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Writing clear procedures can be tricky, particularly
when the information is complex. A writer from the training
department for a large insurance company, Argon Life (not the real
name), recently asked us for help developing clear procedures for
program administrators at their client companies that have multiple
subsidiaries. The procedure describes how to enroll employees in a
group life plan after employees transfer from one subsidiary to
another.
The
“Before”
Argon gave us the following procedure
Block to critique.
| How to Notify
Argon Life of a Transfer |
This procedure applies to employees who transfer between
subsidiaries. To enroll an employee into the group life plan
with guaranteed issuance, you must complete the steps below
within 60 days from date of transfer. Enrollments after
60 days from date of hire will not have guaranteed issue.
| Step |
Action |
|
1 |
Make sure the employee is eligible (see
Appendix) |
|
2 |
Make sure the coverage amount applied for
is in compliance with the terms of the group life
contract |
|
3 |
| If within 60 days of date of
hire or eligibility |
Submit required information for new
employee to Argon Life using the Data Collection
form. |
If after 60 days
of date of hire or
eligibility
|
| Step |
Action |
|
1 |
Submit required information for new employee
to Argon Life using the Data Collection
form. |
|
2 |
Download the following forms from
www.argonlife.com/forms and give to employee
to complete and return to Argon Life:
- Health Questionnaire
- Medical Authorization Form
| | |
If enrollment is made after 60 days form the date of
hire then the Employee must also complete the steps
below to enroll into the group life plan:
| Step |
Employee
Must... |
|
1 |
Complete the:
- Health questionnaire
- Medial Authorization Form
|
|
2 |
Return completed forms to Argon Life at:
123
Fourth St., Hartman WI
12345
| |
Return to top
Analysis and
Recommendations
This procedure
Block has multiple problems; here are some of them.
- Nested procedure tables, which can
easily be confusing.
- Two tables in the same Block,
which is almost always inadvisable, especially where the second
procedure isn’t something for the reader of this document (the
administrator) to do.
- Too much information in one Block,
which adds complexity and makes key information hard to find.
- Missing information – Steps 1 and
2 don’t tell the reader what to do if the conditions are not met.
To address these challenges, here are some
things you can try.
- Break the information into several
Blocks so that each contains a single idea. Increasing
the number of Blocks sometimes makes information easier to
understand and use.
- Provide clear labels for each
Block with enough detail to help the reader quickly find
the right procedure.
- Provide separate procedures for each
scenario. Although there will be some repeated
information, program administrators will read only one Block at a
time.
Return to top
The
“After”
Here is one example of how these
suggestions can solve the problems and make the information more
readable without increasing the length.
| Group life
insurance for employees who transfer |
When employees
transfer from one subsidiary to another, they can enroll in
the group life plan.
Important! Issuance is
guaranteed if Argon Life is notified within 60 days
from date of transfer. Issuance is not guaranteed
after 60 days.
|
| Notifying Argon
Life of a transfer – within 60 days |
Follow the steps in the table below to enroll an employee
within 60 days from the date of transfer.
|
Step |
Action |
|
1 |
Verify that the employee is eligible (see
Appendix A).
Note: If the employee is not
eligible, send a denial letter (see Appendix
B).
|
|
2 |
Verify that the coverage amount applied for is in
compliance with the terms of the group life contract.
Note: If the coverage amount is out
of compliance, notify the employee of the terms so s/he
can revise the application.
|
|
3 |
Submit the required information for the new employee
to Argon Life using the Data Collection
form. |
|
| Notifying Argon Life of a transfer – after
60 days |
Follow the steps in the table below to enroll an employee
after 60 days from the date of transfer.
|
Step |
Action |
|
1 |
Verify that the employee is eligible (see Appendix
A).
Note: If the employee is not
eligible, send a denial letter (see Appendix
B). |
|
2 |
Verify that the coverage amount applied for is in
compliance with the terms of the group life
contract.
Note: If the coverage amount is out
of compliance, notify the employee of the terms so s/he
can revise the application.
|
|
3 |
Submit the required information for the new employee
to Argon Life using the Data Collection form. |
|
4 |
Download the following forms from
www.argonlife.com/forms to give to the employee:
- Health Questionnaire, and
- Medical Authorization Form.
|
|
5 |
When giving the downloaded forms to the employee,
tell him/her
- to complete and return them to Argon Life
at
123 Fourth St., Hartman, WI 12345, and
- that issuance of insurance depends on review of
the forms.
| |
Return to top
| In Information Mapping’s flagship
workshop, Developing
Usable Content and Documentation, learn
how to make your documentation easy to understand and use,
whether your end users are your customers or employees. Or, contact
us to find out how our professional services team can help
create or update your procedures and processes for an improved
bottom line. Use the Information
Mapping method to change the
way you write and work! |
|
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© Copyright March 2009. All rights
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