Is there anything worse than writing Standard Operating Procedures all afternoon and then… Word crashes! If your Microsoft Word files suddenly become huge and start crashing, here’s one way to fix it. I’ve creating some very large SOPs in Microsoft Word and learnt a few ways to control these documents.
MS Word. Click top red arrow to expand/show the Style Menu.
And it’s not just business writers, in the world of technical publishing, Microsoft Word also gets a bad rap. Many feel that it’s unstable and crashing. It can also bloat in size until your operating system grinds to a halt.
the Problem with Bullet Lists & Large MS Word files
The first offender is Bullet Lists. If there is one thing that’s guaranteed to crash Microsoft Word, it’s bullet lists.
Here’s what tends to happen.
When you click a Bullet List from the Word toolbar, Word points this Bullet List to the Normal.dot file. In other words, it uses the default settings in Normal.dot and then applies these. Fine.
No problem! That’s what it’s supposed to do.
But….
If you cut and paste a Bulleted List from one business report into your working file, then Microsoft Word has a problem.
Which Bullet List is the Master Bullet List?
It can’t tell because suddenly you have two bullet lists in your document.
And…
If you add a third bullet style, maybe with nice styling or cool fonts, it has a nervous breakdown. Microsoft Word can’t tell which is which and begins to struggle.
How to stop Word Crashing & Losing your Business Proposal
Here’s what to do:
Open Word and create a separate Style for each type of bullet lists you need. For example create a Bullet Regular, Bullet List Indent, Bullet Square and so on.
When you need to use a bullet list, select the appropriate style from the Styles drop-down menu.
This is the Home tab in Microsoft Word 2007.
If you want to import a bullet list from another document, Copy the text into a blank document.
Select it, and in the Style menu, select Clear All. NB: This removes all formatting.
Paste it into the working document.
Apply the correct style.
I know this seems like more work but it’s not. Just paste into a blank document, remove the formatting and then paste it in. Your files will stop crashing and will be easier to manage.
As some friends on LinkedIn are also moving into business analysis and SOP writing, I thought I’d add a few tips here. While there is some overlap with technical writing, it does require a different mindset, for example, to understand the process flows and narratives that hold the procedure together.
Avoid hype, padding and other self-congratulatory drivel. Remember that the proposal is a legal document that becomes part of the contract if you win
By giving specific details and quantifying the benefits whenever possible
Don’t just say that you will comply with a requirement — say how we’ll do so
Use a strong closing statement
Avoid business cliché’s
Avoid hackneyed openings and closings that clients have read a thousand times. Avoid “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for considering the enclosed . . .” Get to the point: “Here is your proposal.” Avoid “If you have any questions, please feel free to call.” That closing has been done to death, so avoid it and write something more genuine.
Use the same terms and jargon that appear in all SOPs. Don’t try to impress the client with your own special brand of buzzwords or TLA (three-letter acronyms)
Sandra wants to know where is the Styles menu option in Microsoft Word 2007.
She wants to update her new business plan and add Notes, Messages, Quotes and other pre-formatted styles. The Styles in Microsoft Word 2003 and 2007 seem to be different.
Even Gil Grissom would have a hard time doing this.
Last week we showed you how Bullet Lists can crash MS Word. We outlined some techniques to reduce the file size, mostly by creating pre-formatted bullet lists in advance. But what happens if you’re given a Standard Operating Procedure whose file size is already bloated to massive proportions. It’s too late to create new styles at this stage.
Here’s what to do.
1. Open the User Guide in Microsoft Word.
2. Cut and paste every graphic from the file into an image-editing tool, such as Snagit.
Create a naming convention, (e.g. Page1-A.gif, Page1-B.gif etc) and name each graphic using the same naming convention.
WARNING: DON’T SAVE THE FILE YET!
3. In Word, select File, Save As HTML.
Name the file with an HTML extension, e.g. Proposal.html and then close Word.
4. Re-open Word. Select File, Open and select the Proposal.html file.
5. Select File, SaveAs and save Proposal.html with a .doc extension, e.g. Proposal.doc.
TIP: This process of converting the Microsoft Word file into HTML and back into Word, removes unnecessary (i.e. corrupt) code in the file and will significantly reduce the file size.
6. Insert the graphic back in the correct order.
I’ve seen Word files larger than 20 MB reduced to less than 3MB in less than one minute by using this technique. Might be worth a try! The reason you don’t save the file at Step 2 is because this would trigger Word into action (e.g. I WILL now save this file etc) and as it struggles to save the oversized file, will probably crash the application.
I hoped you enjoyed these articles on fixing corrupt or damaged documents. What’s been your experience using Word?
Here are some tips for interviewing tech writers, for example, if your company needs to hire a contractor to complete some documentation. I’ve worked on both sides on the fence in the past, (i.e. interviewed and been interviewed) and picked up a few things in the process. Hopefully, these will be of some help.
