tlie407c - prepare workplace documents - learner guide

TLIE407C Prepare

workplace

documents Learner Guide

Contents

What this Learner’s Guide is about ........................................ 3 Planning your learning ........................................................... 4 How you will be assessed ...................................................... 6

Section 1............................................................................................. 7 How do you plan a workplace document? ............................. 7

Section 2........................................................................................... 23 How do you write a workplace document?........................... 23

Additional resources....................................................................... 33

Feedback on activities .................................................................... 35

TLIE407C Prepare workplace documents

Page 2 © Australian National Training Authority 2003 ADELG1043 Customised and developed by Armstrong’s Driver Education Pty Ltd August 2008


© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 3 Customised and developed by Armstrong’s Driver Education Pty Ltd August 2008 ADELG1043

What this Learner’s Guide is about

This Learner’s Guide is about a lot of warehouse communication is done through written documents. In your working day you might need to write letters to clients and suppliers, memos to your work team or reports to management. Badly written documents are hard to read, and can be misunderstood by other workers, suppliers and customers. For these reasons it is important to write documents which are accurate, meaningful and easy to read.

The Elements of Competency from the unit TLIE407C Prepare workplace documents covered in this Learner’s Guide are listed below.

Plan workplace document

Prepare workplace document

Complete workplace forms

This unit of competency is from the Transport and Logistics Training Package (TLI07).



Planning your learning

It is important to plan your learning before you start because you may already have some of the knowledge and skills that are covered in this Learner’s Guide. This might be because:

• you have been working in the industry for some time, and/or

• you have already completed training in this area.

Together with your supervisor or trainer use the checklists on the following pages to help you plan your study program. Your answers to the questions in the checklist will help you work out which sections of this Learner’s Guide you need to complete.

This Learner’s Guide is written with the idea that learning is made more relevant when you, the learner, are actually working in the industry. This means that you will have people within the enterprise who can show you things, discuss how things are done and answer any questions you have. Also you can practise what you learn and see how what you learn is applied in the enterprise.

If you are working through this Learner’s Guide and have not yet found a job in the industry, you will need to talk to your trainer about doing work experience or working and learning in some sort of simulated workplace.



Section 1: How do you plan a workplace document?

Are you able to: Yes No

1. identify the audience and purpose of a document?

2. choose an appropriate format for a document?

3. select relevant information?

4. organise relevant information to suit the audience, purpose and context?

Section 2: How do you write a workplace document?

Are you able to: Yes No

1. state your purpose clearly?

2. include information relevant to the reader, purpose and context?

3. use a style, format and layout appropriate to the reader, purpose and context?

4. show a preference for plain English?

5. use correct editing procedures?



How you will be assessed

Assessment of this Unit of Competency will include observation of real or simulated work processes using workplace procedures and questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills. It must be demonstrated in an actual or simulated work situation under supervision.

You will be required to:

• plan the writing of a workplace document

• produce the document to workplace standards.



Section 1

How do you plan a workplace document?



Section outline

Areas covered in this section


What are some typical workplace documents?

How do you organise your workplace documents?




Planning a workplace document involves getting all your thoughts, ideas and information together before you begin. A well planned document is easier to write and will be much easier for your audience to read.

To successfully get your message across there are a few things you should think about when planning your document. These are outlined in more detail in the material that follows.

What is your purpose?

The first thing you need to consider is why you are writing your document, that is, what is your purpose?

Workplace documents can have many different purposes. They might be to inform work team members of a change in production, to reply to a customer complaint, or to record decisions made at a meeting. Although your purpose might be obvious to you, you must make sure that it is equally obvious to your reader if you want your communication to be effective.

By identifying your purpose you can focus on what information you need to include in your document. A document with a clear purpose has all the information the reader needs without being long and rambling.

The purpose of your document will also affect the sort of style and format you use. Your response to a customer complaint for example will look and sound very different to safety instructions for new machinery. Some documents such as memos and letters might even have specific formatting ‘rules’ that make them easy to recognise and read.

When identifying your purpose, ask yourself the following questions:

• what message do I want to put across to my reader?

• what action do I want them to take in response?



Who is your audience?

When planning your document you will also need to identify your audience, that is, who is going to read the document?

Your audience may be as small as one or two people, or as large as a whole department or workplace. It is important to think about who your audience is so that your document can suit their needs.

When thinking about your audience you should ask yourself the following questions:

• what is the reading ability of the audience?

• what does the audience need to know?

• what would the audience already know about this subject?

• how would you feel about this subject if you were the audience?



