Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Playscript procedure writing style is widely known Use Plain Language
for its plain language, content organization, readability
and usability for all kinds of audiences. Developed by The English language is very complicated. Its structure
Leslie Matthies over 40 years ago, Playscript has been is not always precise; its variety is not always logical.
used by hundreds of leading (and other) organizations Writing policies, procedures and other kinds of
worldwide as their procedure standard. Major consulting instruction requires plain language, clear and correct.
firms have trained their professional staff in its use as a What is needed is not great writing for the ages but
primary work process documentation technique. simple writing that helps people to do their job or
obtain direction. It should, however, be good English.
Extending several of Playscript’s design elements to
policy writing provides an organization with policies and Make It Easy to Find Information
procedures that have a uniform look and feel. A leading
publisher recently did this, using Playscript as the style The writing style for policies and procedures is meant to
model for their commercially produced Controller's tell people who are “reading to do,” who are skimming
Policies and Procedures Manual. and scanning the material to quickly get the answer to
the issue of immediate concern to them (i.e., what is the
policy . . or . . how am I supposed to implement my
OVERVIEW piece of the policy?).
Policies and procedures (P&P) often use common Use Margin Caption Format
elements to communicate, as do other documents.
Policies and procedures are unique, however, in their Policies and procedures need to provide a consistent
subject matter. They are about operating practices for visual format and framework for the reader. Playscript
organizational performance. innovated the use of the margin caption or two-column
format, also known as the action format.
The Playscript (1) procedure writing style is known
throughout the world for its plain language
characteristics and excellent readability. The publishers
of the Controllers Policies and Procedures Manual, (2)
already familiar with Playscript, wanted a uniform "look
and feel" for their publication. They needed a working LEFT RIGHT
model and guidelines for use by ten subject matter
experts (SMEs) to develop 45 policy and procedure
sections of the manual. The publisher contracted with
the author to architect the P&P style model, with
examples, and to provide content development
procedures for the contributors.
The margin caption format permits pages to be read
The Controller’s Manual uses Playscript for its vertically using a skim & scan reading strategy. The
procedure and policy style model using a number of its reader is able to move quickly down the left margin to
design elements to achieve the uniform appearance, find the caption of a topic of interest, and then move the
clarity and readability desired for its target audience. eye to the right to digest the needed information.
• Policies use the left column for headings or labels
COMMON ELEMENTS OF and the right column for text and graphics.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES • Procedures use the left column to identify the actor
and the right column to describe the action being
There are several writing and format elements common performed.
to the development and presentation of policies and
procedures.
Use Common Writing Styles To improve readability, consistently CAPITALIZE . .
underscore . . italicize . . and/or bold significant words
or ones that change the meaning of the whole sentence,
Recommended P&P writing styles include: such as:
• Action writing, based on the Playscript procedure Not . . If . . Except . . Unless
writing style.
• Structured writing, popularized by Information Note: Overuse of these readability enhancement
Mapping, Inc. (3), which extends the two-column techniques can be counter-productive.
format of Playscript beyond procedures to other
forms of written communications (4). USE STRUCTURED WRITING
A common element in each of these styles is that the
writer takes on more of the interpretive work than does
FOR POLICIES
the reader. Each of these methods predigests the
information and uses graphics and page formats to Overview
present the content most clearly. Headings, bolding,
and other layout and typographical devices are used to Structured writing uses blocks of text to make material
make the text more understandable. bite-sized and it uses side labels to enable readers to
quickly find information.
Use Performance Orientation
Use Concept of Blocks
Policies tell readers “what to do” and procedures tell
them “how to do it,” at a high level. The writing is Present information in visible blocks that are outlined.
oriented around actions not terms. Performance This makes information bite-sized and localizes all the
orientation focuses on the duties and tasks a user is information on one topic or aspect of a topic in one
expected to perform and the information needed in physical place.
order to perform them.