How much time should be allotted to complete an assessment test?
I’d suggest one hour. Some people will race through it, while others will deliberate over the grammar questions forever. Nonetheless, one hour should be sufficient time for them to complete the test. By allocating this amount of time to the test, you are also emphasizing its relative importance. If it were a simple 10-minute quiz, it wouldn’t carry the same weight. Here is a suggested approach for administering the test:
When advertising the vacancy, highlight that an evaluation test is part of the assessment process.
By saying this upfront, you will weed out under-qualified writers who know that they would not pass the test.
When scheduling interviews, remind the applicants that there will be a 1 hour test.
Explain to them what this entails, for example, that there is X number of questions on grammar, procurement, technology etc. Among other things, this illustrates your company’s professionalism as you are helping the applicants to prepare for the interview.
In turn, it would be unprofessional to spring the test on applicants when they turn up and catch them by surprise. Completing the test takes about 90 minutes. Some applicants may have other arrangements to consider, such as day-care, commuting etc.
When they arrive, interview them first and then do the test.
If they are unsuitable for the position, cancel the test and say that it is not necessary at this point.
For those who are suitable, I’d do the following:
Give them a pen and paper (always helps).
Glass of water/coffee.
Find a quiet room with a PC or laptop.
Give them a printout of the test (most writers like hardcopies).
Walk through the test so that they understand what s required. They can ask any questions at this point.
Once they are ready, leave the room and let them do the test.
After 20 minutes, drop in to see how they are doing. This is not to police them, but to see if they genuinely need any assistance.
After 60 minutes return and print out their test.
At this point, I’d suggest that they have a break so that you can score the test. Once you’ve completed this, sit down and go over the scores. As everyone likes to know how they performed in a test, I’d walk through the results and discuss them with the applicant. For example, if they scored poorly in one section, ask them how this area could be improved. And finally, thank them for taking the time to do the tests and hope that they have gained from it.
Technical writers often have a degree in English, technical writing, the technical field for which they are writing, or a combination of these.
It is most important that they have enough expertise to understand their audience’s background and needs.
For example, writers who develop documentation for software APIs, microcontroller operation, and other technical subjects are often paid more than those who write guides for a non-technical audience (for example, how to use email), because it is difficult to find good writers with advanced technical knowledge.
Desktop publishing tools
After the documentation is written, using a desktop publishing tool or a help authoring tool, it is normally reviewed for accuracy by one or more “subject matter experts” (SMEs).
Technical communication is the process of conveying information about technology to an intended audience. A technical communicator is a person whose job involves technical communication. Technical communication jobs include the following:
Technical writer
Technical editor
Information architect
Usability expert
User interface designer
Technical artist
Technical trainer
The technology can be of any kind, including the sciences, high technology including computers and software, consumer electronics, and so on.
Role of Technical Writing
Technical communications are created and distributed by most employees in service organizations today, especially by professional staff and management.
Effective communications require quality content, language, format, and more. The entire point of communications is to disseminate information; this is where written content comes in. To present the appropriate content, it is imperative to understand one s audience and writing purpose.
If a document does not communicate the information that the writer intends and what he or she wants the reader to understand, then the communication is meaningless.
The writer has a self-interest in making the extra effort: Looking credible is as important as being credible and getting results in business.
Writing for the Web requires new a different approach to the writing process. Before you start writing web content, try to understand the basics of information architecture and how navigation systems work. As readers scan text on the Web, make sure that you:
Write short paragraphs instead of large blocks of text
Use bulleted lists to break out the key points
Give one subhead for each idea.
Add H2 and H3 to highlight the key points
Use simple, everyday language.
How to Write for the Web
On the web, one page on print media requires two or three screens.
Write in small digestible chucks, which fit into the information hierarchy. To create your hierarchy, outline the website as you would for printed material.
Examine the site’s purpose and outline the main sections (e.g. words people use to navigate) and the links within those heads. Test it before it goes online.
Write headlines and links on Post-IT sticky notes and put them on a chart. Show the chart to sample users. Ask them how to get from one section to another.
Run a usability test.
Put the outline of each webpage on a sheet of paper.
Stack the pages and, sitting next to the user, hold up the pages. Tell them what to find and ask them to “click” the headings to get there. If they choose the right pages then continue; otherwise go back and make notes.
Don’t give any hints or clues on how to navigate.
Sit back and watch. You’ll be amazed how their approach differs from what you had expected. Make notes for later revisions. This paper model helps you see how people navigate through the site.
By writing concise, descriptive headings, you will lead users to the content that they are seeking. For example, do visitors expect to find phone numbers, under “Who we are” or “Contact us”?
Once the initial wave of enthusiasm wears off, where do you find the motivation to give yourself a kick start? What do you do to make your next video or blog post? Here’s what I do to get myself working again.
