What are the specific learning outcomes?

DOCUMENT PLANNING PROCESS

Participants learn techniques for structural clarity. Specifically, they learn how to:

• use the Planning Model to plan all written work in less than 10 minutes;
• batch topics into a well-structured outline so that the information is reader-focussed, tells a coherent and credible story, and ensures key points are easy to find;
• use parallel patterns to present the document structure;
• review information with a critical eye for relevance, missing elements, or faulty logic and organisation;
• use the Persuasion Model to draw logical and objective conclusions from data and facts;
• write emotional and sensitive documents that avoid negative repercussions and alienation.

GRAMMAR, PLAIN ENGLISH AND PRESENTATION

Participants learn techniques for stylistic clarity, what to avoid and what to look out for in their written correspondence. Specifically, they learn how to:

• identify when writing contains punctuation, case and sentence construction faults, and how to fix them;
• become an accurate word miser (a writer who uses plain English) and write to clarify rather than confuse;
• select appropriate writing styles (including person, voice and tense) for different document types;
• use techniques that improve readability and scanability (including listings and white space ratio);
• improve a document’s appearance to ensure a professional final copy.

What are the overall outcomes?

In the long term, our elearning solution should achieve the following outcomes.

• Reduce the time it takes to write, review, edit and proofread documents that are reader-focused, easy to scan and leave a good impression.
• Be congruent with the company’s professional image.
• Improve the writers’ writing confidence.
• Help reduce costly mistakes caused by the misinterpretation of incomplete, long-winded and ambiguous information.
• Help develop effective editors, reviewers and proofreaders using a clear benchmark and set of expectations.
• Work towards developing a consistency in all documentation using a Business Writing Style Guide.