http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Policies-and-Procedures A listing of the most recently indexed works about Policies and Procedures in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Policies-and-Procedures http://tc.eserver.org/35662.html http://tc.eserver.org/35662.html The generic term “mergers & acquisitions (M&A)” appeared for the first time at the end of the 19th century in the United States. In times of increased global competition, M&A activities have reached all regions of the world and are not solely concerning large enterprises. However, with many M&A projects never reaching the synergy effects that were expected of them, the successful integration of one company into another remains a challenge. http://tc.eserver.org/35532.html http://tc.eserver.org/35532.html I saw this question posed in a discussion on LinkedIn, and thought that it deserved an answer from an IT Process Automation (ITPA) perspective. One respondent to the question stated it well: "The answer is simple, if there is not a common bond and governance mechanism between process documentation and the technology that is executing the process, the documentation eventually atrophies and collects dust." In my days as an independent ITIL consultant, I found that training and getting personnel to use process as part of their daily routine was at least as difficult as maintaining and updating process documentation. There is a chasm between theory and practice when it comes to process execution. http://tc.eserver.org/35491.html http://tc.eserver.org/35491.html Documentation is important, from the end users to the developers, if you want your project to self sustain, if you want to ease the life of other people, and if you want your project to live a long and prosperous life. People were not in your head (and are not in your head) when you wrote that strange thing. 1-2 years from now you could be working for another company, what would be of other people who are trying to understand what you wrote? How would people easily understand how things work in a complex environment? http://tc.eserver.org/35400.html http://tc.eserver.org/35400.html 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? http://tc.eserver.org/35401.html http://tc.eserver.org/35401.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/35402.html http://tc.eserver.org/35402.html Have you struggled with job position names and titles in your policies and procedures (P&P) content? Here are several style rules to follow. http://tc.eserver.org/35380.html http://tc.eserver.org/35380.html Despite what some people say, rules still apply when it comes to social media. Policies provide structure—for you and for your colleagues/employees. http://tc.eserver.org/35278.html http://tc.eserver.org/35278.html Links to 100 organizational policies about the appropriate (and acceptable) use of social media by their employees. http://tc.eserver.org/35130.html http://tc.eserver.org/35130.html This article discusses public policy writing as a genre of technical communication and, specifically, public policy development as a technological process. It cites DeGregori’s theory of technology to demonstrate the shared invention processes of technology and public policy, the work of public policy scholars to describe the policy-development process, and the work of human—computer interaction scholars to identify cognitive models of public policy development as a technological process. The article concludes with a discussion of e-rulemaking Web sites and the role of technical communicators in creating these blended spaces. http://tc.eserver.org/35026.html http://tc.eserver.org/35026.html The health care reform bill now under consideration in the House of Representatives includes a proposal that certain disclosures in insurance policies be made in “plain language.” Another piece of legislation now being considered by both houses of Congress would likewise require uniform and simplified coverage information, much like what’s required on nutritional labels. These are excellent proposals, but they do not go far enough. Plain-language disclosures of some policy information and consumer-friendly labels are no substitutes for making an entire policy readable. http://tc.eserver.org/34987.html http://tc.eserver.org/34987.html Pedagogical and scholarly representations of collaborative writing and knowledge construction in technical communication have traditionally recognized consensus as the logical outcome of collaborative work, even as scholars and teachers have acknowledged the value of conflict and "dissensus" in the process of collaborative knowledge building. However, the conflict-laden work product of a Denver task force charged with recommending changes to the city police department's use-of-force policy and proposing a process for police oversight retains the collaborative group's dissensus and in doing so, illustrates an alternative method of collaborative reporting that challenges convention. Such an approach demonstrates a dissensus-based method of reporting that has the potential to open new rhetorical spaces for collaborative stakeholders by gainfully extending collaborative conversations and creating new opportunities for ethos development, thus offering scholars, teachers, and practitioners a way of reimagining the trajectory and outcome of collaborative work. http://tc.eserver.org/34451.html http://tc.eserver.org/34451.html I've noticed recently that people (and organizations) often interchange the policies and standards labels as if there is no difference between them... like those who insist the Web and the Internet are the same. I'm not one for splitting hairs, but in this case, policies are truly not the same as standards and it's important to be clear about the distinction. http://tc.eserver.org/34453.html http://tc.eserver.org/34453.html Formal Web Governance is a way to mitigate risks and liabilities associated with large Web sites. Using a framework to develop and document Web-specific policies and standards creates a playbook by which an organization can manage its Web presence. http://tc.eserver.org/33850.html http://tc.eserver.org/33850.html The Policies & Procedures Authority is a quarterly newsletter, published by Urgo & Associates, for executives, managers, consultants, performance improvement specialists, instructional designers, policy and procedure analysts, technical writers, or other professionals. http://tc.eserver.org/33851.html http://tc.eserver.org/33851.