Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vfjqv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T10:20:54.273Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

99 - Writing procedures

from Section 3 - Activities and tools

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 June 2018

Get access

Summary

Writing procedures

PROCEDURES PROVIDE DETAIL about established processes which are clearly presented and adopt a step-by-step approach. They are crucial documents which outline exactly what needs to happen and how this will be done, thus ensuring that tasks are carried out in a consistent fashion and in a predefined order (Oxford Dictionaries, 2016). Most LKSs will have a range of procedures governing their work. These are essential documents which ensure that business can continue in an uninterrupted fashion, enabling any team member to pick up a task at any given time. Procedures are useful for complex tasks that include a lot of stages, activities which are integral to the effective running of the service and occasional (e.g. annual) tasks which are not part of the day-to-day routine.

Well written and easy to follow procedures are essential for streamlining processes, ensuring that services run efficiently and sharing information with the wider team. Therefore, having staff who are able to write well and develop clear guidance documents is vital. Team members who are good at writing procedures can also use this skill to create user-focused documents, such as guides and instructions, which enable library members to get the most out of your service.

Templates

A standardized template will ensure that all documents are produced in a consistent format and will help you to control the quality of your documentation. This will be really helpful for team members who are new to the process of writing procedures. There is no single format for a procedure, so it is important that whatever you choose works for your service; typically, a template will include some or all of the following:

  • • title

  • • author name

  • • date approved

  • • approving group or person

  • • review date

  • • version

  • • introduction

  • • purpose of the document

  • • roles and responsibilities

  • • glossary of terms

  • • the content – step-by-step procedure

  • • references

  • • appendices

  • • changes or amendments.

  • To ensure good governance practices are adhered to, procedures will also include page numbers and a footer which includes the document title, date approved and version. Figure 99.1 presents a flowchart for the process of writing procedures.

    Type
    Chapter
    Information
    Publisher: Facet
    Print publication year: 2016

    Access options

    Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

    Save book to Kindle

    To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

    Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

    Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

    Available formats
    ×

    Save book to Dropbox

    To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

    Available formats
    ×

    Save book to Google Drive

    To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

    Available formats
    ×