TLIE407C - Prepare Workplace Documents - Learner Guide

TLIE407C Prepare
workplace
documents
Learner Guide
Contents
What this Learner’s Guide is about ........................................ 3
Planning your learning ........................................................... 4
How you will be assessed ...................................................... 6
Section 1............................................................................................. 7
How do you plan a workplace document? ............................. 7
Section 2........................................................................................... 23
How do you write a workplace document?........................... 23
Additional resources ....................................................................... 33
Feedback on activities .................................................................... 35

TLIE407C Prepare workplace documents
Page 2 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

ADELG1043 Customised and developed by Armstrong’s Driver Education Pty Ltd August 2008
What this Learner’s Guide is about
This Learner’s Guide is about a lot of warehouse communication is
done through written documents. In your working day you might
need to write letters to clients and suppliers, memos to your work
team or reports to management. Badly written documents are hard to
read, and can be misunderstood by other workers, suppliers and
customers. For these reasons it is important to write documents
which are accurate, meaningful and easy to read.
The Elements of Competency from the unit TLIE407C Prepare

workplace documents covered in this Learner’s Guide are listed below.
Plan workplace document
Prepare workplace document
Complete workplace forms
This unit of competency is from the Transport and Logistics Training
Package (TLI07).

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 3

Customised and developed by Armstrong’s Driver Education Pty Ltd August 2008 ADELG1043
Planning your learning
It is important to plan your learning before you start because you may
already have some of the knowledge and skills that are covered in this
Learner’s Guide. This might be because:
• you have been working in the industry for some time,
and/or
• you have already completed training in this area.
Together with your supervisor or trainer use the checklists on the
following pages to help you plan your study program. Your answers to
the questions in the checklist will help you work out which sections of
this Learner’s Guide you need to complete.
This Learner’s Guide is written with the idea that learning is made
more relevant when you, the learner, are actually working in the
industry. This means that you will have people within the enterprise
who can show you things, discuss how things are done and answer any
questions you have. Also you can practise what you learn and see how
what you learn is applied in the enterprise.
If you are working through this Learner’s Guide and have not yet found
a job in the industry, you will need to talk to your trainer about doing
work experience or working and learning in some sort of simulated
workplace.

Section 1: How do you plan a workplace

document?
Are you able to: Yes No

1. identify the audience and purpose of a
document?
2. choose an appropriate format for a
document?
3. select relevant information?
4. organise relevant information to suit the
audience, purpose and context?
Section 2: How do you write a workplace

document?
Are you able to: Yes No

1. state your purpose clearly?
2. include information relevant to the reader,
purpose and context?
3. use a style, format and layout appropriate
to the reader, purpose and context?
4. show a preference for plain English?
5. use correct editing procedures?

How you will be assessed
Assessment of this Unit of Competency will include observation of real
or simulated work processes using workplace procedures and
questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills. It must be
demonstrated in an actual or simulated work situation under
supervision.
You will be required to:

• plan the writing of a workplace document
• produce the document to workplace standards.

Section 1
How do you plan a workplace

document?

Section outline
Areas covered in this section
How do you plan a workplace document?
What are some typical workplace documents?
How do you organise your workplace documents?

How do you plan a workplace document?
Planning a workplace document involves getting all your thoughts,

ideas and information together before you begin. A well planned
document is easier to write and will be much easier for your audience
to read.
To successfully get your message across there are a few things you
should think about when planning your document. These are outlined
in more detail in the material that follows.
What is your purpose?
The first thing you need to consider is why you are writing your
document, that is, what is your purpose?
Workplace documents can have many different purposes. They might

be to inform work team members of a change in production, to reply
to a customer complaint, or to record decisions made at a meeting.
Although your purpose might be obvious to you, you must make sure
that it is equally obvious to your reader if you want your
communication to be effective.
By identifying your purpose you can focus on what information you
need to include in your document. A document with a clear purpose
has all the information the reader needs without being long and
rambling.
The purpose of your document will also affect the sort of style and
format you use. Your response to a customer complaint for example
will look and sound very different to safety instructions for new
machinery. Some documents such as memos and letters might even
have specific formatting ‘rules’ that make them easy to recognise and
read.
When identifying your purpose, ask yourself the following questions:

• what message do I want to put across to my reader?
• what action do I want them to take in response?

