Created by the First Role Skills Editorial Desk. This lesson uses a fictional workplace scenario and links to primary product documentation where the interface or feature matters.
Start with the work
A realistic scenario
Your manager sends a wall of text titled 'New starter process' and asks you to make it usable before the team meeting. The content is correct, but the structure is not.
Avoid rework
Three beginner mistakes
Using font size and bold instead of real heading styles
Adding blank lines until content lands on a new page
Changing fonts, colors, and spacing in every section
The method
Complete it in six controlled steps
- 01
Define the reader and decision
Write one sentence describing who will use the document and what they should be able to do after reading it. Delete background detail that does not support that decision.
- 02
Create a heading outline
Break the draft into a title, three to five main sections, and short subsections. Apply built-in Title, Heading 1, and Heading 2 styles instead of manually enlarging text.
- 03
Set one body style
Use one readable body font, consistent line spacing, and space after paragraphs. Avoid centering body copy. Keep paragraphs focused on one idea.
- 04
Use lists for actions
Number steps that must happen in order. Use bullets for options, requirements, or examples. Start parallel list items with the same kind of word, usually a verb.
- 05
Control pages intentionally
Use page breaks or section breaks instead of repeated blank paragraphs. Add a table of contents only when the document is long enough to benefit from one.
- 06
Run the scan test
Zoom out and read only the title, headings, lists, and callouts. If the main message is unclear without reading every sentence, improve the hierarchy before polishing details.
See the difference
Before and after
PROJECT PLAN Here is everything we discussed. The onboarding process includes access, equipment, introductions, training and...
New Starter Plan 1. Before day one 2. First-day access 3. Week-one training Owner and due date appear beside every action.
Original practice
Complete the exercise
Format a two-page onboarding note. Use three Heading 1 sections, at least one numbered process, one short table, and a deliberate page break. Export it to PDF and check that no heading is stranded at the bottom of a page.
Use only fictional or fully anonymized data. Never upload an employer's confidential information to a portfolio.
Explain your decisions
Turn the exercise into credible evidence
To explain this sample, show the outline before showing visual polish. Point out one place where a heading replaced manual bold text, one page break you added intentionally, and one paragraph you shortened for scanning. Keep the editable document and exported PDF together so a reviewer can inspect both structure and final output. Do not claim that the document came from paid work; label it as a fictional onboarding exercise and state which formatting decisions you tested.
Quality gate
Check your own work
- One clear title
- Real heading styles
- Consistent body formatting
- No blank-line page control
- PDF export inspected