How to Produce Procedure Manuals Part 3 – Outsourcing

A Quick Recap

In Part 1 & 2, we addressed the needs related to writing a Procedures and Policy Manual. Those were:

1. Establish a framework for the Manual i.e. relevant chapters and sub-chapters.
2. Form a dedicated team or committee to research and gather the necessary information or data based on that framework.
3. Appoint a main policy writer cum editor. Preferably in-house if the right candidate and resource is available.
4. Verify the accuracy of researched data and include added material where appropriate.
5. Ensure clear ‘tables of content’ are included for the Manual and where possible start each new chapter with its own ‘content list’.
6. Keep the Manual’s narration simple and concise; in short paragraphs with ‘bulleted/numbered’ sentences to elaborate processes and methods when needed.
7. Track the drafting process and always obtain approval from senior authority before publishing anything.

With the 7 points above, the daunting task of publishing a Manual seems rather easy. In actuality, it is. All that it takes is good planning and systematic work flow.

In Part 3 of How to Publish a Procedures and Policy Manual, we tackle the question of whether to outsource the writing project to a professional and why it is better to do so.

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