Who is your audience?
When planning your document you will also need to identify your
audience, that is, who is going to read the document?
Your audience may be as small as one or two people, or as large as a
whole department or workplace. It is important to think about who
your audience is so that your document can suit their needs.
When thinking about your audience you should ask yourself the
following questions:
• what is the reading ability of the audience?
• what does the audience need to know?
• what would the audience already know about this subject?
• how would you feel about this subject if you were the
audience?

Activity 1: Thinking about audience and purpose
Choose a possible audience and purpose for the following

documents, and for each one, comment on how the audience and
purpose affects the type of language and format that is used:
Occupational health and safety regulations
Audience: ________________________________________
Purpose: ________________________________________
Effect: ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Picking slips
Audience: ________________________________________
Purpose: ________________________________________
Effect: ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
A magazine about cars
Audience: ________________________________________
Purpose: ________________________________________
Effect: ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
There is feedback on this activity at the back of this Learner’s

Guide.

What are some typical workplace documents?
There are many different types of documents you might use in the
workplace to communicate ideas and events. Some typical examples
are described below.
Letters
In your working day you will need to write many different kinds of
letters. While the style and format of your letter will depend on whom
you are writing to and why, there are some general rules you can
follow.
When writing a letter, your language is often more formal than what
you would use in normal speech. The layout of a letter should be clear
and have all the information set out in an easy to read manner.
For example:

Footflat Shoe Warehouse, Bendigo St, Holmesdale, Vic, 9871

Janet Hollingworth
Shoes for the Soul
444 Church St
Sydney NSW 2001

Dear Ms Hollingworth

I am writing to apologise for the incorrect order we sent
you last week. The mishap occurred because of a new
staffing arrangement and we have now rectified the
situation.

Please accept our sincerest apologies.

Frank Lu


Newsletter article
A newsletter article can be more relaxed and chatty. Make sure that
the information is presented in logical ‘chunks.’
Example:

Employee of the Month for February is Fred

Stevenson. Fred has been working for Nuts and Bolts
Warehouse since 1981 when he began as a Forklift
driver on a casual basis. Since that time Fred has
worked as an area trainer and more recently as a
training officer specialising in driver safety.
Fred’s hobbies outside of work include football and

gardening and he describes his interest in old
motorbikes as a ‘consuming passion.’
Friendly and efficient, Fred is recognised for his hard

work and in particular for his encouragement of
young members of the Nuts and Bolts team.
Well done Fred!


Instructions
Good instructions are vital to the smooth operation of any warehouse.
Poorly written instructions can slow down workflow and even result in
accidents and injury. Instructions must follow a logical order and be
easy to understand. Usually each step is numbered and very few
technical or difficult terms are used.
Example:

When lifting a heavy load:
1. Stand close to the load.
2. Bend at the knees.
3. Keep the spine straight.
4. Get a firm grip on the load.
5. Lift by straightening the legs, and keeping the

spine straight.
6. Keep the object close to you.
7. Take short, careful steps.
8. Avoid sudden jarring movements.


Memos
Memos are a simple and effective way of getting a brief message to a
large number of people. They can be used to boost morale, request
actions or pass on information. You will probably have set formats for
writing memos in your workplace. See how they compare with the
example below:

Memo
To: All staff
From: Bill Bloggs
Date: 13/4
Subject: Output
Well done! The first two weeks of August have been right on
target. This is a great team effort.

Activity 2: Formats for common workplace documents
Make a collection of documents commonly used in your workplace

such as letters, memos, etc.
Choose three different ones and for each one answer the following
questions:
Document 1
What are the key features of this format?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Why do you think this format is used?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Do you think it is effective in communicating its message?

Why/why not?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Document 2
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Why/why not?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Document 3
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Why/why not?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

How do you organise your workplace

document?
Producing a good document takes some organisation. You need to

work out what information to include and how this information should
be arranged. You also need to consider all your deadlines and time
restraints so that your document is finished on time.
What information should you use?
Having identified the purpose and audience of your document, you can
now work out what information you will need to include. Leaving out
important information is disastrous, but on the other hand, too much
unnecessary information can be confusing and hard to read.
To make sure your document includes everything without being

cluttered, list all the important information before you start. This list
will provide you with an easy way of checking that you have not
forgotten anything and will also help you to keep your document on
course.

