Adopting Mistake Proofing Methods in Documentation

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Adopting Mistake Proofing Methods in Documentation

• Virupaksha K M_at_ The STC Conference,
• Bangalore, December, 2006

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Objective

• Discuss the use of Poka Yoke philosophy in
  documentation
• Discuss benefits accruing from adopting such a
  method
• Suggest ways and means of adopting Poka Yoke
  measures in documentation

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Poka Yoke

• Shigeo Shingo, a Japanese engineer developed it
• Realisation that SQC alone would not reduce
  defects
• Basic idea Stop the process when a defect
  occurs, define the cause, prevent source of
  error

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Why Poka Yoke?

• As the old adage goes, prevention is better than
  cure
• Elimination of certain kinds of errors
• Easy detection and correction of mistakes
• Reduction of human effort involved
• Reduction of cycle time
• Reduction in the number of support calls

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Poka Yoke Strategies

• Prevention Strategy
• Detection Strategy

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Errors - Genesis

• Oversight of the author
• Lack of knowledge
• Tool based errors

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Errors - Classification

• Technical content errors
• Grammar
• Punctuation
• Inconsistent usage of styles
• Comprehension

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Errors - Impact

• Effort spent in various stages of the doc life
  cycle
• Phases impacted
• Development
• Review Rework
• Delivery

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Errors - Resolution

• Post development stage (Stage 3)
• Development stage (Stage 2)
• Pre-development stage (Stage 1)

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Errors - Current Resolution Trends

• Self reviews
• Reviews by peers, SMEs
• Tools features offered by Word processors
• Current Methods
• Manual
• Provide error resolution at stages 2 3

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Mistake Proofing Methods

• Templates
• Style guides
• Style sheets
• Macros
• Automation
• Training

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Templates

• Files containing formatting, page layout
  information
• Basically, a container for all information you
  provide
• Templates must
• Direct the author towards the right path
• Contain cues for achieving the necessary task

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Style Guides

• Documents that guide you to adopt the necessary
  style in writing
• Style guides must
• Inform the author of the dos and donts in
  writing
• Provide knowledge on usage of words, phrases etc.
• Clear doubts on punctuation, grammar, slang,
  jargon etc.

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Style Sheets

• File of formatting instructions
• Style sheets must
• Bring about consistency
• Contain information about preceding following
  styles

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Macros

• Features provided by Word processors to automate
  long sequences of commands
• Macros enable
• Avoidance of cumbersome repetitive tasks
• Reduction in manual effort by the author
• Achievement of Mistake proofed tasks

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Example

• We developed a macro to resize the images in a
  document to a fixed size
• A 100 page MS Word document with 100 images took
  700 seconds to format manually
• With the macro, the job was achieved in 20
  seconds
• Thats a job done in 3 of the time it took to
  achieve the task manually

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Automation

• Methods to instruct machines to perform tasks
  performed by humans
• Automation can
• Be implemented using VB Java scripts

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Training

• Teaching the right way to accomplish a task
• Training must
• Account for the skill level of authors
• Teach usage of style guides, style sheets,
  macros
• Encourage application of technology automation

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Suggestions

• Develop and use
• Custom Dictionaries
• Scripts/macros to eliminate wrong usage of
  language
• Scripts to auto correct numbering in procedures,
  headers footers, remove double spaces, using
  bold fonts for UI elements

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Suggestions

• Develop use
• Automation to run a check list on a document
• Text-to-voice software to use more than one sense
  (audio visual)

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Conclusion

• Sort, analyse errors that you commit
• Develop the best method to tackle the error
• No error is worth sparing!
• Equip, empower, enlighten the author
• Encourage application of new technology
• Obtain cross functional expertise
• The ultimate goal is to achieve Zero Defect
  Delivery!