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/33854.html http://tc.eserver.org/33854.html What’s causing the buzz of interest in P&P? Here are five trends that contribute to the growing popularity. http://tc.eserver.org/33855.html http://tc.eserver.org/33855.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/33856.html http://tc.eserver.org/33856.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/33857.html http://tc.eserver.org/33857.html Who should you contract to update an outdated policies and procedures manual–subject matter expert or a policy and procedure writer? http://tc.eserver.org/33858.html http://tc.eserver.org/33858.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/33859.html http://tc.eserver.org/33859.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/33860.html http://tc.eserver.org/33860.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/33861.html http://tc.eserver.org/33861.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/33862.html http://tc.eserver.org/33862.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/33863.html http://tc.eserver.org/33863.html 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? http://tc.eserver.org/33664.html http://tc.eserver.org/33664.html An accessibility statement provides website visitors with information on how to utilize any accessibility features implemented, together with known barriers and how to overcome them. This information is usually presented on a dedicated page within the website. This article will look at the benefits of providing an accessibility statement together with common problems, before evaluating whether accessibility statements are useful. http://tc.eserver.org/33410.html http://tc.eserver.org/33410.html Sun Microsystems' policies about employee blogging: "You are encouraged to tell the world about your work, without asking permission first, but we expect you to read and follow the advice in this note." http://tc.eserver.org/33411.html http://tc.eserver.org/33411.html I wrote in a recent report, that companies should have a blogging policy to provide guidelines for employees who want to have blogs. This primarily relates to employee's personal blogs and lays out the guidelines of what the company expects. As expected, policies will vary greatly depending on company circumstance. Here are a few examples and also, my variation. http://tc.eserver.org/33394.html http://tc.eserver.org/33394.html Tragic events are a part of life. While we can't predict them, we can prepare for them. Here are some tips on how to write a disaster recovery plan that will keep your organization operating during and after such events. http://tc.eserver.org/33326.html http://tc.eserver.org/33326.html EDiscovery: You don't want it to happen. Borne of the term discovery, used by lawyers to describe collecting evidence, electronic discovery comes about because of a possible violation in regulatory compliance. Whatis.com defines it as "to any process in which electronic data is sought, located, secured, and searched with the intent of using it as evidence in a civil or criminal legal case." http://tc.eserver.org/33055.html http://tc.eserver.org/33055.html Most intranets have some form of policies and procedures, typically focusing on authoring guidelines and standards. The question is: are these the right policies to have? In many cases, intranet teams have established policies that they find difficult to enforce, while missing the opportunity to develop policies that will be much more beneficial for both the intranet team and the site itself. This briefing takes a different look at the role of intranet policies, and outlines five policies that all intranet teams should develop. http://tc.eserver.org/32684.html http://tc.eserver.org/32684.html Indexing for environmental, safety, and health texts, you provide sure, quick access to critical information in times of need. http://tc.eserver.org/32540.html http://tc.eserver.org/32540.html When initiating or expanding the role of user-centered design (UCD) in an organization, consider documenting UCD best practices as they fit within existing processes and the best practice of other areas. Such documentation communicates the role and value of UCD throughout the organization in terms familiar to your organization. Because what best practices means varies from company to company, there is no single way to do this. Here are some questions to consider. http://tc.eserver.org/32304.html http://tc.eserver.org/32304.html This article presents a brief history of the development of ideas about national and organizational information policies, from the first establishment of a UK Ministry of Information in the First World War to the present day. The issues and tensions that have characterized attempts to develop and implement policies on the national and organizational scale are discussed, with particular reference to: the power relations between the parties to them; the relative significance accorded to information technology and information content; the transition from formulating policy to acting on it; and the threats to the survival of those policies that get as far as implementation. In conclusion, the contribution to date of information science to the theory and practice of information policies is assessed, and suggestions are offered on directions for future efforts, in the light of the past of this interesting field. http://tc.eserver.org/31737.html http://tc.eserver.org/31737.html Heidi Hansen takes 15 minutes to discuss five books that she read over the past year and published book reviews for. http://tc.eserver.org/31424.html http://tc.eserver.org/31424.html Every day, large and small nonprofit organizations around the world engage in diverse activities