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The cost you are listing below infers no aging. Does the document have a
long or short shelf life. If it is a short shelf life, and the number of
copies that are produced is small, then the cost you have listed is
correct for all the other factors you listed.
If it has a longer shelf life, and more copies, then that must be
factored into the cost. The more copies and longer life a product has,
then the lower the cost. Also what is the return for the product, is the
manual charged for in a sale? Or do you give it away. Giving it away
cost more, customers paying for each copy reduces your cost.
A Policy and Procedures manual is useful only if it documents and
clarifies what you are doing, how to do it, and keeps errors from
entering the process.
Policy needs to be stated and accessible.
Procedure needs to be documented and referencable.
Of course you could keep it secret, and induct people into the inner
circle by a mysterious rite, and orally pass on the information to them.
But then your company policy and procedures pass into legend and myth,
literally.
Scott
Chris Anderson wrote:
>
>
> therefor, the cost per procedure = $1,094 vs the original estimate of
> $316.
<snip>
> Is it fair to say that a procedure statement costs around $1,000 ?
>
> And if the typical company has to produce 1,000 or more statements then
> is it fair to estimate that a complete Policy and Procedure Manual will
> cost a company $1 million to produce plus maintenance.
>
> Some people suggested that some statements take longer than others, some
> companies may need more statements than others, and all of this is
> relative to the quality of the final document. But the ultimate question
> that we are trying to solve is the value of a Policy and Procedure
> Manual. If it costs $1 million or more to produce than a company must
> be able to derive more value than its cost to produce or else there is
> no return on investment. In other words there would be no reason to
> produce it in the first place.
>
> Does anyone doubt the usefulness or value of a Policy and Procedure
> Manual?
>
> Are there any metrics to suggest the true value?
>
> Chris
>
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