Organisational standards for creating business documents

Manage Business Document

Design and Development

(BSBADM506)

Objectives

1. Establish documentation standards

2. Manage template design and development

3. Develop standard text for documents

4. Develop and implement strategies to ensure the use of standard

documentation

5. Develop and implement strategies for maintaining and improving

documentation

1. Establish documentation standards

1.1 Identify organisational requirements for document design and production

1.2 Evaluate the organisation’s IT capability in terms of document design and production

1.3 Identify types of documents used and required by the organisation

1.4 Establish documentation standards and design tasks

1.1 Identify organisational requirements for

document design and production

Identify and discuss:

 Criteria for document production

 Ethical and legal requirements

 Design formats

 Storage

 Output

Example: https://www1.health.nsw.gov.au/pds/ActivePDSDocuments/PD2012_069.pdf

https://www1.health.nsw.gov.au/pds/ActivePDSDocuments/PD2012_069.pdf

1.2 Evaluate the organisation’s IT capability in

terms of document design and production

Limitations

How to analyse document production

needs

IT resources

Available software

Application software

Hardware

Cost restraints

1.3 Types of documents

Documents produced may include:

 Spreadsheets and databases

 A range of business letters and forms

 Emails, memos and faxes

 Web pages

 Flyers, brochures, newsletters and business

cards

 Reports

 Tenders

 Booklets

 Certificates or awards

1.4 Establish documentation standards and

design tasks

 technology requirements

 information communicated

 budget and time constraints

Develop a style guide

 Design requirements include:

 electronic/paper media

 creating templates

 binding style and media

 cover appearance

 margins, fonts and spacing

 headers and footers

 drawings and images.

Develop a style guide

 Guidance on content:

 Writing/language

 Style

 Formatting

 Drafting

 Editing and proofing

 Legal/regulatory requirements

 Checking final copy

Finish a document or publication

 colours

 graphics

 printing process

 copying

 colour photocopying

 print quality

 page styles

 overall presentation.

Specific design tasks:

 Identify client requirements for document design

 Locate appropriate precedents

 Use appropriate page layout software

 Apply macros to speed up production

 Liaise with external personnel

 Seek external IT expertise

2. Manage template design and

development

2.1 Ensure standard formats and templates suit document requirements

2.2 Ensure document templates enhance readability and appearance, and meet style and layout requirements

2.3 Test templates, obtain feedback and make necessary amendments

2.1 Ensure standard formats and templates

suit document requirements

 Templates may include:

 a basic template for staff meeting minutes, but a more complex format for a board meeting

 different standard letters for inquiry, unsuccessful candidates, overdue payments, customer

rewards, etc.

 templates and standard formats for regular items such as reports, faxes, labels, promotional

material and briefing papers

 different formats for emails to external and internal recipients.

Identify requirements

Identify the purpose of the

document

Know your audience

Understand information

requirements

Case study

 The manager of a real estate company recently reviewed templates for all the

documents the company produced. She found that some of them didn’t accurately

convey the organisation’s image. When she reviewed a welcome letter to a new

contractors, she found the following:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your tender. You have been successful; welcome to the team. Contact Mr. Rob

Forrester with regard to your contract signing.

K. Rossmoyne

HR-Recruitment

2.2 Ensure document templates enhance readability

and appearance, and meet style and layout

requirements

layout features

 Choice of font or typeface

 Text spacing

 Margin width

 Justifying text

2.2 Ensure document templates enhance readability

and appearance, and meet style and layout

requirements

Design elements

 Colour choice

 Backgrounds

 Use of a header or footer

 Document sign-off and signature

 Use of logos

2.3 Test templates, obtain feedback and

make necessary amendments

 Discuss why and how to test templates

 What information are you looking for specifically

2.3 Test templates, obtain feedback and

make necessary amendments

 Obtain feedback

Focus groups

One-on-one interviews

Group feedback

sessions

Intranet feedback

Suggestion boxes

Make amendments

 How can you make amendments, and make sure you don’t lose changes?