in the public interest. But in accomplishing this overarching goal of social responsibility, how well do nonprofits communicate their activities and strategies? What do nonprofits' business practices suggest about the issues of transparency and accountability? Can nonprofits serve as models for for-profit organizations in communicating their own social responsibility commitments and activities? http://tc.eserver.org/30840.html http://tc.eserver.org/30840.html Corporations increasingly pay attention to issues of social responsibility, but their policies and procedures to articulate such responsibilities are not just a result of the good will of top management. Often, such policies and procedures are devised because some stakeholders raised their voice on issues relating to the interests of employees, investors, governments, and others. One category of visible though heterogeneous stakeholders is composed of 'activist groups.' In this article, we present a range of tactics that activist groups employ to influence corporate policy and conclude with some corporate policy responses to these tactics, illustrated with some examples. Different Tactics Activist groups usually start an influence campaign by collecting and organizing information about some issue about which they are concerned (e.g., sustainable development, human rights, labor conditions), disseminating this information to their audiences and formulating desired outcomes. They inform the target firm's top management of their particular concern and propose desired outcomes or alternative courses of action. If the firm's responses are considered inadequate, they will likely continue their campaign, but by starting to employ a more varied set of tactics. Below, we discuss four different types of tactics that activist groups use to leverage pressure on firms and that do not rely on the state or legal action for resolution of the issue: shareholder activism, political consumerism, social alliances, and alternative business systems (de Bakker and den Hond, 2007). http://tc.eserver.org/30846.html http://tc.eserver.org/30846.html Workplace incivility, including aggression and bullying, is a troubling phenomenon. Uncivil behaviors not only harm individuals but also diminish employee performance and sometimes result in legal action against companies. Thus, it behooves organizations and management to become vigilant and responsive to such behaviors. Yet the evidence shows that with the recent exception of attempted legislation in Hawaii (Chiem, 2007), few companies or jurisdictions in the United State have policies and procedures aimed at addressing uncivil behavior. This article outlines some points to consider when developing policies to counteract uncivil behavior in the workplace. In the process, we incorporate the views of two corporate representatives (a diversity manager at Georgia Power, a human resource manager at PepsiCo) and an attorney with the U.S. military. Developing a Policy About Uncivil Behavior Any organization wishing to develop a policy about uncivil behavior should establish a task force or committee representing various categories of employees. These members may serve as liaisons to their units. Here are some points for the group to consider in creating the policy: Define Uncivil Behavior There will likely be much discussion as committee members try to develop a definition, but this is necessary to create a policy. http://tc.eserver.org/30842.html http://tc.eserver.org/30842.html The employment contract is sometimes misunderstood by both employees and employers. Drafters of employee manuals, policies, and procedures should be aware that the nature of the at-will employment relationship can be transformed into a binding employment contract by the words and phrases chosen. Just imagine the following scenario: On his first day as an Otis Accounting firm employee, Eric was provided an employee manual outlining all firm policies and procedures. Eric was not provided a written employment contract. Despite exemplary work performance at Otis Accounting for more than 2 years, Eric was fired because his supervisor, who belonged to one political party, discovered a bumper sticker for a candidate from the opposing party on Eric's car. Devastated by the unexpected dismissal, Eric sued for wrongful termination. To determine its potential liability, Otis Accounting must first ascertain the nature of its employment relationship with Eric. http://tc.eserver.org/30851.html http://tc.eserver.org/30851.html Creating policies and procedures for selecting and interviewing job candidates is usually the responsibility of a company's human resources department, often with the guidance and approval of its legal affairs office. Such requirements are designed in accordance with U.S. federal and state laws related to civil rights, gender and ethnic rights, age discrimination, disabilities, and family leave, among others. These laws govern the conduct for companies during the recruitment process (Andrews and Baird, 2005), and though federal laws affect companies with US$50,000 or more in federal contracts and more than 15 employees, most U.S. companies tend to comply because of the threat of litigation. In speaking with Jim Olson, a retired auto industry executive, it became clear that compliance with employment laws regarding recruitment practices are largely influenced by corporate culture. http://tc.eserver.org/30853.html http://tc.eserver.org/30853.html Ask ordinary citizens for an example of unreadable prose, and half of them will show you a government document; the other half will point to something written by a lawyer. As a government lawyer for more than 30 years, I wrote and reviewed safety regulations and technical policies and procedures for a major federal agency and eventually supervised other lawyers who did the same. Although I never met a technical document I didn't have the urge to rewrite, I always thought that what my fellow lawyers wrote was pretty clear. Then the plain-language movement came along, and I found I had a lot of room for improvement. http://tc.eserver.org/30847.html