Activity 1: Thinking about audience and purpose

Choose a possible audience and purpose for the following documents, and for each one, comment on how the audience and purpose affects the type of language and format that is used:

Occupational health and safety regulations

Audience: ________________________________________

Purpose: ________________________________________

Effect: ________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

Picking slips

Audience: ________________________________________

Purpose: ________________________________________

Effect: ________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

A magazine about cars

Audience: ________________________________________

Purpose: ________________________________________

Effect: ________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

There is feedback on this activity at the back of this Learner’s Guide.



What are some typical workplace documents?

There are many different types of documents you might use in the workplace to communicate ideas and events. Some typical examples are described below.

Letters

In your working day you will need to write many different kinds of letters. While the style and format of your letter will depend on whom you are writing to and why, there are some general rules you can follow.

When writing a letter, your language is often more formal than what you would use in normal speech. The layout of a letter should be clear and have all the information set out in an easy to read manner.

For example:

Footflat Shoe Warehouse, Bendigo St, Holmesdale, Vic, 9871

Janet Hollingworth Shoes for the Soul 444 Church St Sydney NSW 2001 Dear Ms Hollingworth I am writing to apologise for the incorrect order we sent you last week. The mishap occurred because of a new staffing arrangement and we have now rectified the situation. Please accept our sincerest apologies. Frank Lu



Newsletter article

A newsletter article can be more relaxed and chatty. Make sure that the information is presented in logical ‘chunks.’

Example:

Employee of the Month for February is Fred Stevenson. Fred has been working for Nuts and Bolts Warehouse since 1981 when he began as a Forklift driver on a casual basis. Since that time Fred has worked as an area trainer and more recently as a training officer specialising in driver safety.

Fred’s hobbies outside of work include football and gardening and he describes his interest in old motorbikes as a ‘consuming passion.’

Friendly and efficient, Fred is recognised for his hard work and in particular for his encouragement of young members of the Nuts and Bolts team.

Well done Fred!



Instructions

Good instructions are vital to the smooth operation of any warehouse. Poorly written instructions can slow down workflow and even result in accidents and injury. Instructions must follow a logical order and be easy to understand. Usually each step is numbered and very few technical or difficult terms are used.

Example:

When lifting a heavy load:

1. Stand close to the load.

2. Bend at the knees.

3. Keep the spine straight.

4. Get a firm grip on the load.

5. Lift by straightening the legs, and keeping the spine straight.

6. Keep the object close to you.

7. Take short, careful steps.

8. Avoid sudden jarring movements.



Memos

Memos are a simple and effective way of getting a brief message to a large number of people. They can be used to boost morale, request actions or pass on information. You will probably have set formats for writing memos in your workplace. See how they compare with the example below:

Memo

To: All staff

From: Bill Bloggs

Date: 13/4

Subject: Output

Well done! The first two weeks of August have been right on target. This is a great team effort.



Activity 2: Formats for common workplace documents

Make a collection of documents commonly used in your workplace such as letters, memos, etc.

Choose three different ones and for each one answer the following questions:

Document 1

What are the key features of this format?

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Why do you think this format is used?

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Do you think it is effective in communicating its message? Why/why not?

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Document 2


____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________




____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________


____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Document 3


____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________


____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________


____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________



How do you organise your workplace document?

Producing a good document takes some organisation. You need to work out what information to include and how this information should be arranged. You also need to consider all your deadlines and time restraints so that your document is finished on time.

What information should you use?

Having identified the purpose and audience of your document, you can now work out what information you will need to include. Leaving out important information is disastrous, but on the other hand, too much unnecessary information can be confusing and hard to read.

To make sure your document includes everything without being cluttered, list all the important information before you start. This list will provide you with an easy way of checking that you have not forgotten anything and will also help you to keep your document on course.



Activity 3: Selecting relevant information Select the relevant information from the following scenarios and list it in the space provided:

Scenario 1

Your trainer, who has recently remarried, wants you to write a memo to workers in your unit. You are to tell them that the venue for the next monthly staff meeting has changed. Last month the meeting was held in the conference room in the Managerial Department, but this room is no longer available because there is a conference being held there on the use of new technologies in warehousing. The meeting will instead be held in the Meeting Room in the Customer Service Department on Thursday the 15th of May at 10 am. This room has recently been repainted and fitted with new drapes.

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Scenario 2

You have received faulty merchandise from ‘Billy’s Boxes’, a regular supplier of packaging materials for 5 years now. All cardboard boxes you received in batch No. 5098 were not straight and did not fit together properly. One of your workers noticed this mistake yesterday afternoon while she was preparing to pack an order for a large cosmetic company.

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________




How do you organise your information?

Once you have selected the information you need, you must decide how it will be organised. This is particularly important for documents such as timetables and instructions where it is essential that readers receive information in the right order. For example, there is no point giving instructions on how to change gears in a Forklift if you have not yet explained how to turn the Forklift on!

