Articles: documentation

This set is about working documents. Patient cards, consent forms, questionnaires, instruction leaflets and the media used to hand data over. They share one thing: somebody has to fill them in or understand them first time, often in a hurry and standing up.

A clear form means fewer questions

The biggest gains come from details that look minor and noticeably shorten the time spent at the desk.

• Large enough lettering - forms are filled in by older and anxious people too.
• Room to write - boxes sized for what somebody actually has to put in them.
• One subject per page - rather than three topics squeezed onto one sheet.
• Marked required fields - a simple sign instead of explanations in tiny print.
• A clear heading - so the sheet still identifies itself once it lands on a desk.

Instructions and results as a guide

The leaflet inside a box is often the only moment a company explains how its product works. Short sentences, numbered steps and simple drawings beat a solid block of text. It is worth matching the sheet to the box as well, so nothing has to be folded awkwardly to fit.

A separate article looks at handing documentation over on a memory stick rather than on paper or a disc. It is convenient, but the stick needs a printed label and a short note saying what is on it and what the recipient should do next.

If you are redoing a set of forms, start with the one your staff explain most often at the desk. Fixing that single sheet usually saves more time than redesigning everything at once.