for Communicating Policies and Procedures

Mention the words, “media for communicating policies and procedures (P&P),” and most people automatically think of printed bound manuals or binders, electronic document files on a server or intranet, or content on a Web site. Although these media are popular and often formal in nature, let’s not forget that there are other types of media that organizations may use to communicate their P&P.

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Communication>Policies and Procedures

Policies and Procedures Writer, Analyst, or Subject Matter Expert: Who Do We Need?

Who should you contract to update an outdated policies and procedures manual–subject matter expert or a policy and procedure writer?

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Writing>Policies and Procedures>SMEs

Compliance and Ethics Cause Need for Policies and Procedures Communicatioin

Increasing competition, generational differences, widespread social awareness, and customer demand for higher quality products and services make it necessary to ensure that the right protections are in place. Other reasons for the increased attention include the numerous reports of corporate scandals and corruption, along with ensuing legislative regulations in today’s global economy. This article describes some of the specific causes.

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Documentation>Policies and Procedures>Ethics

Providing Job-Based Policies and Procedures that Support Compliance Requirements

Organizations develop policies and procedures to support industry certification and compliance requirements. Unfortunately, companies often develop P&P information that is not helpful to all employees who must use the information. In fact, one study found that 40 percent of U.S. companies failed ISO certification because of problems with unclear or missing P&P documentation, resulting in wasted time, money, and effort.

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Documentation>Standards>Policies and Procedures

Tips for Presenting Ethics Practices

Because the nature of ethics information is highly abstract and related to integrity, it is based upon judgment and therefore subject to varying interpretations by employees. To increase common understanding and consistent interpretations, the use of language, choice of words, sentence formation, and presentation style are important.

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Presentations>Ethics>Policies and Procedures

Auditing and Enforcing Compliance with Policies and Procedures: Who Is Responsible?

Auditing and enforcing compliance with P&P content should not be the responsibility of a P&P group or included in the job description of a P&P practitioner. However, the charter or job description may state that P&P practitioners are responsible for supporting compliance efforts.

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Documentation>Standards>Policies and Procedures

Policies and Procedures Communication Becoming More Suitable for Learning

Three workplace trends are driving policies and procedures (P&P) communication to be more suitable for learning than classroom training: changing workforce needs; e-content availability; and changing organizational needs.

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Policies and Procedures>Education

Policies and Procedures for Training and Reference: One Source?

Should an organization maintain two sets of policies and procedure (P&P) information—one that is developed for training and another that is developed for on-going reference?

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Documentation>Business Communication>Policies and Procedures

Reducing Employee Reading Time to Follow Policies & Procedures

How can we reduce the amount of time needed for employees to read instructions, so they can easily follow procedures? Is there a way to layout the procedure and the supplementary information so it is not intertwined?

Urgo, Raymond E. The Policies & Procedures Authority (2009). Articles>Documentation

Drawing the Line Between Analyzing and Performing Organizational Practices

How prepared are you, as a policies and procedures (P&P) professional, to draw the line if you are asked to change hats from your analyst role to the role of performing the tasks of the organizational practices you are documenting?

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2009). Articles>Workplace>Policies and Procedures>Professionalism

Understanding the Organizational Context to Develop Valuable Policies & Procedures

As a policies and procedures (P&P) practitioner, do you delve into P&P content development projects without a clear understanding of the organizational context? Astute P&P practitioners add more than documentation skills to assignments--they apply an understanding of the organizational context from three perspectives.

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2009). Articles>Workplace>Organizational Communication>Policies and Procedures