http://tc.eserver.org/30847.html Over the years, I have had several enlightening and eventful encounters as I helped to develop organization policies and procedures. Most recently, when we voted to approve the revised mission statement for our business school, faculty members cheered and uttered sighs of relief. For months, we had debated every word, phrase, sentence, and paragraph in the many drafts we created. We were often reminded that the statement should conform to the mission of the larger university and that it should be readily understood by the average reader. The most contentious issue was how we could articulate the historical legacy of the minority-serving institution yet focus on its future as a full-fledged member of a highly regarded university system. We sought the advice of the chancellor, provost, advisory board, students, community members, and business owners, among others. http://tc.eserver.org/30811.html http://tc.eserver.org/30811.html Procedures are the meat and potatoes of technical writing. They help users get the job done. Follow these tips for writing clear and useful procedures that your users will appreciate. http://tc.eserver.org/30201.html http://tc.eserver.org/30201.html A large collection of articles, tips and useful information on writing policies and procedures and improving business processes. http://tc.eserver.org/30203.html http://tc.eserver.org/30203.html Compliance and meeting operational needs are two very important reasons for implementing a system of policies and procedures. http://tc.eserver.org/30202.html http://tc.eserver.org/30202.html Your organization needs procedures. While development and implementation can be a challenging project, there are dividends and returns on your investment if you understand why you are writing them and what you expect to achieve by documenting your processes. http://tc.eserver.org/29555.html http://tc.eserver.org/29555.html An ongoing tension within Wikipedia is characterized as the inclusionists versus the exclusionists. The inclusionists argue that one of Wikipedia's core values is that it should be open to all ideas, that truth emerges from a variety of directions. Better to include than exclude. The exclusionists see Wikipedia's utilitarianism diminished if too much froth clouds the valuable information inside. These people delete material they consider inappropriate. The case offers students a chance to understand issues such as how online cultures are made and maintained, the power of self-policing organizations, the question of whether the service is drifting from its core principles, and whether a Wikipedia-like concept can work in a business setting. http://tc.eserver.org/29439.html http://tc.eserver.org/29439.html We live in an uncertain world, and good intentions are no guarantee of success, so we develop policies and procedures to provide ourselves with a measure of security and provide the illusion of control. http://tc.eserver.org/29272.html http://tc.eserver.org/29272.html This is an informational site dedicated to topics relevant to writing and publishing business process knowledge, especially policies and procedures. The objective of this site is to openly share information about writing and publishing policies and procedures and other forms of business knowledge. http://tc.eserver.org/29153.html http://tc.eserver.org/29153.html This historical case study of a non-rule policy document (NPD) adopted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management describes an emerging genre in environmental discourse. The NPD standardizes environmental public policy for land disposal of foundry sand, a solid waste. The collaborative writing process took six months with industry input, and the NPD was presented to two environmental boards. Two contrasts, in process and format, distinguish NPDs from rules. The NPD is an entirely new kind of writing which includes guidance for implementing statutes. The writing process in the case involves government writers and industry representatives, although it does not include other public input such as public hearings. Instead, the staff of the pollution control agency simply presents the NPD to the appropriate environmental policy boards and arranges for its publication. This article adds to the body of knowledge about technical writing in government, specifically environmental policy and non-academic genres. http://tc.eserver.org/28758.html http://tc.eserver.org/28758.html This is a guest article the author was invited to write for the April 2006 online newsletter of the IEEE Professional Communication Society (PCS), in which the AccessAbility SIG encourages its IEEE professional counterparts with an interest in accessibility to form a similar special interest group, affiliate with us, and create a mutually beneficial synergy. With the permission of IEEE, the article is reprinted in these Proceedings in support of the AccessAbility SIG's informational session on Leadership Day and to encourage cooperation between the two professional organizations in the pursuit of accessibility both in communication products and in general. http://tc.eserver.org/27904.html http://tc.eserver.org/27904.html The DIN committee NA 152-06-01-05 UA, formerly called the NATG-F 1.5, has published a guideline for compiling information from component manuals, in its technical report 146. This report is a supplement to DIN EN 62079 and is meant to ensure that the requirements from the Machine Guidelines 98/37/EG Appendix I Ch. 1.7.4 are practically feasible. Plans are afoot to introduce the technical report at the international level (CEN). http://tc.eserver.org/27909.html http://tc.eserver.org/27909.html The EU directive 92/58/EWG of 24th June 1992 clearly defines the notification on occupational Safety and Health Safeguards. In Germany, this has been enforced through the regulations for trade associations BGV A 8 (formerly VBG 125) which regulate indication of occupational safety and health safeguards through prohibition signs, warnings, instructions or signs for action, rescue, fire protection and so on. At present there is no European standard that discusses the topic of 'Drafting Safety Instructions in Operating Manuals' adequately and in detail. Nonetheless, there are several sources but often containing only imprecise or too generalized requirements. Moreover, many judicial verdicts in various individual cases point to the manner of formulations in Safety Instructions. http://tc.eserver.org/27908.html http://tc.eserver.org/27908.html TCeurope, the umbrella organization of European associations for technical communication, is helping with the development of a European guideline on user education for mobile terminals and e-services. