Training Documentation for the Alternative Energy Industry Whether you deliver solar panels to homeowners or sell wind turbines to government agencies, cities, or farmers, consumers of alternative energy seek more than just your product: they need and expect support including training documentation and learning opportunities. The alternative energy industry continues to grow, which means your…
Pressure to Adapt Communication Strategies In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, healthcare practitioners, medical device manufacturers, and regulatory agencies have all been faced with the challenge of reevaluating their policies and procedures around patient-doctor interactions and communication. Consequently, the industry is witnessing a dramatic rise in the number of virtual consultations, more advanced telehealth…
As many emails as most of us send and receive daily, there are always ways to improve our email writing skills. I’ve compiled some tips and tricks to make your emails concise and clear, without omitting necessary information. Email Writing Tip 1: When to Not Send an Email The first trick to sending an email…
Why have an Emergency Response Plan? Properly implemented safe work practices, hazard identification and mitigation, and preplanning exercises can drastically reduce the number of incidents in the workplace. Unfortunately, no plan is perfect, and no amount of human preparation can stop catastrophic and seasonal events like tornadoes, hurricanes, or natural wildfires. In these circumstances, the…
The Shifting Landscape for Healthcare The healthcare community has been changed forever due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As news began to spread of the seriousness of the virus and businesses started to close their doors, society began to experience significant disruption. Many industries are facing tremendous challenges, and healthcare facilities and hospitals are faced with…
What is plain writing or plain language? It may be easier to start with what plain writing is not. Plain writing is not simplifying all your documents to a certain reading level. It is also not a call to write condescendingly or provide a single format for all documents. Plain writing is a method of…
The English language is notorious for having an exception to every rule, and an exception to every exception, but one true constant that we learn from grade school onward is to avoid passive voice. While a misplaced punctuation mark here, or improper conjugation there would certainly irk any grammarian, nothing seems to raise their hackles…
Why You Need Documented Plans and Procedures Nearly every business has been affected by the national response to COVID-19. New health and safety standards, working from different locations, and changing policies about how we interact with co-workers and consumers require adaptability. Schools, hospitals, restaurants, and retail are some of the many businesses that have been directly impacted by stay-at-home orders and…
You may find that you need to write some procedures for your business or facility as we are preparing for and, in some cases, reopening, or returning to workplaces. Here are two tips for writing a more effective procedure. 1. Write it for the user. A procedure needs to address the needs and questions of…
When writing a document (or a series of documents), a host of decisions need to be made before your fingers ever make contact with the keyboard. Chances are you’ve already made some choices about how you want the document or documents to be written in the planning stages of your project. Some editing choices are…