How to Write a Hand Book Manual

Brainstorm ideas for your handbook manual with the help of planning tools and techniques.

Hand book manuals are necessary for the smooth and orderly operation of a business. The human resource aspect of business requires that employee hand books and personnel manuals inform the employee about procedures and rules of the business. Hand book manuals can also be effective educational tools, used to teach and to inform the reader of specific topics and outside procedures. Hand books and manuals often cover rules, laws, regulations, processes and other subjects that affect the way businesses operate in the larger local, state, national or international marketplace.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Pen
• Paper
• Whiteboard
• Markers
• Flash drive

Instructions

Brainstorming and Writing Initial Drafts

1. Chose a niche. Do you want this to be a business manual or an educational manual? Will it tell readers about how a business is run internally or will it cover topics that affect the company from external agencies, government or business competitors?

2. Determine your audience. Identifying the people you are writing this handbook for will be the most important decision to make before beginning the brainstorming process of the manual.

3. Brainstorm your ideas. Use your whiteboard and markers or pen and paper to write down ideas. An idea tree is a useful diagram that lets you visualize your ideas and how they interconnect. The idea diagram could be arranged according to subjects, such as the topics you want to cover in your manual, people who will read your manual or other ideas that communicate your goals.

4. Start writing a draft. The draft could be handwritten or on a computer. This will be your first round in writing an effective manual. You draft will include the actual information you want to give to your reader.

5. Revise, edit, and rewrite your draft. After writing your second draft, brainstorm again. Take notes on your manuscript. Have other people, maybe a business partner, proofread and add ideas to the draft, then add those notes to the draft.

Writing the Final Draft of Your Handbook Manual

1. Write your chapters and subchapters. Once you have your ideas, writing the headlines or chapters for each will help establish the structure of the manual and direct how the material will be arranged.

2. Add order to chapters and subchapters. Don't put the dress code subchapter in the chapter that covers health insurance. Keep a natural flow to your topics.

3. Add as many details as possible, covering each detail under the appropriate chapter. This will take research into laws, regulations and business practices. Interviewing other professionals or experts will add extra background to your topics.

4. Check spelling and grammar and complete final draft. Submit the final draft to business owners, department heads, managers or others who will review and approve the final version. Make any needed corrections, additions or deletions.

5. Save your work to a flash drive or other media and take it to a local printing company for printing and binding. Distribute the hand book manual as directed by the company.

References

• User Guide Tutorial
• How to Write a Better Instructional Manual

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish