Technical Writing Skills for Deviations and Investigations

Module 1: Writing for the Audience

• Writing for the audience.
• Getting the message across.
• The Outside-In approach.
• Word choices and editing.
• Do’s and Don’ts of Writing for the Auditor.

Module 2: Writing Problem Statements

• Stating the issue from the Outside-In.
• Identifying the What, Where, When, Who and How of the issue.
• Giving each of the above the prominence it deserves.
• Communicating the risk associated with the issue.
• Documenting containment actions.
• Viewing the problem through the eyes of the auditor.

Module 3: Defining the Root Cause

• Writing Root Causes based on RCA tools such as Fishbone and 5 Whys.
• Documenting the investigation.
• Presenting the information using a logical flow.
• Writing the rationale for the root cause.
• Documenting the rationale for the exclusion of potential root cause candidates found not to be part of the actual root cause.

Module 4: Identifying Verifiable Corrective Actions

• Identifying corrective actions that address the root cause not the symptoms.
• Identifying corrective actions that are implementable.
• Establishing how the effectiveness of the corrective action will be verified.
• Documenting corrective actions that are verifiable.
• The Investigation Summary.

Module 5: Applying the Learning to Other Documents

• How to apply the learning points form the course to other documents such as;
  • Change Controls
  • Memos
  • Procedures and Work Instructions
  • Issuing instructions and the use of the imperative.

The programme will be built around the client’s examples and requirements, and will feature practical exercises to help learners hone their skills during the course.

At the end of the course each participant is asked to prioritise a personal list of learning points and to commit to implement these when writing deviations or investigation reports.

Any technical personnel involved in writing deviations or investigation reports.

On completing this course participants will be able to:

• Analyse the audience and write documents with the readers’ aims in mind.
• Write measurable Problem Statements
• Document actionable Root Causes
• Write realistic Containment Actions
• Document verifiable Corrective Actions

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For applicants whose first language is not English, SQT recommends a minimum English language competency of IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) for successful completion of this programme. It is important to note that learners are not expected to have an IELTS or equivalent examination complete. Potential delegates are expected to self-assess their English language competency against the IELTS Band scores which can be found in this document.

In-House Courses
Course tutor will contact your organisation in advance to discuss the programme in detail.
In-house courses can be customised to meet your organisation’s specific requirements.

Course Manual
Delegates will receive a comprehensive course manual with relevant course materials.