Guidelines Document

A Guidelines Document is a reference document that provides standardized procedures, principles, and instructions to guide actions and decisions in a specific context.

• AKA: Guide Document.
• Context:
  • It can (typically) aims to provide Clear and Actionable Information.
  • It can (typically) have a Target Audience.
  • It can (often) includes Step-by-Step Instructions, Best Practices, and Troubleshooting Tips to assist users.
  • It can range from Brief Guide Document to Comprehensive Guide Document.
  • It can range from being an Informal Guideline Document to being a Formal Guideline Document (e.g. an SOP document).
  • It can be managed by a SOP Document Management Task.
  • It can incorporate Visual Aids such as Diagrams, Flowcharts, or Screenshots to enhance understanding.
  • It can be updated to ensure the Information Currency and Information Relevance to User Needs.
  • It can range from being a Physical Guide Document to being an Electronic Guide Document.
  • It can be used for Self-Study, Training, or as a Quick Reference in Professional Settings.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • A User Manual for a software application or electronic device.
  • A Style Guide detailing a Company's Branding and Writing Standards.
  • A Policy and Procedure Manual for an Organization.
  • A Legal Playbook providing legal practice guidelines for handling specific legal scenarios.
  • A System Technical Specification Document ...
  • A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Document ...
  • An Annotation Guidelines Document ...
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • An Advertisement that primarily aims to promote rather than guide or inform.
  • A Fictional Novel that tells a Story rather than provides Instructions or Guidelines.
  • A Raw Data Spreadsheet that presents Information without Explanatory Context or User Guidance.
  • a Runbook Document.
  • It can range from being a Corporate Guidelines Document to being a Public Sector Guidelines Document.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • an Employee Handbook outlining company policies and responsibilities.
  • a Style Guide used by writers and editors to maintain publication consistency.
  • an Annotation Guidelines Document that provides instructions for annotating data.
  • a Software Development Guidelines Document that defines coding standards and coding best practices.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Personal Notes and informal Jottings, which are not standardized or intended for wider organizational use.
  • Brainstorming Sessions and Freeform Discussions, which do not follow predefined guidelines or structures.
  • ...
• See: Standard Operating Procedure, Compliance Document, Regulatory Framework, GM-RKB Guidelines Document, Quality Manual, GM-RKB Guidelines Document.

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References

2010

• http://www.cesm.ucar.edu/working_groups/Software/dev_guide/dev_guide/node5.html
  • QUOTE: The purpose of these document guidelines is to create a coherent set of documents that clarify the goals of the various software development teams and the functionality of the software they create. These documents are meant to be readily available not only to the development team members, but also to management and other interested parties.

    The creation of these documents is closely related to the software life cycle described in Section 3. For example, the existence of a reviewed requirements document demonstrates that the requirements definition phase of a project has been completed.

    Section 4.2 provides specific guidelines for each of the documents, suggests responsibility for their creation and maintenance, and describes how the documents are interrelated.

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