The 4 failures of most documentation
When job-critical information in documents such as manuals, guides, and handbooks is poorly written, hard to find or doesn't meet the audience's need, performance suffers.

The 4 most common failures of documentation:

• Failure #1: Information is incomplete
• Failure #2: Information is inaccurate
• Failure #3: Information is written at the wrong level of detail for the audience
• Failure #4: Information is poorly organized and/or sequenced

DocuStructure™: A better way to communicate
PTA's answer to poor documentation is DocuStructure™. DocuStructure™ is a research-based method of writing that includes specific guidelines, principles and best practices for analyzing and organizing information so that it is extraordinarily clear and usable.

The core components of the DocuStucture™ Method include:

User-Centered Development Process At the heart of DocuStructure™ is a process of developing content that focuses very carefully on the learning and information needs of the target population. Through SME collaboration, multiple review cycles and usability testing, DocuStructure's development process ensures that content is clear, accurate, complete and written at the correct level of detail.
The 7 Guidelines of Usable Content Based on 50 years of research and best practices, DocuStructure™ follows these seven critical guidelines to ensure that information is developed and presented so that the reader can find and follow the information quickly: Sequencing Accessible detail Chunking Labeling Relevance Consistency Functional Graphics	The 7 Information Types DocuStructure™ breaks down information according to how the information will be used by the reader. Each information type requires different standards for presentation to ensure that readers will be able to find and use the information correctly. They include: Procedure Process Principle Concept Fact Illustration Classification

Common applications: All information intended to inform or instruct
Since DocuStructure™ is focused on making content clear and usable, the method applies to all types of information intended to inform or instruct. The DocuStructure™ Method is particularly powerful when teams or organizations require a standard approach and presentation to their documentation, and when consistency and/or compliance are key objectives. Typical applications include:

Policy manuals Procedure manuals SOPs User guides Operating/assembly instructions Training materials

Job-aids Reference Documentation Reports Proposals Internal communications Emails

Before and After Samples

• Human Resources Policy
• Systems Procedure
• Inter-office memo