Take this short quiz to check your knowledge of some key points in procedure writing.
1. Question: What percentage of CSB investigations found procedures were inadequate or missing?
A. 10 - 20%
B. 25 - 35%
C. 40 - 50%
Answer: C) 40 - 50%
Problems with procedures were present in 43% of the incidents investigated by CSB through 2015. Procedures had not been developed, were not followed, were inadequate, or were otherwise deficient. Such situations are unacceptable. Properly written procedures must be developed for all process operations and activities following best practices and for all stages and modes of operation.
2. Question: Should abbreviations and acronyms be used in procedures?
Answer: Abbreviations and acronyms should be avoided wherever possible. If used, the procedure writer must ensure users understand them and provide definitions.
3. Question: Which of the following takes the most intellectual effort for procedures:
A. Reading
B. Comprehending
C. Performing
Answer: It depends on how well the procedure is written. The goal for a well written procedure is for the user to have sufficient intellectual resources to perform the procedure after reading and comprehending it. A well written procedure will minimize the effort taken to read and comprehend it.
4. Question: Is white space in a procedure wasted space?
Answer: No. White space is blank space on a page. It is a powerful design tool. Procedures with inadequate white space are dense and cluttered. They are difficult to use. A good procedure writer knows how to use white space to focus the user’s attention and relieve the user from being overloaded with information. White space enhances the readability of procedures.
5. Question: What is most important in determining the level of detail for procedure users?
A. Experience
B. Knowledge and abilities
C. Training
Answer: B) Knowledge and abilities
Level of detail refers to the amount of information in a procedure. It addresses the match between the information provided in a procedure and the attributes of the user. All three answers may influence the level of detail. However, just because someone is experienced or has been trained does not mean that they have acquired the attributes needed to perform a procedure properly, regardless of its level of detail. The key item is to match the knowledge and abilities of the user with the procedure content.
If you have questions about Procedure Writing, or on any process safety topic, you may contact us via our website at request information; or by emailing info@primatech.com.
