Writing SOPs People Actually Use
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The Binder Problem
Plenty of businesses have documented procedures. Far fewer have procedures anyone reads. The usual causes are length, vagueness and the fact that nobody owns keeping them current.
Write It Like a Checklist
One page per process, written for the person doing it at eight in the morning rather than the auditor reading it in a year.
- One named owner per document
- Steps in the order they happen
- What to do when it goes wrong
- A review date that is actually kept
“If a new starter cannot follow it alone, it is not documented yet.”
The Real Test
Hand the document to someone who has never done the task. If they can complete it without asking a colleague, the process is documented. If not, it is still in someone's head.