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute invited TCeurope to a joint workshop in French Sophia Antipolis, where the draft was discussed intensely. http://tc.eserver.org/24955.html http://tc.eserver.org/24955.html Worldwide Communications & Policy is a relatively new department in Federal Express, created to manage communications and produce policy and procedure (P&P) manuals for the largest division in our global company. We asked an outside consultant, JoAnn Hackos & Associates, to evaluate the existing divisional P&P manuals and conduct an audience analysis. We emerged from the process with a plan to change the existing manuals, which tried to be all things to all people, into a collection of audience-specific, task-oriented documents. http://tc.eserver.org/24907.html http://tc.eserver.org/24907.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/24840.html http://tc.eserver.org/24840.html The process of implementing on-line documentation for the first time is always a daunting task, particularly if the target company has had little exposure to PC based systems. This is the challenge we faced at SUNCORP. Many people doubted the value of having reference material on-line (particularly those in the IT areas). Just as many doubted whether it was possible to do at all. Throughout the project we came across many obstacles, some man made, others system made; however the end result shows our resolve and determination has paid off for the staff of SUNCORP. http://tc.eserver.org/24717.html http://tc.eserver.org/24717.html Technical writers should be alert for opportunities to improve documentation in one technical field by using appropriate techniques from other fields. In this paper, the author presents ways of improving medical treatment procedures by using elements from engineering procedures, including introductions, safety sections, warnings, conditional (branching) statements, and notes. http://tc.eserver.org/24689.html http://tc.eserver.org/24689.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/24660.html http://tc.eserver.org/24660.html With the nation intensifying its homeland security and industry focusing on computer security, the experienced technical communicator can assist with documenting procedures. http://tc.eserver.org/24582.html http://tc.eserver.org/24582.html This article compares three rhetorical approaches to accident analysis: materialist, classical,and constructivist. The focal points for comparison are the two accident reportsissued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)—reports that attempted(and failed) to persuade the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to change a problematicpolicy about rail communication alongside its technology for rail communication. Thecentral question the article asks is, How can rhetorical theory help explain the CTA'sinaction, which ultimately led to property damage, injury, and death? Classical andconstructivist approaches, emphasizing rational deliberation between equals, on onehand, and the social construction of technical knowledge between professionals, on theother, offer plausible explanations for what went wrong. But only the materialistapproach appears capable of discerning the ideological nature of the CTA's resistance tothe NTSB's recommendations. http://tc.eserver.org/24332.html http://tc.eserver.org/24332.html This paper questions the dominance of procedures in paper and online computer documentation and argues that the types of behavior and conditions demanded by stepped instructions are not consistent with typical user behavior. The authors suggest that the following hierarchy of information needs more accurately describes what users want to know when they ask, “How do I:” (a) What can I do? (b) Where can I do it? (c) What are the rules or principles? (d) What are the parts and their functions of the interface that does it? and (e) What are the steps? http://tc.eserver.org/24215.html http://tc.eserver.org/24215.html A corporation's or nonprofit's life without written procedures is fraught with dangers and pitfalls that can strike without warning and potentially wreak havoc on the organization's ability to function efficiently—or even to function at all—especially when the lone source of how-to information leaves the organization. The task of creating those procedures from scratch from what often amounts to skeleton information and secondhand sources can be tedious and frustrating but well worth the effort if it helps prevent the organization from being caught off guard in the future. When it comes to workplace procedures, it pays to be prepared. http://tc.eserver.org/23792.html http://tc.eserver.org/23792.html Information gathering can be one of the most timeconsuming and potentially frustrating experiences when writing policies and procedures. Policy and procedure writers sometimes start from scratch and must investigate and research policies and procedures before the first word is ever written. Although there are many obstacles to obtaining accurate and timely information, there are also many avenues the policy and procedure writer can take to gather, utilize, and maintain information. http://tc.eserver.org/23793.html http://tc.eserver.org/23793.html It takes skills in three different areas to manage a company-wide policy and procedures project. First, people must be organized and motivated to participate. Executive support is critical here. And the persons actually performing the tasks must be the ones to document it. Second, the