Activity 3: Selecting relevant information
Select the relevant information from the following scenarios and list
it in the space provided:
Scenario 1
Your trainer, who has recently remarried, wants you to write a

memo to workers in your unit. You are to tell them that the venue
for the next monthly staff meeting has changed. Last month the
meeting was held in the conference room in the Managerial
Department, but this room is no longer available because there is a
conference being held there on the use of new technologies in
warehousing. The meeting will instead be held in the Meeting
Room in the Customer Service Department on Thursday the 15th
of May at 10 am. This room has recently been repainted and fitted
with new drapes.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Scenario 2
You have received faulty merchandise from ‘Billy’s Boxes’, a

regular supplier of packaging materials for 5 years now. All
cardboard boxes you received in batch No. 5098 were not straight
and did not fit together properly. One of your workers noticed this
mistake yesterday afternoon while she was preparing to pack an
order for a large cosmetic company.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Guide.

How do you organise your information?
Once you have selected the information you need, you must decide
how it will be organised. This is particularly important for documents
such as timetables and instructions where it is essential that readers
receive information in the right order. For example, there is no point
giving instructions on how to change gears in a Forklift if you have not
yet explained how to turn the Forklift on!
The best way to make sure that information is presented logically is to
imagine that you are the reader of your document – what information
do you need to know first? By working out the sequence of ideas and
information before you start, you can be sure that your document is
clear and logical.

Activity 4: Finding a logical sequence to your information
Using the numbers 1 to 4, place the following information in a

logical order:
How to make a cup of tea:

• jiggle the tea bag up and down until desired strength is reached
• pour boiled water into the cup
• add milk or sugar if desired
• place a tea bag into a clean cup.
Now put the information you selected for the two documents in
Activity 3 in the most logical order.
Scenario 1
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Scenario 2
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Guide.

How can you best manage your time?
Organising your document also involves organising yourself!

Documents such as memos, often need to be completed immediately,
while other documents such as reports and articles will have deadlines
that you have to meet.
To prepare for these deadlines it is a good idea to make a time line.
Your timeline should include time for planning, writing, drafting,
proofreading and of course your completion date. You will need to
estimate how long it will take to finish each of these stages and how
much time you actually have to complete the document. Place your
timeline in a place where you can see it, so you can easily keep track of
how you are going.

Section 2
How do you write a workplace

document?

Section outline
Areas covered in this section
How can you improve your style and structure?
Sticking to the rules
How do you draft your document?

How can you improve your style and structure?
It is important that the information in your document is easy to read.
Documents that do not flow naturally or contain awkward expressions
and phrases, are tiresome and confusing. The following section
provides you with some techniques you can use to make your
document easy to read.
Keeping it simple
You should always try to express yourself in the most simple and direct
way you can. Often writers who are unsure of their subject matter will
try to disguise this by using flashy words or phrases such as
‘commenced operation’ or ‘optimum performance.’ Do not fall into
this trap because it is very obvious to the reader and can confuse your
message.
Longwinded words or phrases should never be used if there is a
simpler alternative. Some common examples are listed below:

Longwinded phrase A more simple replacement
in regard to about
in the vicinity at
I must express my thanks thank you
due to the fact that because
at the present writing now
It is also important that you keep your sentences simple and easy to
understand. The most common problem with sentences is that they
can get long and jumbled. For example:
In the warehouse it is important that all safety procedures

are adhered to such as wearing protective clothing, walking
only in marked areas so that no accidents occur and no one
is injured or productivity lost.
This sentence is difficult to read and even more difficult to understand.

If your sentences start getting long and clumsy, stop writing and read
them aloud to yourself. This will help you to see where you can break
them up into two or three shorter ones.
The clumsy sentence above for example can be re-‐written as three
much clearer sentences:
In the warehouse it is important to follow all safety
procedures. Some of these procedures include wearing
protective clothing and walking only in marked areas. By
following these procedures you can reduce accidents, and
improve productivity.
What sort of language should you use?
When you speak, your tone of voice and body language has an effect
on the message you communicate. In the same way the words you
choose when writing have a big effect on your reader. You need to be
aware of this and make sure that this effect is positive.
You should choose words that are positive and polite, and avoid
language that is tactless, discriminatory, or offensive.
In particular you should try to avoid using sexist or gender-‐biased
language in your documents. You do not want to offend women in
your workplace by using language that ignores or insults them. Below
are some examples of gender-‐biased language and suggested words
you might use instead.