The best way to make sure that information is presented logically is to imagine that you are the reader of your document – what information do you need to know first? By working out the sequence of ideas and information before you start, you can be sure that your document is clear and logical.



Activity 4: Finding a logical sequence to your information Using the numbers 1 to 4, place the following information in a logical order:

How to make a cup of tea: • jiggle the tea bag up and down until desired strength is reached • pour boiled water into the cup • add milk or sugar if desired • place a tea bag into a clean cup.

Now put the information you selected for the two documents in Activity 3 in the most logical order.

Scenario 1

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Scenario 2

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________




How can you best manage your time?

Organising your document also involves organising yourself! Documents such as memos, often need to be completed immediately, while other documents such as reports and articles will have deadlines that you have to meet.

To prepare for these deadlines it is a good idea to make a time line. Your timeline should include time for planning, writing, drafting, proofreading and of course your completion date. You will need to estimate how long it will take to finish each of these stages and how much time you actually have to complete the document. Place your timeline in a place where you can see it, so you can easily keep track of how you are going.



Section 2

How do you write a workplace document?



Section outline

Areas covered in this section

How can you improve your style and structure?

Sticking to the rules

How do you draft your document?



How can you improve your style and structure?

It is important that the information in your document is easy to read. Documents that do not flow naturally or contain awkward expressions and phrases, are tiresome and confusing. The following section provides you with some techniques you can use to make your document easy to read.

Keeping it simple

You should always try to express yourself in the most simple and direct way you can. Often writers who are unsure of their subject matter will try to disguise this by using flashy words or phrases such as ‘commenced operation’ or ‘optimum performance.’ Do not fall into this trap because it is very obvious to the reader and can confuse your message.

Longwinded words or phrases should never be used if there is a simpler alternative. Some common examples are listed below:

Longwinded phrase A more simple replacement

in regard to about

in the vicinity at

I must express my thanks thank you

due to the fact that because

at the present writing now

It is also important that you keep your sentences simple and easy to understand. The most common problem with sentences is that they can get long and jumbled. For example:

In the warehouse it is important that all safety procedures are adhered to such as wearing protective clothing, walking only in marked areas so that no accidents occur and no one is injured or productivity lost.

This sentence is difficult to read and even more difficult to understand.



If your sentences start getting long and clumsy, stop writing and read them aloud to yourself. This will help you to see where you can break them up into two or three shorter ones.

The clumsy sentence above for example can be re-‐written as three much clearer sentences:

In the warehouse it is important to follow all safety procedures. Some of these procedures include wearing protective clothing and walking only in marked areas. By following these procedures you can reduce accidents, and improve productivity.

What sort of language should you use?

When you speak, your tone of voice and body language has an effect on the message you communicate. In the same way the words you choose when writing have a big effect on your reader. You need to be aware of this and make sure that this effect is positive.

You should choose words that are positive and polite, and avoid language that is tactless, discriminatory, or offensive.

In particular you should try to avoid using sexist or gender-‐biased language in your documents. You do not want to offend women in your workplace by using language that ignores or insults them. Below are some examples of gender-‐biased language and suggested words you might use instead.

Gender biased word or phrase Replacement

Chairman Chairperson

Spokesman Spokesperson

Foreman Trainer or supervisor

Jargon is another thing you should avoid in your document. Jargon is a word or expression that is developed and used within a particular group. Jargon is usually not understood by anyone outside of this group.

You should also avoid using technical words if you are not sure that your audience will understand them. The overuse of jargon and technical terms will make your document difficult to read and can be annoying for your reader.



Activity 5: Thinking about language

Are there any jargon or technical words used in your workplace that might be misunderstood or misinterpreted by people from outside of your workplace?

List three or four that you can think of.

1. ___________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________

4. ___________________________________________________

For each one think of an alternative that you could use if you were writing for a person outside of your workplace or industry.

Jargon term Replacement



Sticking to the rules

There are common rules of grammar and punctuation you should use to make your writing easier to read and understand. Some common punctuation rules are described below:

Capitalisation

Always capitalise proper nouns. These include:

• people’s names and titles e.g. Mel Gibson, the Prime Minister

• street names: e.g. Bakers St., Sunset Boulevard

• names of countries, state/territory, regions, localities etc: e.g. Australia, South Gippsland, Armadale

• names of religious groups e.g. Catholics, Hindus, Muslims

• names of schools and colleges e.g. Mooroopna Secondary College, Brisbane University

• trade names e.g. Cocoa Cola, Macintosh

• names of days and months (but not seasons) e.g. Saturday, September, spring, winter.

Full stops

Full stops are used to signify the end of a sentence.

Example: Work team meetings will be held tomorrow.

They can also be used for abbreviations.

Example: e.g., i.e. and etc.

Question marks

Question marks should come at the end of a direct question.

