Trying said:
I am creating a Handbook that will be posted on our web site. In
trying to come up with a different, easy to read format; I decided to
try right justifying, with shading, the individual group page headers.
My manager asked me if this was "accepted business format". HELP!
The days when there was one "accepted format" are now 40 or 50 years in the
past. There are many accepted formats, and the proper criterion is whether
your format accomplishes its objectives. Is it really easy to read? Does it
contain all necessary information, and is the information located where
people expect to find it? Does it minimize confusion? Do the shading and
justification help to meet those objectives, or do they get in the way?
Especially with respect to the shading, try viewing it on all the kinds of
monitors available in the company, and print it on all the kinds of
printers, to be sure it doesn't obscure the text. Ask some people (besides
your manager) to look at mockups and tell you their impressions.
Look at some of the templates posted at
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/default.aspx. They aren't
necessarily the world's best templates, but they will give you an idea of
what's used by some people. Also look on Google for "employee handbook" and
related terms, and see what sorts of formats are in use.