Gender biased word or phrase Replacement
Chairman Chairperson
Spokesman Spokesperson
Foreman Trainer or supervisor
Jargon is another thing you should avoid in your document. Jargon is a
word or expression that is developed and used within a particular
group. Jargon is usually not understood by anyone outside of this
group.
You should also avoid using technical words if you are not sure that
your audience will understand them. The overuse of jargon and
technical terms will make your document difficult to read and can be
annoying for your reader.

Activity 5: Thinking about language
Are there any jargon or technical words used in your workplace that
might be misunderstood or misinterpreted by people from outside
of your workplace?
List three or four that you can think of.
1. ___________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________
For each one think of an alternative that you could use if you were
writing for a person outside of your workplace or industry.
Jargon term Replacement

Sticking to the rules
There are common rules of grammar and punctuation you should use
to make your writing easier to read and understand. Some common
punctuation rules are described below:
Capitalisation
Always capitalise proper nouns. These include:

• people’s names and titles e.g. Mel Gibson, the Prime
Minister
• street names: e.g. Bakers St., Sunset Boulevard
• names of countries, state/territory, regions, localities etc:
e.g. Australia, South Gippsland, Armadale
• names of religious groups e.g. Catholics, Hindus, Muslims
• names of schools and colleges e.g. Mooroopna Secondary
College, Brisbane University
• trade names e.g. Cocoa Cola, Macintosh
• names of days and months (but not seasons) e.g.
Saturday, September, spring, winter.
Full stops
Full stops are used to signify the end of a sentence.
Example: Work team meetings will be held tomorrow.
They can also be used for abbreviations.
Example: e.g., i.e. and etc.
Question marks
Question marks should come at the end of a direct question.
Example: What time do you finish work?

Exclamation marks
Exclamation marks are used at the end of a statement expressing
strong feeling.
Example: Watch out for the Forklift!
Commas
Commas are used to separate two or more ideas in the one sentence.
Example: There are a lot of orders to get through tomorrow, but there
will still be time for our work team meetings.
A good way to determine where a comma should go is to read the
sentence aloud to yourself. Where you find yourself making a short
pause is probably where you should put a comma.
Commas are also used to separate a series of elements in a sentence.
Example: The colours for the new company logo are blue, green, and
white.

Activity 6: Sticking to the rules
Punctuate the following sentences:
1. The manager wants this order picked by tomorrow
2. Have you contacted the supplier from the United States
3. Business is booming
4. The colours on the new company logo are red blue and yellow
5. Are Jones, Smith and Johnson working tomorrow
6. The training session went for only two hours but we all learnt a
lot in that time

Guide.

How do you draft your document?
Drafting is the process of writing, changing and then rewriting your
document until it is in its final form. Drafting is an important process
because it is where mistakes are picked up and changes made that add
‘polish’ to your final document.
Proofreading and editing
Proofreading and editing involves reading over your work, looking for
errors and areas for improvement. If possible you should ask a second
person, perhaps a work friend, secretary, spouse or trainer to
proofread your writing and suggest changes. A second pair of eyes
will often find problems that you have missed yourself.
The following tips can help you when you are doing your own editing:
• if possible leave some time between your last draft and
proofreading; sometimes you need a ‘fresh eye’ to pick up
mistakes and improvements
• read each sentence out loud to check that they are all
complete and ensure that your writing ‘flows’ or is easy to
read
• put yourself in the shoes of your reader; check if your
message is clear; ensure that you avoid using clumsy and
tactless language
• remove all unnecessary words or phrases and check for
jargon or inappropriate technical language
• review all punctuation, capitals and spelling (use a
dictionary or a spell check if you are not sure)
• recheck numbers in addresses and dates to make sure they
are correct.


Additional
resources

Paper based:
• examples of reports that have been professionally produced or

edited
• texts, reference books and novels as examples of proper

grammar and punctuation
• standard formats or guidelines provided in your workplace for

document design
• style guides produced for your workplace or standard guides

such as the Style Guide for Authors, Editors and Printers,
Australian Government Printing Service, Fifth edition, (current
edition) available from state/territory Government Book Store
• dictionaries.

