First Manual for Beginners: List Tasks, Write Steps, Get Others to Test It

Team & People

First Manual for Beginners: List Tasks, Write Steps, Get Others to Test It

New hires who are told to write a manual and don't know what or how much to write use this template for beginners. It walks a single board from listing the task, through writing the manual, having someone test it, fixing the sticking points, to deciding where to keep it. The whiteboard holds a flow with the 5 creation steps, the manual body with 4 columns - what to do, judgment call, caution, check - three frames with a bad example, a good example, and questions to check your draft, two frames on what you learn by watching and how to fix feedback, and a frame with the update rules. The task board has five columns - deciding what to write, listing tasks, drafting, having someone test it, and publish & update - with 4 parent tasks and 3 subtasks each, 16 in total, all not started. Follow the 5 steps on board 1 first, and with the format on board 2 you can finish a full manual on your first try; board 8 lets you set the update owner and review date right there.

0 Likes 0 Copies Author: WeProcess
manual writing step-by-step guide process standardization new hire training for beginners
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1. The 5 Steps to Writing a Manual (f... 2. The Manual Body (fill 4 columns pe... 3. Bad Examples (writing that doesn't... 4. Good Examples (the same content, r... 5. Four Questions to Check Your Draft 6. What You Learn by Watching (observ... 7. Feedback and How to Fix It 8. Update Rules and Where It Lives (d... First Manual-Writ... How to use: (1) L... Goal / good example Rules & how t... Stuck point / bad... Insight / fix to ... Step 1List the tasksPick one task to write about, and note where it starts and ends.e.g. Expense report (from opening the form to it showing as pending approval) Step 2Fill in 4 columnsFill in what to do, judgment call, caution, and check, one step at a time (board 2). Step 3Have someone try itDon't explain anything yourself - have them work from the manual alone while you watch (board 6). Step 4Fix sticking pointsAdd the missing judgment calls and cautions to any step where they got stuck (board 7). Step 5Set the locationDecide and share the save location, the update owner, and the next review date (board 8). What to do Judgment call Caution Check Step 1 e.g. Open the expense report formNote exactly where you open it from e.g. If it's past the month-end cutoff, pick next month e.g. Easy to confuse with the old form's URL e.g. "Expense Report" shows at the top of the screen Step 2 e.g. Enter the amount and purpose e.g. $70 or more (incl. tax) also needs the original receipt e.g. Enter the amount including taxUnit is dollars e.g. The total matches the receipt amount Step 3 e.g. Attach a photo of the receipt e.g. Retake any photo where the text isn't readable e.g. Up to 5MB per file e.g. The file name shows in the attachment field Step 4 e.g. Send the request to your manager e.g. If your manager is out, pick a backup approver e.g. You can't edit it yourself after sending e.g. The status changes to "Pending approval" e.g. "Check as appropriate" - unclear who checks what e.g. "The usual way" - means nothing to a first-timer No screen names or button names given Multiple actions crammed into one sentence e.g. "The requester compares the total field with the receipt amount" e.g. "Open the expense report form from Requests on the company portal" One action per sentence Write screen and button names exactly as shown Does it say who does it? Is there a clear rule for judgment calls? Is there a check that confirms it's done? Any jargon a first-timer wouldn't know? Where they stopped = a step that's under-explained What they asked = a judgment call to add e.g. "Which button?" → add the button name Wanting to explain out loud is a sign you missed something e.g. "I didn't understand the term" → replace it e.g. "Steps were out of order" → reorder them e.g. "I didn't know the exception" → add a judgment call Even feedback you decide not to act on - keep a reason why Where it livese.g. Company portal > Manuals > FinanceKeep it in exactly one place everyone can find by searching Update owner and next review dateUpdate owner: ____ / Next review date: __/__Leave the owner blank and no one ever fixes it What triggers an updatee.g. When the screen or the recipient changese.g. When you get the same question twice
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Task board contents

Deciding what to write 16 items

Decide what to write
List all the steps
Write the manual
Test, fix, publish
Pick the task
Decide the reader
Write start and end
Write while you work
Note the screens
List tricky moments
Fill in 4 columns
Add an example
Simplify jargon
Have someone try it
Fix sticking points
Set location & date

Listing tasks 0 items

Drafting 0 items

Have someone test it 0 items

Publish & update 0 items

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