In the case of security, the documents are "organic". The procedures will change with advances in technology, or changes in criminal behavior. Policies and procedures are purposeful; when it comes to security, following policies and procedures should prevent or limit loss. However, misunderstandings can instead cause confusion and create risk.

The good news: There are many things that you can do to create a framework for success and thwart would-be crimes; put your documentation to work! You can use the following suggestions to ensure that your policies and procedures aren't just sitting in a drawer collecting dust.

If you don't have policies and procedures in place, begin with your most pressing concerns. You can update documents later as needed, but it's important to gain and keep momentum or the project will stall. Once the writing begins, you will immediately find gaps and broken processes that need to be addressed. If a manager is doing the writing, he or she is likely to have starts and stops as attention is given to management issues. This can be frustrating.

Many managers enjoy outsourcing the work to a writer so that they can fix processes quickly without affecting the project schedule. Most technical writers offer free estimates and are happy to discuss your project with you. You may also request quotes from more than one company to comparison shop.

Create a communication plan. For instance, send out a section per week for review instead of one overwhelmingly large document, and meet later in the week to discuss that section.

Make information relevant. The best way to do this is for the manager to write a follow-up note or lead a discussion regarding the manager's specific concerns with the team. For example, "Procedure 3.1 states that company laptops must be secure, but it doesn't elaborate. As part of the sales force, your laptop travels with you and security is really essential here. These are the types of things that I feel are necessary to improve physical security, as well as data security…" In this way, the employees are relating the procedures to their own personal experiences and situations.

Cover all your bases. Make sure that there is a system in place to thoroughly disseminate the information. In this case, schools needed to communicate with teachers, other employees, students, parents, and contractors. When you need to educate a broad audience, you must have a plan. Don't assume that people will pick up the information by osmosis.

Reinforce the information. Using training classes, online quizzes, and class discussions reinforces the concepts and gives people a chance to apply their new knowledge. Providing employees with job aids, such as quick reference cards, will also help them to gain proficiency.

Allow for input. Hold employee roundtable discussions or encourage employees to provide input to the managers. In many respects, employees are your first line of defense against disaster.

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