Use Left Side Labels
Note: Low level work or operator instructions, unlike
procedures, provide detailed, step-by-step instructions. Structured writing’s use of left-hand column labels
coincides with research that suggests that the left half of
Use Numbers, Letters and Bullets the page has strong influence on reader attention. It can
speed retrieval of information and improve readability.
Use numbers only in steps in a policy or procedure. Use
simple Arabic numbers (1., 2., 3., 4., etc.) to show the Use an Overview
main sequence. For sub-steps in the main sequence,
indent and: Overviews are used at the top of each page. Their
• add a lower case letter, such as a) or b), to indicate function is to familiarize audiences with the nature and
an action sequence or if a bulleted list doesn’t importance of new ideas, to relate new ideas to
sufficiently denote priorities or orders of previously discussed concepts, and to provide a
importance. transitional and cohesive element to entering a page.
• add a bulleted list to indicate a random order.
Use short blocks and chunks. Within a page, many
Note: Over-numbering is more distracting and blocks are preferable to one long block. Within a
confusing to the reader than it is useful. block, many chunks of information are preferable to one
long chunk. Break up longer blocks and chunks of
information.
Use Consistent Tools of Emphasis
Readers of directions (policies and procedures) often Use Integrated Graphics
overlook key words which signal abrupt turns in the
logic of a sentence. Liberally use tables, illustrations, diagrams and other
visual effects as an integral part of P&P writing.
POLICY EXAMPLE USE ACTION WRITING FOR
USING STRUCTURED WRITING PROCEDURES
Overview
Policy No. 103, Issue No. 3 Travel and Entertainment
Date Action writing uses plain language and an action
Policy Perspective Business travel and entertainment comprise reasonable activities framework to enable readers to easily follow
conducive to the transaction of Company business. Employees
traveling and/or entertaining on behalf of the Company have a
instructions on “how to proceed.”
stewardship responsibility regarding the use of Company funds.
Policy Reasonable, actual business expenses incurred by employees for Write Action Sentences (Active Voice)
the purpose of conducting business on behalf of the Company
will be reimbursed upon approval by the employee’s manager.
An action sentence tells the actor (the reader) what to
Policy Guidelines Employees are not authorized to approve expenditures that they
have initiated or incurred.
do. First, name the actor (exact job or function title).
Then provide the action sequence number (number the
Advances and business entertainment expenses shall be reported
using the Travel and Entertainment Expense Report. Original steps sequentially from beginning to end). Start each
receipts are required for an individual expenditure of $25 or more
(receipts for lower amounts may be required by local policy);
sentence with an action word . . a verb. Then continue
photocopies are not acceptable. with the action sentence.
The employee and the employee's manager must sign Travel and
Entertainment Expense Reports. Actor ⇒ Sequence Number ⇒ Action Word
o
Business Expenses Business expenses are:
o
Those that are necessary to the operations of the Company. Note: The action is stated in imperative sentences,
o
Those that benefit or advance the interests of the Company.
Subject to requirements of reasonableness. which are useful for giving directions or commands.
Employee Related o Use telephone and teleconferencing instead of travel for
Expense Guidelines
o Reduce paper and copies though use of electronic mail.
meetings. Use Straight Order
o Eliminate overnight mail whenever possible. Use overnight
mail only for essential or emergency mail.
Straight order means that you first write the subject.
Cash Advances o Cash advances are available via the Corporate Credit Card Then you write the verb. You end your sentence by
through participating automatic teller machines (ATMs).
writing the object.
The procedure is linked to the policy. Write your verbs in the present tense. Examples:
P&P templates distributed with discretion throughout an Dick Fleming is a member of the Society for Technical
organization, in combination with basic training in P&P Communication (STC) and its Policies & Procedures
writing, can enable independent business units with SIG. He is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC)
special knowledge of their processes to implement their and a business process engineer with over 30 years
own departmental policies and procedures. The entire experience using Playscript on client assignments.
organization’s P&Ps will have a uniform look. Mentored by Les Matthies, Dick is the authorized trainer
of Playscript in the U.S.