Video Blogging – How To Stay Motivated & Find Your Mojo
Making videos is not hard. But, the editing, testing, fine-tuning and uploading takes time. And once it becomes a grind, we tend to lose interest. That’s not just you – that’s all of us.
Be realistic — if you can’t make a video every day, try for every week.
Baby Steps — Don’t defeat yourself. Start small, work up.
BatchShoot — Don’t do one. Stop. Start. Do another. Stop. Start. Work in batches.
Be Consistent — Shoot five videos at the same time and then edit in one go.
Batch Edit — Edit in batches. Once you get into a groove, it’s easier to run thru the videos.
Storyboard — Bullet point or diagram what you’re going to shot. Don’t wing it. You’ll lose time.
Shoot everywhere – Places you find boring, others will find fascinating. Instead of shooting in your office, go outside and shoot it on the street corner. These small details give your video (and you!) a more interesting edge.
Get creative – Is there anything more boring that a guy talking into his laptop, sitting at home? You can do better – give it a shot.
Rewards – once you’ve completed a nice piece of work, treat yourself to a book you wouldn’t usually buy, maybe too expensive, or some equipment that you’ve always wanted. I want a Canon Monopod 100 for SLR Cameras.
How about you?
How do you avoid defeating yourself? What do you do get back in the saddle when you’re going thru a down-phase?
Have you noticed this obsession with speed? Everyone is doing things, real fast. Even failure has to be fast. Fail fast is the new mantra. Christopher S. Penn takes up this point, ‘Ever done this? You see a traffic jam ahead, get off at the next exit, and spend 30 extra minutes on side and back roads to go around the jam… which in reality is only a 10 minute traffic jam? This is the dabbler. This is the person who fails too fast.’ Do you fail too fast?
Incompetent people are so limited by their abilities and lack of competence that they don’t realize they’re incompetent.
Competent are the last to get the memo.
When it comes to goal-only perspectives… your lack of meta-cognitive awareness about your limitations means that if you give up all the time, if you abandon ship too fast, you will NEVER reach excellence.
Do you see what he’s getting at?
How To Fail Slowly
Here’s my thoughts:
Speed is sickness.
I lived in the US for eight years. I felt guilty if I wasn’t doing something, always on the go.
But some things can’t be rushed, like trust, friendship, and appreciation. You can’t enjoy Mozart in a rush.
Today I live in China. It’s just as busy. But, here’s the difference. The expectation here is that certain things have to be done slowly.
Ever been to a dinner with Chinese-business men? There’s a reason it lasts 4 or 5 hours. They want to see who really you are… after you’ve had a few drinks and loosened up.
Like another person said on Chris Brogan’s site, the golden mean in everything, i.e. balance.
Many people are driving 100 mph down an alleyway. Sometimes it’s good to pause for a moment.
I see it all the time. And perhaps you do too. Letters and proposals that bury the price at the very end of the document. By explaining all the benefits in the first few pages and then leaving the price for last, people believe that buyers will be pleasantly surprised when they see how much it will cost.
In actual fact, it doesn’t work that way.
Think about it. What do you do as a buyer?
I know I flick through the document until I find the price. Then, if it’s more than I want to pay, I put the document away, never to be seen again. I don’t bother going back and reading from the beginning.
Instead, what well written proposals do is tell the person up-front, how much something will cost. That way the reader doesn’t need to go digging.
They see how much it is, have an instant reaction to the amount and THEN … if it’s more expensive than they thought, they’ll keep reading through the document to look for ways to justify the price in their own mind.
Why is it more expensive?
What special results does it achieve?
What claims do they have to back up the price?
I’ve tested it many dozens of times in our own campaigns and proposals, and with clients. Every single time we test it, putting the price up front wins “hands down”.
Here are two more tips on price …
1. Never say “price” or “cost” in your document. Instead, use the word “investment”.
It may sound like a little thing but it has a major psychological effect on your reader.
The word “cost” makes the reader feel like it is an expense they need to shell out for. Conversely, the word “investment” makes them feel like it is an investment that will give them a considerable pay back.
2. Never say “Your investment in the xyz widget is $1235″. Instead say, “Your investment in the xyz widget is $1235 which includes 14 refills (valued at $xxx), a lifetime replacement guarantee, free lifetime technical support etc. etc.”
See what we’ve done here. By ending a sentence with the price, you give them time to pause and reflect on the monetary amount.
Instead, by mentioning the price, then in the same breath giving a brief snapshot of what it includes, your reader instantly makes an association between the price and the return they will have on their investment.
In other words, the buyer makes a purchasing decision based on value for money and NOT on the actual cost.
Makes sense, doesn’t it!
Kris Mills of Words that Sell is a seasoned copywriting professional and author of “How to Create a Sales Explosion With Every Ad and Letter You Write”. More information on this popular guide can be found at http://www.synergie.com.au/explosion.htm or check out more of Kris’ many copywriting articles at www.advicegalore.com. Kris@wordsthatsell.com.au