project must be clearly defined and tracked. The document creation and review process must be structured simply, to take full advantage of the documentation team’s limited time. Finally, the information published must be accurate and controlled. Work processes should be analyzed before the procedures are documented, and published procedures must be distributed to specified manual holders. http://tc.eserver.org/23722.html http://tc.eserver.org/23722.html Many organizations have published their policy manuals online—the following are just a few online manuals that we've found. We don’t necessarily recommend these as good manuals, but they may provide some helpful ideas about content. http://tc.eserver.org/23155.html http://tc.eserver.org/23155.html Documentation is the foundation upon which an ISO-compliant quality system is built. Creating this documentation isn’t, however, as easy as it seems on the surface. Understanding the concept of the Standard enables writers to understand the content requirements. The structure this documentation follows will also impact the success of your registration audit. Once the documentation has been created, the control of it becomes of paramount importance. ISO requires that you control not only the documents and data you create, but also those that you receive from outside sources. Document and data control issues are one of the most common causes of registration failure! http://tc.eserver.org/22975.html http://tc.eserver.org/22975.html As the Internet has increased in prominence in all sectors of society, interested individuals have begun to question whether or not the Internet should be included in the regulations set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Right now there is no explicit reference to the Internet in any of the language of the act. http://tc.eserver.org/22972.html http://tc.eserver.org/22972.html Most university Web accessibility policies fall short of achieving their purpose. The Web sites of these universities often fail to meet minimum Web accessibility standards. Part of the problem lies with the policies themselves. Many of them fail to delineate a specific technical standard, fail to indicate whether compliance with the policy is required, fail to indicate a timeline or deadline for compliance, fail to define a system for evaluating or monitoring compliance, and fail to enumerate any consequences for failure to comply. http://tc.eserver.org/22996.html http://tc.eserver.org/22996.html More accurately described as suggestions than policies, since many institutions do not have any binding formal policy. Where multiple documents were found on the institution's Web site, multiple links were included in this list. http://tc.eserver.org/22842.html http://tc.eserver.org/22842.html The IS0 9000 series of Quality Standards redefines how business will be conducted into the next century. The series is designed to measure the effectiveness of the Quality System in place, thereby ensuring both customer and company needs are always satisfied. The foundation of a robust Quality System is its documentation: problems in this area represent the largest single cause of registration failures. Quality System documentation also forms the basis upon which the 3rd party registrar builds the audit plan for your company. http://tc.eserver.org/22344.html http://tc.eserver.org/22344.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/22246.html http://tc.eserver.org/22246.html Risk communication is a relatively new field of study which has been concerned with the problems arising from the communication of scientific and technical assessments of risk to various sections of the public. These problems have largely been construed as technical ones: how to transfer difficult material from 'experts' to 'people' with the maximum effectiveness and the minimum loss of accuracy and content. Perhaps because technical or practical concerns have dominated, debates which have occurred in the literature of risk analysis have apparently had little impact on the field of risk communication. http://tc.eserver.org/22159.html http://tc.eserver.org/22159.html There are several reasons for the Information Process Maturity Model: moving beyond chaos; moving beyond the heroism of talented and dedicated individuals; moving toward a repeatable, reliable process. It is the reality of the 21th Century: People from the Western countries don't understand the real imagination of the post-soviet people in The Eastern European countries. The matter is: we have not been living in a private property society & and in a national liberal country till 1991. So, my personal and my colleagues' experince had been summarised there in the publicity book "BUSINESS in Ukraine". The main problem to solve is the countrywide system of a liberal market tersonality training. Everybody has to learn to be a master of its own personality and lot. Oleksandr Nahornyy, author, editor, producer http://tc.eserver.org/22079.html http://tc.eserver.org/22079.html Corporate policy documents have had a long and difficult history within many organisations. While much effort has been put into creating and maintaining them, they are often more ignored than followed. This briefing looks at the role of corporate policies within an organisation, and the need to better communicate their message to staff. http://tc.eserver.org/21322.html http://tc.eserver.org/21322.html The recent rash of high-profile computer viruses and attacks has further exposed troubling weaknesses in computer security. The media and even some computer security experts would have us believe that hackers are the primary culprits against whom individuals and organizations must protect themselves. This article provides guidance for technical communicators tasked with planning, creating, and implementing computer security policy for their organizations. http://tc.eserver.org/20911.html http://tc.eserver.org/20911.html The importance of scientific and technical information stems from its critical role in all phases of the innovation process. These include education, basic research, applied research and development, product development and manufacturing, and the application of science and technology to meet the needs in the commercial, not-forprofit, and governmental markets. http://tc.eserver.org/20760.html http://tc.eserver.org/20760.