Example: What time do you finish work?



Exclamation marks

Exclamation marks are used at the end of a statement expressing strong feeling.

Example: Watch out for the Forklift!

Commas

Commas are used to separate two or more ideas in the one sentence.

Example: There are a lot of orders to get through tomorrow, but there will still be time for our work team meetings.

A good way to determine where a comma should go is to read the sentence aloud to yourself. Where you find yourself making a short pause is probably where you should put a comma.

Commas are also used to separate a series of elements in a sentence.

Example: The colours for the new company logo are blue, green, and white.



Activity 6: Sticking to the rules

Punctuate the following sentences:

1. The manager wants this order picked by tomorrow

2. Have you contacted the supplier from the United States

3. Business is booming

4. The colours on the new company logo are red blue and yellow

5. Are Jones, Smith and Johnson working tomorrow

6. The training session went for only two hours but we all learnt a lot in that time




How do you draft your document?

Drafting is the process of writing, changing and then rewriting your document until it is in its final form. Drafting is an important process because it is where mistakes are picked up and changes made that add ‘polish’ to your final document.

Proofreading and editing

Proofreading and editing involves reading over your work, looking for errors and areas for improvement. If possible you should ask a second person, perhaps a work friend, secretary, spouse or trainer to proofread your writing and suggest changes. A second pair of eyes will often find problems that you have missed yourself.

The following tips can help you when you are doing your own editing:

• if possible leave some time between your last draft and proofreading; sometimes you need a ‘fresh eye’ to pick up mistakes and improvements

• read each sentence out loud to check that they are all complete and ensure that your writing ‘flows’ or is easy to read

• put yourself in the shoes of your reader; check if your message is clear; ensure that you avoid using clumsy and tactless language

• remove all unnecessary words or phrases and check for jargon or inappropriate technical language

• review all punctuation, capitals and spelling (use a dictionary or a spell check if you are not sure)

• recheck numbers in addresses and dates to make sure they are correct.



Additional resources



Paper based:

• examples of reports that have been professionally produced or edited

• texts, reference books and novels as examples of proper grammar and punctuation

• standard formats or guidelines provided in your workplace for document design

• style guides produced for your workplace or standard guides such as the Style Guide for Authors, Editors and Printers, Australian Government Printing Service, Fifth edition, (current edition) available from state/territory Government Book Store

• dictionaries.



Feedback on activities

The responses provided in this section are suggested responses. Because every workplace is different, your responses may vary according to your specific workplace procedures, the equipment available and the nature of the business.



Activity 1: Thinking about audience and purpose

There is no single answer for this activity. Below are some suggested answers that you can compare with your own:

1. Occupational Health and Safety regulations.

Audience: • your work team • your trainer • occupational health and safety representatives in your

workplace • maintenance crew in your workplace.

Purpose: • to inform trainers and managers about new legislation • to inform workers about procedural changes.

Effect: • format should be clear and easy to read as it will be read by

a wide range of readers and reading abilities.

2. Picking slips

Audience: • pickers • work team trainers.

Purpose: • to show what items need to be picked.

Effect: • needs to be read quickly and accurately so should not be

cluttered with unnecessary information or formatting.



3. Magazine about cars

Audience: • the general public • people who buy or sell cars.

Purpose: • to provide information on new car lines • to provide entertainment.

Effect: • Should be an entertaining or a ‘light read’, so needs to have

plenty of pictures and relaxed, conversational language.

Activity 3: Selecting relevant information

Scenario 1: • the venue for the next monthly staff meeting has changed • the meeting will now be held in the Meeting Room in the

Customer Service Department • the meeting will be held on Thursday the 15th of May at 10

am.

Scenario 2: • you have received faulty merchandise from ‘Billy’s Boxes’ • all boxes you received in batch number 5098 were not

straight and did not fit together properly.

Activity 4: Finding a logical sequence to your information

How to make a cup of tea: • place a tea bag into a clean cup • pour boiled water into the cup • jiggle the tea bag up and down until desired strength is

reached • add milk or sugar if desired.

Scenario 1 • the venue for the next monthly staff meeting has changed • the meeting will now be held in the Meeting Room in the

Customer Service Department



• the meeting will be held on Thursday the 15th of May at 10 am.

Scenario 2 • you have received faulty merchandise from ‘Billy’s Boxes’ • all boxes you received in batch number 5098 were not

straight and did not fit together properly.

Activity 6: Sticking to the rules

1. The manager wants this order picked by tomorrow.

2. Have you contacted the supplier from the United States?

3. Business is booming!

4. The colours on the new company logo are red, blue, and yellow.

5. Are Jones, Smith and Johnson working tomorrow?

6. The training session went for only two hours, but we all learnt a lot in that time.