Campbell Chapter 5 - Is There a Certain Format I Should Use?

In chapter 5, Campbell begins by discussing how to choose a format for policies and procedures. The best format depends on whom you’re writing for, what kind of material you’re dealing with and whether management accepts the format.

When determining your format, you should first ask yourself who your audience is. Campbell writes that certain formats are better for particular types of people. Engineers, scientists, and those with a technical background prefer flowcharts, while they might confuse other people. Readers respond better to formats they’re familiar with. However, unfamiliar formats don’t necessarily mean a bad choice. If the old format is ineffective, it is wise to switch. If using an unfamiliar format, Campbell suggests making time to introduce and explain it to your readers. Sometimes an organization requires a certain format, but if it seems confusing, occasionally organizations will make a parallel document, which is more user-friendly.

Another thing Campbell says to consider when formatting your document is the material. The nature of the information narrows your format options. Safety procedures require absolute clarity, so you want a format that is clear at first glance. In this case, a standard narrative format won’t help the reader much, and a flowchart could work much better. Campbell writes that you should examine the nature of the material closely before you settle on a format.

The final aspect of format consideration is management. Since upper management authorizes the policies and procedures, they must also understand and support the document and its contents. Campbell writes that you must ensure management’s comfort level, which is just as important as that of other readers.

Campbell then goes on to discuss how to decide a page layout for your document. She writes that the page layout gives the reader certain information about the policy or procedures, such as title, number, or effective date. This information is usually found in the header. A full header with all of the information typically appears on the first page, and a shorter version appears on the remaining pages. If the information is substantial, it is sometimes split into a header and footer. In other page layouts, certain parts of the text are standardized and are put immediately preceding the policy or procedure but outside the header. Campbell writes that the amount and types of information you standardize are up to you. The goal is to keep the document simple so the standardized information doesn’t detract attention from the policy or procedure itself. Once you decide what the readers need to know, you decide where and how to place it on the page.

Next, Campbell discusses choosing a format among the options. She writes that once you decide on a page layout, you are ready to choose a format from the main text. The primary options are: narrative, outline, playscript, or flowchart. These options are often used in combination with each other. The secondary options are: question and answer, troubleshooting, matrix table, and list. They are known as secondary because they can’t be inserted into the main document format. Campbell notes that once you choose a primary format, you must use it consistently throughout your document.

Campbell then goes on to discuss the primary formats in-depth. She first discusses narrative, which is the standard sentence-and-paragraph style. Standard narrative format is usually a single column, but two-column formats are also common and are used to break up sold horizontal lines of print. Narrative format is used more for policies than procedures. Campbell notes that narrative is not effective with complex, difficult, or lengthy material.

The next primary format Campbell discusses is the outline, which is a variation of the narrative format. The text is separated into shorter sections and subsections. These sections are labeled with numbers, letters or alphanumeric combinations. Campbell writes that the outline formats can vary widely, and that the format depends on the material you’re working with. She also notes that it is used in both policies and procedures because it is easy to follow.

Next, Campbell writes about the playscript format, which is great for procedures that involve more than one person or department. In the simplest form, a playscript has two columns. The first column tells who’s responsible while the second column describes what’s required. This format can be adapted for more complex procedures. The playscript is clear and provides an instant visual clue to the reader so they know what’s relevant to them. Campbell notes that when you use a playscript for the first time, you should explain it briefly to the readers.

The final primary format Campbell discusses is the flowchart, which is a diagram of process that uses symbols and arrows to indicated flow and action. Flowcharts are more commonly used in procedures than policies. Campbell notes that a danger of flowcharts is that they can quickly become cluttered and hard to read.

Campbell then goes on to discuss using secondary formats. The main purpose of these formats is to deal with other possibilities that may arise and special conditions that may exist. Campbell begins by discussing the question and answer format, which are used in both policies and procedures. They contain questions that a majority of readers might ask and are designed to simulate a personal conversation.

The next secondary format Campbell discusses is troubleshooting, which are used primarily in procedures so users aren’t forced to reread the entire document to get help when there’s trouble. Campbell writes that troubleshooting sections are often presented in chart format so the problem can be solved quickly.

Next, Campbell discusses matrix tables, which connect one variable to a second variable. She writes that matrix tables are a good format when readers need to refer repeatedly to the information periodically over time because they eliminate the need for constant rereading and searching.

Campbell then goes on to discuss lists, which should be used often because the eye loves lists. Campbell writes that lists break up the denseness of the printed page and let the eye skim quickly. An indented group of related items is known as a displayed or vertical list, but there are also other types, such as paragraph, nested and parenthetical. Lists allow you to use shortcuts what would sound odd in a regular sentence. These include leaving out the subject and starting with a verb, leaving out articles, and using partial sentences or only key words. Campbell notes that the main purpose of the list is to shorten, organize and clarify.

Campbell concludes this chapter by writing about combining formats and experimenting with different formats. She notes that you can switch among the formats for clarification, but to be cautious as to not overwhelm the reader. The formats should be experimented with in a search for better ways to communication important information with clarity and speed.