COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Write Effective Policies & Procedures course. This program has been designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills required to create clear, purposeful and practical organisational policies and procedures that support consistent decision-making, operational efficiency and legal compliance. You will examine the purpose of policies and procedures, when they are required, how to write them effectively and how to plan, analyse and structure them for workplace use.

This course begins by introducing the foundations of policy and procedure writing. This learning area explains what a policy is, what a procedure is, why organisations need them and how ambiguity may be necessary in certain circumstances. This section also explores how the degree of ambiguity is influenced by other factors, how clearly stated consequences support understanding and why subjectivity sometimes plays a role in drafting policies or procedures.

The next learning area examines the purpose, timing and appropriateness of written policies and procedures. This section clarifies what policy and procedure writers must determine, how some documents arise from reactions to incidents, when formal documentation is required, when unwritten rules should be captured and when it may be appropriate to leave guidance unwritten. You will also explore what content should be included in policies and procedures.

Another learning area focuses on understanding the audience and determining the level of detail. This section explains how to identify readers who need to know versus those who want to know, how to assess the level of detail required and how manuals and handbooks serve as practical tools. The differences between policies and procedures are also explored to assist with correct structuring.

A further learning area addresses the developmental stages of policy and procedure writing. This section outlines the four steps of development, the importance of knowing your audience, why it is beneficial to begin with difficult areas, why meeting with content experts is essential and why soliciting information in writing helps ensure accuracy. The value of being realistic and disciplined throughout the writing process is also considered.

Another learning area explores the planning phase of writing policies and procedures. This section covers how to set schedules, use a team effectively and maintain realistic expectations. You will also examine the analysis phase, which includes assessing the nature and reasons for the policy or procedure, defining goals and results, identifying the audience, evaluating conditions of use, understanding the topic urgency, determining impact, reviewing project conditions and gathering requester updates.

The next learning area examines the research and prewriting phases. This section explains how to begin with the difficult areas, consult content experts, meet with stakeholders, conduct interviews, solicit written information, read and study relevant material and maintain discipline throughout. You will also explore how to organise content, establish flow and ensure clarity before drafting the final document.

By the end of this course you will be able to plan, research, analyse and write effective organisational policies and procedures, structure them for clarity, identify the needs of different audiences and establish compliance plans that support consistent organisational practices and informed decision-making.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:

·       What's a policy? And What's a procedure?      

·       Why do you need policies and procedures?    

·       The necessity of ambiguity in policies and procedures

·       How the degree of ambiguity is influenced by other factors?

·       How clearly stated consequences help users understand?

·       The importance of subjectivity in writing policies or procedures?

·       What you have to determine, as a policy and procedure writer?

·       How sometimes policies and procedures are unthinking reactions to an incident?

·       When are policies and procedures needed?

·       When to write the unwritten rules?

·       When to put a policy or procedure in writing?

·       When to consider leaving a policy or procedure unwritten?

·       What to include in policies and procedures?    

·       How to identify the readers that need to know and the readers who want to know?  

·       The level of detail needed in writing policies and procedures

·       Manuals and handbooks       

·       The comparison between policies and procedures

·       The four steps of development in policy and procedure writing

·       The importance of knowing your audience       

·       Why start with the difficult areas?  

·       Why meet with content experts?    

·       How to solicit information in writing?       

·       Why being realistic and disciplined is important?

·       The planning phase in writing a policy or a procedure including: how to set schedules, use a team and be realistic?

·       The analysis phase in writing a policy or a procedure including: the nature and reasons, goals and results, audience, the conditions of use, topic and urgency, impact, project conditions and requester updates

·       The research phase in writing a policy or a procedure including: starting with the difficult areas, meeting with content experts, meeting with others, interviewing, soliciting information in writing, reading and studying and being realistic and disciplined

·       The prewriting phase in writing a policy or a procedure including: content, organisation and flow

·       Establishing a compliance plan

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.