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/20756.html http://tc.eserver.org/20756.html The Playscript procedure writing style is widely known for its plain language, content organization, readability and usability for all kinds of audiences. Developed by Leslie Matthies over 40 years ago, Playscript has been used by hundreds of leading (and other) organizations worldwide as their procedure standard. Major consulting firms have trained their professional staff in its use as a primary work process documentation technique. Extending several of Playscript’s design elements to policy writing provides an organization with policies and procedures that have a uniform look and feel. A leading publisher recently did this, using Playscript as the style model for their commercially produced Controller's Policies and Procedures Manual. http://tc.eserver.org/20310.html http://tc.eserver.org/20310.html The ISO 9000 series of Quality Standards redefines how business will be conducted into the next century. The series is designed to measure the effectiveness of the Quality System in place, thereby ensuring both customer and company needs are always satisfied. The foundation of a robust Quality System is its documentation: problems in this area represent the largest single cause of registration failures. Quality System documentation also forms the basis upon which the 3rd party registrar builds the audit plan for your company. http://tc.eserver.org/20300.html http://tc.eserver.org/20300.html For an organization with a broad mission to improve the state of the practice in a domain, effective communication is essential. Our team developed a communication strategy for creating clear and consistent messages and for making the best use of resources for communication work. Our communication strategy defines products and internal processes for optimizing communication with our most important stakeholders, organizational decision makers in the software engineering community. http://tc.eserver.org/20193.html http://tc.eserver.org/20193.html The world of policies and procedures has grown with technology. The trend is now to move documentation from paper to electronic media. Most companies are taking advantage of this technology andpublishing their policies and procedures on their own intranet or Local Area Network. There are things to consider before choosing a product and making this drastic change. These are: Product Functionality, ReadabilityNiewability, File Portability, and Cost. Each company’s documentation requirements and busmess strategies will ultimately determine which online documentation product to choose. http://tc.eserver.org/20134.html http://tc.eserver.org/20134.html While ‘quality’ is no longer the most popular buzz-word, there is still a need for thorough understanding of what it means to document a quality program. In preparing for ISO 9000 certification, I developed useful techniques which can be used to improve quality in other documentation tasks. Even if you're not involved in ISO 9000, it can serve as a good general model for documentation management. This paper briefly describes the ISO 9000 standard and the process of certification, how documentation in a quality program is different than usual technical documentation. and some of the useful tools and techniques. http://tc.eserver.org/19893.html http://tc.eserver.org/19893.html Moving policies and procedures to a corporate web site can improve an ineffective and inefficient delivery system of paper in a three-ring binder. The advantages of online delivery outweigh the disadvantages. Using a general problem solving process, the team that produced this output included customer surveys to determine that a web site was the best way to solve existing delivery problems. The team continues to evaluate the end result, attempting to improve the delivery method. http://tc.eserver.org/19836.html http://tc.eserver.org/19836.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/19681.html http://tc.eserver.org/19681.html Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are sequences of steps for workers to follow to complete tasks. Owing to industry standards and government regulations, SOPs are increasingly in demand. The pharmaceutical sector is a case in point: Companies are expected to conform to GxP (good practices in manufacturing, testing, and other areas). A big part of GxP is the standardization and documentation of production tasks. The ISO 9000 conventions used in other industries have similar requirements. SOPs are typically required for activities such as operating or calibrating a machine, backing up data, testing samples, and requesting approvals of changes in systems. http://tc.eserver.org/19583.html http://tc.eserver.org/19583.html Policies set boundaries for what is acceptable and unacceptable. But what makes a policy effective? Discover the basic components of a good corporate policy. http://tc.eserver.org/19587.html http://tc.eserver.org/19587.html Peter Zvalo looks at the plain language movement, its promoters and its critics. http://tc.eserver.org/18772.html http://tc.eserver.org/18772.html As a lone writer developing policy and procedure documentation, many of us face what appear to be insurmountable hurdles in reaching our intended goal – useable documentation that accurately reflects the business’ operations. It usually begins with trying to get everyone to take the need for P & P documentation seriously. This can be followed by frustrations in getting the information required to write coherent and useful documentation. Then there is the need for standards for which no one sees the importance – ‘just a whim of the writer’. Add to this volatile mix the requirements of many international standards impacting how business is conducted, and you wonder why anyone in right mind would take up the challenges of this field of writing. But