If your goal is to have your organization’s employee manuals and training guides read and used, keep this tip in mind when writing policies and procedures. Don’t be vague!
Abstract terms are harder to understand and frequently boring and lifeless. When you use vague generalized words, you’ll either bore or frustrate your reader. Vow to use specific and accurate nouns to make an immediate impression and draw a picture in the reader’s mind.
Here are a few examples:
Instead of … | Try … |
Book | CSR Training Guide, War & Peace, your Zavanta User’s Guide |
Output device | HP laser printer, Linotronic imagesetter, Epson dot-matrix printer |
Vehicle | Truck, Half-ton flatbed trailer, white Jaguar XL |