What are the key points to establish operational manuals on site?

2. Typical Causes of Manuals Not Being Established

Even if you create a manual to overcome these challenges, there is actually a significant pitfall that prevents the manual from being established on-site. The main causes are as follows:

●Reason 1: The purpose of creating the manual is not clearly defined

Have you been told by your boss, "We need a manual, no matter what!" and started creating it without proper planning? Manuals need to be created with a clear image of who will read them and in what situations, tailored to the specific purposes and needs.

●Reason 2: Not written from the user's perspective

Have you ever been told, "I don't understand even after reading the manual. It's difficult"? If the manual uses unfamiliar terms and expressions for the reader, it can become hard to understand, and the manual that was carefully created may end up being neglected and unused.

3. How to create manuals that are established on-site?

So, how can we create manuals that will be established on-site? Here are some key points to consider during the creation process.

●Point 1: Let's clarify the purpose of the manual

For example, let's first decide "who the manual is for and what it is for," such as, "This manual is for individuals relevant to △△ to understand the overview of ○○ operations and refer to the work procedures." Additionally, let's also determine specific usage scenarios, such as, "This is for new employees to refer to while performing their tasks." By clearly defining the purpose of the manual, the target audience, and the usage scenarios at the outset, we can prevent deviations from the intended direction as the creation progresses.

●Point 2: Let's improve searchability with a table of contents

It is often overlooked, but creating a well-structured table of contents from the beginning actually contributes to improved searchability. Generally, the table of contents should be organized according to the flow of the business. Depending on the purpose of the manual and the audience, it is also important to consider a user-friendly structure, such as dividing it into basic and advanced sections, including a troubleshooting chapter, or directing readers to reference materials. Additionally, be sure to include words that will serve as keywords during searches in the headings. If you would like to learn more about table of contents structure, please refer to the blog below.

[Introduction to Manual Creation] Escape from "Can't Find What You Want"! Tips for Creating a Table of Contents to Enhance Manual Searchability

●Point 3: Let's manage it so that the latest information is recorded.

It is recommended to appoint a "manual administrator" to keep the documentation up to date according to changes in business operations. Communicate any changes to the manual administrator and entrust them with the update tasks. Considering the administrator's workload, it is better to set specific times for updates rather than updating each time a change occurs. For example, if you designate "the first day of each quarter as Manual Update Day," you can maintain the latest status regularly.

For those who want to create easily updatable manuals with good searchability more efficiently, we recommend using a manual creation tool.

Human Science has partnered with multiple companies that provide manual creation tools, and we also offer a lineup of services to support the implementation and establishment of these tools. If you are interested, please refer to this link.

Knowledge Management Solutions

By creating manuals that focus on key points like this, they will be reliably used in daily operations. Let's start from where we can and work to improve the adoption rate of the manuals!

4. Benefits of Outsourcing Manual Creation

So far, we have discussed the creation and establishment of business manuals. There may be those who think it seems cumbersome when it comes to actually doing it, or those who have tried it and realized it takes more time and effort than expected. In such cases, please consider outsourcing to a manual production company as one of your options.

When outsourcing, there are mainly the following benefits:
① Efficiently creating good manuals with the specialized knowledge and technology of a manual production company
② Being able to concentrate internal resources on other important tasks

At Human Science, we have assisted in the creation of many operational manuals. Here, we will introduce two examples from among them.

●Case Study 1: DAIICHI SANKYO BUSINESS ASSOCIE CO., LTD.

At Daiichi Sankyo Business Associates Co., Ltd., we aimed to further improve the quality of support by developing manuals that are easy to understand and allow for quick information retrieval regarding business regulations. To achieve this, we shared among stakeholders through seminars the importance of being aware of "who," "when," and "why" someone reads the manual, which helped enhance its clarity and contributed to quality improvement efforts.

Case Studies of DAIICHI SANKYO BUSINESS ASSOCIE CO., LTD.

●Case Study ②: DOCOMO Technology, Inc.

At Docomo Technology Co., Ltd., we implemented a project to visualize knowledge within the organization and incorporate it into manuals. As a result, we were able to establish a foundation for organizing the know-how of high-performing employees into operational manuals, allowing for a smooth transition of specialized and individual tasks to other employees.

Case Studies of DOCOMO Technology, Inc.

5. Summary

Business manuals play a crucial role in maintaining consistency and quality in operations, as well as improving organizational performance. Many people face challenges in their creation and implementation. This time, we introduced effective methods to solve these challenges, such as clarifying the purpose of the manual, improving searchability, updating information, and utilizing manual production companies. We hope this information will be of some help to your business.