it really can be fun and a very rewarding field of endeavor. http://tc.eserver.org/14826.html http://tc.eserver.org/14826.html In this article, I illustrate the essential role that visual rhetoric plays in a specific example of persuasive documentation. I focus narrowly on one element of persuasive visual rhetoric by examining the credibility of an Apple political candidacy flyer. http://tc.eserver.org/14523.html http://tc.eserver.org/14523.html Organizational standards are often just a set of documents put into place for auditors or regulatory bodies. In such instances, the standards usually do not reflect current practices, which are passed along by word-of-mouth. Unfortunately, even if the information is up-to-date, it may not be easily retrievable by the person in immediate need of it. In a hospital setting, this situation can be extremely costly. It can also provide immense opportunities for the technical communicator to become a vital part of a cross-functional team. http://tc.eserver.org/14524.html http://tc.eserver.org/14524.html The ISO 9000 series of standards require that organizations have documented and followed quality systems and processes. Organizations get certified to an ISO 9000 standard by a registrar. Organizations follow the standards in order to meet customer demand and to improve their own quality performance. The ISO 9001 standard for organizations that design, produce, and service products contains twenty sections pertaining to all aspects of a quality system. Documentation organizations can pursue certification as an organization and they can help write process documentation for their entire company. http://tc.eserver.org/14380.html http://tc.eserver.org/14380.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/14361.html http://tc.eserver.org/14361.html Placing your company's policies and procedures online is an enormous task! Where to start is as difficult as how to do it. Migrating your policies and procedures from a paper medium to an online medium consists of obtaining (and maintaining) management and user support, working as a team player, completing extensive research for your present environment and the proposed environment), planned system development, thorough usability testing and phased implementation. Once your policies andprocedures are online, you must also track and monitor system use. http://tc.eserver.org/14360.html http://tc.eserver.org/14360.html From mega-mergers to dwindling defense contracts, companies are dealing with a very different business environment than of decades past. To remain competitive, companies are implementing process improvement programs that encompass the ‘big picture’, and are not focusing on just one segment of company operations. This trend toward mega-process improvements has resulted in companies developing policies and procedures that reflect a flexible, process oriented approach, instead of the traditional, organizationally oriented procedures. http://tc.eserver.org/14099.html http://tc.eserver.org/14099.html The Policies and Procedures (P&P) Special Interest Group of the Society for Technical Communication (STC) helps members develop, implement, and manage policies and procedures communication. This is accomplished through education and networking opportunities, conference sessions and publications, and interaction with other other STC SIGs and professional organizations in areas of common interest. Policies and Procedures SIG activities include publishing a regular newsletter, presenting conference sessions, developing articles for Society publications on related issues, and providing referrals for information requests. The P&P SIG began in September, 1994, with 60 members. Today, it has more than 850 members from around the world. It is the largest known group specializing in policies and procedures communication. http://tc.eserver.org/13914.html http://tc.eserver.org/13914.html Our current national policy regarding sexual harassment, expressed through legal, economic, and popular discourses, exemplifies the Foucauldian paradigm in its attempt to regulate sexuality through seemingly authorless texts. Arguing that regulation through such discursive technologies need not lead to the effects of domination that Foucault recognized, I propose a user-centered approach to policy drafting that values the knowledge of workers as users and makers of workplace policy. http://tc.eserver.org/13926.html http://tc.eserver.org/13926.html This study explores two cases of professional communication among U.S. and South American personnel in one multinational organizaton in Quito, Ecuador.  The results suggest that implicit in U.S. rhetorics of professional communication are valorizations of writing as a mechanism of regulating behavior; of universalism and individual reference points as rhetorical strategies; and of common-law or precedent-setting logic as compositional and interpretive strategies.  However, many South American personnel seem predisposed to think of personal interactions as a mechanism of regulating behavior; of particular and collective reference points as rhetorical strategies; and of civil law logic as compositional and interpretive strategies.  Thus, widespread claims about the roles of writing to construct, mediate, or regulate organizational behavior need to be contextualized in the predominant rhetorical values of the organizational context. http://tc.eserver.org/13918.html http://tc.eserver.org/13918.html Practical experience teaches the difficulty and the messiness of democratic public policy processes. A discourse analytic perspective on rhetorical action in the institutional settings of policy work reveals the dynamics of effective agency. By simulating practical experience and by developing a discourse analytic perspective, academic instruction in professional and technical communication can show students what elected officials, governmental staff, and non-profit non-governmental organizations (NGOs) do to make or to implement policy. http://tc.eserver.org/13298.html http://tc.eserver.org/13298.html 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.