Over an 18-month period, The i-Team provided technical writing, project management and translation services to develop a range of technical manuals, procedural documents, guides and standards. The project helped improve documentation standards and consistency across the organisation, while reducing staff training time.
What the project involved?
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is a global leader in commemoration. Founded by Royal Charter in 1917, CWGC works on behalf of the Governments of Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom to commemorate the 1.7 million men and women from the Commonwealth who lost their lives in the two World Wars. The cemeteries, memorials, graves, landscapes, and records in CWGC care will be found at 23,000 locations and in more than 150 countries and territories. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s mission is to ensure those who died in service, or as a result of conflict, are commemorated so that they, and the human cost of war, are remembered for ever.
The i-Team re-wrote the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Horticulture Manual – Revised Edition. The project involved researching various areas of horticulture, reviewing existing literature, articles, web content and blogs, as well as watching videos and lectures to identify and document best practices. As part of the project, The i-Team identified, collected, edited and standardised content of approximately 5000 pages from 200+ sources. A new manual was created, supported with professionally created illustrations and photographs.
The deliverables
Manuals, guides, procedures, policies and standards
The i-Team delivered a comprehensive manual and number of training guides aimed at different knowledge levels.
The final version of the mian horticulture manual was 1500 pages spread over a number of self-standing sections covering the following:
- Soil management
- Plant establishment
- Ornamental features management
- Tree management
- Pruning
- Weed management
- Pest control
- Headstones management
- Site management
- Building works
- Irrigation
- Operating machinery
- Quality control and biosecurity procedures
An online HTML version of the manual was delivered along with training guides and other material to support a global training programme.
The i-Team felt it was truly an honour to be chosen by CWGC from an open tender. The i-Team produced documents are currently being used to improve global standards in the maintenance of the two war cemeteries and memorial sites to better commemorate the war heroes.
The quality and scale of The i-Team®’s work were recognised by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC), earning us a prestigious UK Technical Communication Award. This recognition demonstrates our ability to successfully manage large-scale, complex documentation projects while maintaining exceptionally high standards of quality, consistency and usability.
The project also highlights our expertise in managing extensive volumes of technical information, coordinating multiple documentation deliverables and applying consistent standards across an organisation. By combining technical writing expertise with effective project management and quality assurance, we deliver documentation that is accurate, accessible and designed to support long-term operational needs.
The outcomes
The project delivered a consistent and structured suite of technical documentation, helping to improve standards across the organisation. Clearer procedures, standardised formats and improved access to information enabled employees to understand and follow processes more effectively.
The documentation also helped reduce staff training time by providing clear, reliable reference materials for both new and existing employees. By improving consistency, usability and knowledge sharing, the project supported greater operational efficiency and established a stronger foundation for maintaining documentation standards across the organisation.