Writing Instructions and Procedures

00:07:56
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ0BiDv9Wa8

Zusammenfassung

TLDRThe video emphasizes the critical role of clear and accurate instructions in the workplace, distinguishing between instructions and procedures. It outlines the process of writing effective instructions, including understanding the audience, planning, trial runs, and revisions. The importance of visuals is highlighted, along with the six main components of instructions: introduction, materials list, steps, warnings, conclusion, and troubleshooting. Additionally, it discusses the significance of procedures in maintaining organizational consistency and employee behavior.

Mitbringsel

  • 📝 Clear instructions are vital for workplace efficiency.
  • 🔍 Understand your audience's needs before writing.
  • 🔄 Revise and test your instructions for clarity.
  • 📊 Use visuals to enhance understanding.
  • ⚠️ Include warnings and troubleshooting tips.
  • 📋 Instructions should have a clear structure.

Zeitleiste

  • 00:00:00 - 00:07:56

    The video emphasizes the importance of clear and accurate instructions in the workplace, highlighting their role in performing tasks, operating machinery, and maintaining equipment. It distinguishes between instructions and procedures, noting that instructions are step-by-step guides while procedures encompass broader policies and guidelines. Well-written instructions are crucial for safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, as they reflect the quality of a product or service. The video advises writers to consider their audience's needs, perform trial runs, and revise drafts based on feedback to ensure clarity and effectiveness. It also discusses the significance of visuals in instructions and outlines the six main parts of effective instructions: introduction, list of steps, warnings, conclusion, and troubleshooting. Finally, it underscores the role of procedures in maintaining organizational consistency and the necessity of management approval before implementation.

Mind Map

Video-Fragen und Antworten

  • What is the difference between instructions and procedures?

    Instructions explain how to perform a specific task step-by-step, while procedures refer to policies and guidelines that an organization expects employees to follow.

  • Why are clear instructions important?

    Clear instructions are essential for safety, efficiency, and convenience, helping businesses run smoothly and improving customer satisfaction.

  • What should be included in effective instructions?

    Effective instructions should include clear steps, warnings, visuals, and a conclusion, along with a materials list when necessary.

  • How can I assess my audience's needs when writing instructions?

    Consider how and why your readers will use the instructions, their background knowledge, and what steps may cause difficulties.

  • What are the six main parts of a set of instructions?

    The six main parts are introduction, materials list, steps, warnings, conclusion, and troubleshooting.

  • What role do visuals play in instructions?

    Visuals help readers understand the process better, increase confidence, and illustrate correct and incorrect methods.

  • How should I revise my instructions?

    Revise based on user feedback, ensuring clarity, completeness, and proper order of steps.

  • What is the purpose of a procedure in a business context?

    Procedures establish official ways of doing things, impacting schedules, behaviors, and internal protocols.

  • How can I ensure my instructions are easy to follow?

    Use clear, short sentences, active voice, precise terms, and include connective words and visuals.

  • What should I do before finalizing my procedures?

    Always present the procedures to management for approval or revision before distributing them to employees.

