Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS)

I walked into the office, feeling very happy indeed for another wonderful day in working paradise. Little did I know that was all to change, when I arrived at my desk my computer was no longer there. Ninah looked at me,” didn’t Erin tell you?” she said. Tell me what? I thought. My heart sunk, does Erin no longer want me working here, my mind began to race, but my thoughts were soon broken by Ninah’s soothing voice. “We’ve booked you into a Business Writing Course today, I hope that’s ok.”, as she said that Jo the Office Administration Manager immediately walked over to me “and we moved you down onto this desk” she said as she shifted these big boxes away to reveal my computer. Oh, what a relief, I hadn’t been let go and they were ready to train me up with some new schools. The only thing they were disappointed in was that I hadn’t told them it was my birthday, when Adele came over and wished me happy birthday, but I’ve promised them lemon meringue pie this Friday.

Ninah and I walked over to the training centre next door and met with Phil, the instructor from the Australian Institute of Management. The unit we were doing was BSBWRT401A – Write Complex Documents. The basic outline of the course was plan documents, draft texts, prepare final text and produce the document. The course was very interesting, and as a company a style manual needs to be created to ensure that everyone is writing the same (there is a style guide, but it only explains how to use the name correctly ie Leighton, Leighton Contractors, Leighton HWE.) The manager’s in the course suggested that Erin write it up or actually her assistant (ie me) write it up. Erin was quick to interject by saying “we want her to stay!” This comment made me smile on the inside. 

The first great tip we learnt to write documents, was to follow these stages:

Plan

Organise

Write

Edit

Revise

We learnt a lot about the different formats, the importance of editing, to keep your target audience in mind, but also to write everything as you would write to upper management. We also learnt about how to write in a positive light instead of a negative; however I was sceptical of this to ensure information would not be sent out as ‘SPIN.’ What I enjoyed most about the course was the fact that he emphasised that we need to write simpler, that we don’t need to use big impressive words that no one understands and that we can take out unnecessary words.

For example

“The actual prices of these cars range all the way from $25,000 to $30,000.”

Instead

“The prices of these cars range from $25,000 to $30,000.”

Another great point was that clichés should be taken out, as it comes across as fake, especially if dealing with a customer/client. I was really lucky to go along to this training session with some of the top management personnel. I learnt a lot, but will still need to practice them in my writing in assignments and at Leighton Contractors.

Remember simple, plain, crisp, clear English.