3. Develop standard text for documents

3.1 Evaluate software functions for their usefulness in automating document production

3.2 Match document requirements with software functions

3.3 Test macros to ensure they meet document requirements

3.1 Evaluate software functions for their

usefulness in automating document production

 Formatting software functions

 Margins and fonts

 Page/section breaks

 Headers/footers/footnotes

 Bullets and numbering

 Tables

3.1 Evaluate software functions for their

usefulness in automating document production

 Understand complex technical functions

 Form field

 Macro

 Merge criteria

 Link

 Index

 Embedding

 Exporting/importing

Other functions

3.2 Match document requirements with software

functions

Prepare documents efficiently:

 Letters and business emails

 Spreadsheets

 Webpages

 Databases

 Forms and invoices

 Newsletters

3.3 Test macros to ensure they meet document

requirements

 Test for functionality

 Perform the same function in different contexts

 All users have the same version

 The functionality always produce the same results

 Any antivirus interference

 Test for compliance

 Privacy policy within the organisation

 Privacy Act

3.3 Test macros to ensure they meet document

requirements

 Deal with difficulties

 Incorrect pathways

 File name changes

 Version conflict

 User actions

 Macros not enabled

 Internal or external changes

 Antivirus software

 Internal or external changes

 Seek further IT assistance

4. Develop and implement strategies to

ensure the use of standard documentation

4.1 Prepare explanatory notes for the use of templates and macros

4.2 Develop and implement training in the use of templates and macros

4.3 Produce, circulate, name and store master files

4.1 Prepare explanatory notes for the use

of templates and macros

 Use appropriate language and style

 Present instructions

 A brief description of the template or macro

 What it is used for

 How to use it

 Where to go for help if needed

 Explain how to access and use templates

 Explain how to use macros

4.2 Develop and implement training in the

use of templates and macros

Type of training

 In-house coach

 Self-directed training

 Adapt to user needs

4.2 Develop and implement training in the

use of templates and macros

 What kind of instruction different technology users will need?

4.3 Produce, circulate, name and store master

files

 A master file is a record containing all the criteria required by the originator and is

retained on a relatively permanent basis in the organisation’s information system.

 It is created to maintain the consistency of templates

 How a master file needs to be presented

 Password protected

 Formatted and styled in the way intended for ongoing use

 Accessible

4.3 Produce, circulate, name and store master

files

 Naming conventions

 Master

 Dot or Dotx

 XIt or Xtlx

 Adn, accdt, mdt or adnx

 Circulate and print master files and copies

 Email

 Posting

 Noticeboards, blogs, posters, etc.

5. Develop and implement strategies for

maintaining and improving documentation

5.1 Monitor use of templates and macros, and evaluate document quality

5.2 Review documentation standards against the changing needs of the organisation, and

plan and implement improvements.

Monitoring methods

 Following an approval process that includes checking documents conform with template

requirements

 Using a document register

 Conducting regular audits of documents chosen at random to ensure they conform to

templates

 Conducting regular reviews of templates and updating them as required

5.1 Monitor use of templates and macros, and

evaluate document quality

 Use templates and macros correctly

 Check each document produced

 Discuss templates at a team meeting

 Establish a document register

 Ask new staff

 Circulate a reminder email or memo

 Evaluate document quality

 Regularly comparing documents that staff produce with master documents

 Regularly evaluate staff knowledge and skills and offer training to address identified skill

deficiencies

5.1 Monitor use of templates and macros, and

evaluate document quality

 Evaluate documents against standards

 Purpose

 Compliance

 Security

 Language

 Approvals

 Format

 Non-compliant documents

 Notify all affected employees

 Remove affected templates from circulation

 Update the master file with a comment that the template is no longer current

5.2 Review documentation standards against

the changing needs of the organisation, and

plan and implement improvements.

 An organisation may review and change documentation when:

 Expand considerably

 Change direction

 New technology or software

 Legislative change

 Improve documentation

 Identify change

 Develop improvements

 Gather feedback

 Incorporate feedback

 Secure approval

5.2 Review documentation standards against

the changing needs of the organisation, and

plan and implement improvements.

 Strategies for version control

 Updating version control documents

 Communicating change

 Circulating revise documents

 Conducting training