Feedback on
activities
The responses provided in this section are suggested responses.
Because every workplace is different, your responses may vary
according to your specific workplace procedures, the equipment
available and the nature of the business.

Activity 1: Thinking about audience and purpose
There is no single answer for this activity. Below are some

suggested answers that you can compare with your own:
1. Occupational Health and Safety regulations.
Audience:
• your work team
• your trainer
• occupational health and safety representatives in your
workplace
• maintenance crew in your workplace.
Purpose:
• to inform trainers and managers about new legislation
• to inform workers about procedural changes.
Effect:
• format should be clear and easy to read as it will be read by
a wide range of readers and reading abilities.
2. Picking slips
Audience:
• pickers
• work team trainers.
Purpose:
• to show what items need to be picked.
Effect:
• needs to be read quickly and accurately so should not be
cluttered with unnecessary information or formatting.

3. Magazine about cars
Audience:
• the general public
• people who buy or sell cars.
Purpose:
• to provide information on new car lines
• to provide entertainment.
Effect:
• Should be an entertaining or a ‘light read’, so needs to have
plenty of pictures and relaxed, conversational language.
Activity 3: Selecting relevant information
Scenario 1:
• the venue for the next monthly staff meeting has changed
• the meeting will now be held in the Meeting Room in the
Customer Service Department
• the meeting will be held on Thursday the 15th of May at 10
am.
Scenario 2:
• you have received faulty merchandise from ‘Billy’s Boxes’
• all boxes you received in batch number 5098 were not
straight and did not fit together properly.
Activity 4: Finding a logical sequence to your information
How to make a cup of tea:

• place a tea bag into a clean cup
• pour boiled water into the cup
• jiggle the tea bag up and down until desired strength is
reached
• add milk or sugar if desired.
Scenario 1
• the venue for the next monthly staff meeting has changed
• the meeting will now be held in the Meeting Room in the
Customer Service Department

• the meeting will be held on Thursday the 15th of May at 10

am.
Scenario 2
• you have received faulty merchandise from ‘Billy’s Boxes’
• all boxes you received in batch number 5098 were not
straight and did not fit together properly.
Activity 6: Sticking to the rules
1. The manager wants this order picked by tomorrow.
2. Have you contacted the supplier from the United States?
3. Business is booming!
4. The colours on the new company logo are red, blue, and yellow.
5. Are Jones, Smith and Johnson working tomorrow?
6. The training session went for only two hours, but we all learnt a
lot in that time.


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Additional resources ....................................................................... 33

Feedback on activities .................................................................... 35

Page 2 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

What this Learner’s Guide is about

The Elements of Competency from the unit TLIE407C Prepare

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 3

Planning your learning

Page 4 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

Section 1: How do you plan a workplace

Are you able to: Yes No

Section 2: How do you write a workplace

Are you able to: Yes No

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 5

How you will be assessed

You will be required to:

Page 6 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

How do you plan a workplace

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 7

Areas covered in this section

How do you plan a workplace document?

What are some typical workplace documents?

How do you organise your workplace documents?

Page 8 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

How do you plan a workplace document?

Planning a workplace document involves getting all your thoughts,

What is your purpose?

Workplace documents can have many different purposes. They might

When identifying your purpose, ask yourself the following questions:

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 9

Who is your audience?

Page 10 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

Activity 1: Thinking about audience and purpose

Choose a possible audience and purpose for the following

Occupational health and safety regulations

A magazine about cars

There is feedback on this activity at the back of this Learner’s

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 11

What are some typical workplace documents?

Page 12 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

Employee of the Month for February is Fred

Fred’s hobbies outside of work include football and

Friendly and efficient, Fred is recognised for his hard

Well done Fred!

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 13

When lifting a heavy load:

1. Stand close to the load.

2. Bend at the knees.

3. Keep the spine straight.

4. Get a firm grip on the load.

5. Lift by straightening the legs, and keeping the

6. Keep the object close to you.

7. Take short, careful steps.

8. Avoid sudden jarring movements.

Page 14 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

To: All staff

From: Bill Bloggs

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 15

Activity 2: Formats for common workplace documents

Make a collection of documents commonly used in your workplace

What are the key features of this format?

Why do you think this format is used?

Do you think it is effective in communicating its message?

What are the key features of this format?