Weitere Video-Zusammenfassungen anzeigen

Erhalten Sie sofortigen Zugang zu kostenlosen YouTube-Videozusammenfassungen, die von AI unterstützt werden!
Untertitel
en
Automatisches Blättern:
  • 00:00:00
    [Music]
  • 00:00:07
    clear and accurate instructions and
  • 00:00:10
    procedures are essential to the world of
  • 00:00:12
    work instructions tell and frequently
  • 00:00:14
    show how to do something perform a
  • 00:00:16
    simple task operate a machine construct
  • 00:00:19
    installed maintain monitor adjust or
  • 00:00:22
    repair equipment let's take a look at
  • 00:00:24
    how to write instructions for business
  • 00:00:26
    well the purpose of writing instructions
  • 00:00:28
    is to explain how to perform a task in a
  • 00:00:31
    step-by-step manner the process of
  • 00:00:33
    writing procedures is slightly different
  • 00:00:34
    often the two terms are incorrectly used
  • 00:00:37
    interchangeably procedures refer to
  • 00:00:41
    policies duties protocols and guidelines
  • 00:00:43
    that a business or organization expects
  • 00:00:45
    its employees to follow perhaps no other
  • 00:00:50
    type of occupational writing demands
  • 00:00:52
    more from the writer than to
  • 00:00:53
    instructions because there's so much at
  • 00:00:55
    stake for both you and the reader the
  • 00:00:58
    reader has to understand what you write
  • 00:00:59
    and be able to perform the steps you
  • 00:01:02
    cannot afford to be unclear inaccurate
  • 00:01:04
    or incomplete instructions are
  • 00:01:06
    significant for many reasons including
  • 00:01:07
    safety efficiency and convenience well
  • 00:01:12
    written instructions help the business
  • 00:01:14
    run smoothly and efficiently no work
  • 00:01:16
    would be done if employees did not have
  • 00:01:18
    clear instructions to follow clear and
  • 00:01:22
    easy to follow instructions make a
  • 00:01:24
    customer's job easier and less
  • 00:01:26
    frustrating instructions reflect a
  • 00:01:28
    product or services quality and
  • 00:01:30
    convenience they can create goodwill or
  • 00:01:32
    destroy it how many times have you heard
  • 00:01:34
    complaints about a company because its
  • 00:01:36
    instructions were hard to follow
  • 00:01:40
    instructions can be given in a variety
  • 00:01:41
    of formats both in print and online and
  • 00:01:44
    can include numbered steps bulleted
  • 00:01:47
    steps concise paragraphs and outline
  • 00:01:49
    instructions assess your audience needs
  • 00:01:53
    by putting yourself in the readers
  • 00:01:54
    position do not assume that your readers
  • 00:01:56
    have performed the process before or
  • 00:01:58
    have operated the equipment as many
  • 00:02:00
    times as you have the more you know
  • 00:02:02
    about how and why your reader will use
  • 00:02:04
    the instructions the steps will likely
  • 00:02:07
    to cause problems and the background
  • 00:02:09
    information you need to supply the
  • 00:02:10
    easier and clearer your instructions
  • 00:02:12
    will be to follow
  • 00:02:14
    here's some key questions to ask
  • 00:02:17
    yourself about your audience the more
  • 00:02:19
    you know about your audience the better
  • 00:02:21
    your instructions will be to determine
  • 00:02:23
    your readers needs ask yourself the
  • 00:02:25
    following how and why will my readers
  • 00:02:28
    use instructions how much background
  • 00:02:30
    information should I provide what steps
  • 00:02:33
    will most likely cause the most trouble
  • 00:02:34
    and what types of visuals do I need to
  • 00:02:37
    supply to make sure your instructions
  • 00:02:41
    are accurate and easy for your audience
  • 00:02:42
    to perform you must plan your steps
  • 00:02:45
    perform a trial run write and test a
  • 00:02:47
    draft and revise and edit your
  • 00:02:49
    instructions to make sure your
  • 00:02:53
    instructions are accurate and easy for
  • 00:02:55
    your audience to perform you must plan
  • 00:02:57
    their steps perform a trial run write
  • 00:03:00
    and test your draft and revise and edit
  • 00:03:03
    plan your steps before writing do some
  • 00:03:06
    research to understand completely the
  • 00:03:08
    process you're asking someone to perform
  • 00:03:10
    make sure you know the reason for doing
  • 00:03:13
    something the parts or tools required
  • 00:03:15
    the steps to follow in the right order
  • 00:03:17
    the results of the job and the potential
  • 00:03:20
    risks or dangers perform a trial run
  • 00:03:23
    actually do the job go through it a
  • 00:03:26
    number of times take notes as you go
  • 00:03:28
    along and be sure to divide the job into
  • 00:03:30
    simple distinct steps for readers to
  • 00:03:32
    follow don't get readers too much in any
  • 00:03:35
    one step each step should be complete
  • 00:03:37
    sequential concise and easy for your
  • 00:03:40
    audience to understand and perform write
  • 00:03:43
    and test your draft transform your notes
  • 00:03:45
    into a draft or drafts of the
  • 00:03:47
    instructions you want your readers to
