A Job Aid for Writing Procedures …
- That readers can follow
- Without hating the writer
- Or hacking the job
1. ASK: Answer Six Key questions.
| a. Who does this task? | d. Why is the job aid needed? |
| b. When is it done? | e. What conditions are required? |
| c. How often is it done? | f. What follow-up is necessary? |
2. TELL: Test Every Line for Logic.
| a. Create a summary that outlines the logical sequence of steps. |
| b. Make the steps follow the flow outlined in the summary. |
3. KISS: Keep It Short and Simple
| a. Remove unnecessary words (very, quite, extremely). |
| b. Use photos, charts, and screenshots to provide detail. |
| c. Use concrete nouns, active verbs, and quantifiable modifiers. |