This course represents the distillation of my experience gained over many years of writing procedures in industrial environments. Much of it focuses on "best ways" of building procedural text, particularly for the steps themselves — the core of a procedure — and the advisories (Notes, Cautions, etc.) that accompany them. It's not enough simply to make content logical, though that is obviously an essential first step in building a good procedure. The ultimate objective is to optimize the accessibility of material for busy Operators who are trying to accomplish multiple tasks, at multiple equipment units on a site, and in a limited timeframe.
Objectives
When developed properly, industrial procedures provide precise, and concise, instructions that enable a worker to do a job properly while avoiding mistakes that create risk for himself/herself, other personnel, or equipment/systems. While performing tasks, Operations personnel do not have the time to read and absorb complex explanations — they must be able to fully understand each step of their work upon first reading. This ability to comprehend well-written instructions depends, of course, on the training and competence of Operators.
The objective of the Industrial Procedure Writing Course is to provide guidance to personnel who are tasked with designing and writing industrial procedures. Steps, reflecting the actions required to complete tasks, are the core of a procedure. Complete, accurate, clear, and brief steps that are easy to follow and safe to use are essential features of well-constructed procedures. Accordingly, this course concentrates on the design, sequencing, and writing of procedural steps and support content, while also providing guidance on overall structure. The intended result of this process is a set of procedures that foster workplace safety and operational efficiency.
The Role of AI
I would be remiss not to reference the potential role of Artificial Intelligence in procedure development. There is no disputing the value of AI software as an aid to rapid development of procedures. However, I would also emphasize that in the writing world, AI is primarily used to boost efficiency in the development of a first draft. This applies to technical writing as much as to expository and creative writing. The principles presented in my course stand regardless of the tools used to produce procedures. Any AI draft of a procedure will always need manual editing, refinement, and restructuring by the writer in order to incorporate these principles effectively for the reader. The amount of rework needed will depend on the writer's composition skills, the quality and features of the AI software, and the writer's skills in applying the software.
Business Context
Increasingly, corporate policies, like regulatory agencies, are demanding that approved procedures be in place before a valve is opened or a compressor started at any given site. Operating with limited resources, many companies — whether large organizations or small operations where everyone wears multiple hats — face challenges in producing quality procedures on time and on budget. This course provides the tools needed to help address these challenges. While many of the scenarios presented in the course come from the Oil & Gas sector, the underlying principles can be applied to a broad range of industrial operations, including the utilities, mining, manufacturing, transportation, food services, and agricultural sectors. Please note that the course, while mentioning some software frequently used by writers, does not recommend or provide instruction for any specific writing software.