  • 00:03:48
    follow then conduct a usability test by
  • 00:03:51
    asking individuals from the intended
  • 00:03:53
    audience like customers or technicians
  • 00:03:55
    to follow your instructions that as
  • 00:03:57
    you've written them ask participants to
  • 00:04:00
    read your instructions aloud and ask
  • 00:04:01
    questions observe where they run into
  • 00:04:04
    difficulty or get results different from
  • 00:04:06
    yours revise and edit based on your
  • 00:04:11
    observations and user feedback revise
  • 00:04:13
    your instructions to avoid missing steps
  • 00:04:15
    too many activities in one step steps
  • 00:04:17
    that are out of order or unclear and
  • 00:04:19
    incomplete steps to write instructions
  • 00:04:24
    that readers can understand and turn
  • 00:04:25
    into effective action of
  • 00:04:27
    the following guidelines write clear
  • 00:04:30
    short sentences in the active voice use
  • 00:04:33
    precise terms include connective words
  • 00:04:35
    as signposts and number each step
  • 00:04:39
    readers welcome visuals in almost any
  • 00:04:41
    set of instructions a visual can help
  • 00:04:43
    readers get a job done more quickly and
  • 00:04:45
    increase their confidence to see what an
  • 00:04:48
    object looks like fully-assembled
  • 00:04:50
    identifies the size and placement of
  • 00:04:52
    parts understand how to assemble parts
  • 00:04:54
    and illustrate right and wrong ways of
  • 00:04:57
    doing something further they help the
  • 00:05:01
    audience see if a piece of equipment
  • 00:05:03
    works properly identifying possible
  • 00:05:05
    sources of danger and determining
  • 00:05:07
    whether a problem is serious the number
  • 00:05:11
    and kinds of visuals you include will of
  • 00:05:13
    course depend on the process or
  • 00:05:15
    equipment you're explaining and your
  • 00:05:17
    audience background in needs some
  • 00:05:19
    instructions may require only one or two
  • 00:05:21
    visuals except for very short
  • 00:05:25
    instructions a set of instructions
  • 00:05:27
    generally contains six main parts let's
  • 00:05:29
    take a look
  • 00:05:31
    these parts include an introduction a
  • 00:05:34
    list steps to perform warnings
  • 00:05:37
    conclusion and troubleshooting the
  • 00:05:41
    function of your introduction is to
  • 00:05:42
    provide readers with enough necessary
  • 00:05:44
    background information to understand why
  • 00:05:46
    and how your instructions work clearly
  • 00:05:50
    some instructions do not need a list of
  • 00:05:52
    all the materials readers will need but
  • 00:05:54
    when you do make sure your list is
  • 00:05:55
    complete and clear and provided upfront
  • 00:05:59
    the heart of your instructions will
  • 00:06:01
    consist of clearly distinguished steps
  • 00:06:03
    that readers must follow to achieve the
  • 00:06:05
    desired results at appropriate places in
  • 00:06:09
    the steps of your instructions you may
  • 00:06:10
    have to stop the reader to issue a
  • 00:06:12
    warning a caution or a note a conclusion
  • 00:06:17
    might also tell readers what to expect
  • 00:06:19
    once a job is finished describe the
  • 00:06:21
    results of a test or explain how a piece
  • 00:06:23
    of equipment is supposed to look or
  • 00:06:24
    operate troubleshooting guides and tips
  • 00:06:29
    help customers avoid frustration and the
  • 00:06:31
    expense of a service call instructions
  • 00:06:35
    are a critical tool in business
  • 00:06:37
    communication a procedure is an
  • 00:06:40
    established
  • 00:06:41
    official way of doing something
  • 00:06:44
    procedures deal with a wide range of
  • 00:06:46
    how-to activities within an organization
  • 00:06:49
    policy procedures have a major impact on
  • 00:06:52
    a company and its workers they affect
  • 00:06:55
    schedules payrolls acceptable and
  • 00:06:57
    unacceptable behaviors at work and a
  • 00:06:59
    range of protocols governing the way the
  • 00:07:01
    organization does business internally
  • 00:07:03
    and externally procedures also help an
  • 00:07:06
    organization to run smoothly and
  • 00:07:07
    consistently adhering to them all
  • 00:07:09
    employees follow the same regulations
  • 00:07:11
    and standards many times procedures
  • 00:07:15
    involve a policy or a change in the work
  • 00:07:18
    environment help readers by including
  • 00:07:20
    whenever necessary definitions headings
  • 00:07:23
    and explanations and offer to assist
  • 00:07:25
    employees with any questions they might
  • 00:07:28
    have always present the procedures to
  • 00:07:30
    management to approve or revise before
  • 00:07:32
    sending them to employees no one ever
  • 00:07:36
    complained that a set of instructions or
  • 00:07:37
    procedures were too clear or too easy to
  • 00:07:40
    follow
  • 00:07:43
    [Music]
Tags
  • instructions
  • procedures
  • business writing
  • audience assessment
  • visual aids
  • clear communication
  • safety
  • efficiency
  • troubleshooting
  • revision