SOP Documentation: How to Make High-Quality SOPs for My Business
When documenting Standard Operating Procedures (also known as SOPs), it’s essential to focus on clarity, simplify where possible, and decide how to manage the result.
What are Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs)?
Most of us have interacted with SOPs in some form or another at least once in our careers. SOPs are typically written documentation of expectations and instructions on performing a complex task in specific situations, products, or software. They can be accompanied by videos and images to help explain the task in more detail.
Why are SOPs Important for Small Businesses?
For small businesses, SOPs are vital for maintaining quality and consistency, which are crucial for branding and customer satisfaction. These procedures ensure that no matter who is on duty, the service or product delivery remains consistent, safeguarding your business’s reputation and operational efficiency.
5 Best Practices When Making Your SOP Documentation
Below are some best practices we use at The Boutique COO when creating SOP documentation for our small business clients.
1. Limit Your Standard Operating Procedure’s Scope
Each Standard Operation Procedure should be contained in a separate document and focus on one reference area.
Creating a large document containing every possible process may seem tempting, but this is not the best practice.
You can maintain clarity and promote consistency across users by narrowing your focus to one complete process at a time.
2. Think About Who Will Use the SOP
It is also essential to think about the person responsible for referencing the SOP documentation when it is complete.
What questions might they have? Are there any parts of the process that may confuse someone who has not completed them?
As you create your SOP documentation, think about the process from the perspective of someone learning to do it for the first time, and try to anticipate areas needing clarification.
4. Break Down the SOP in Small Parts
A good rule for SOP documentation is to break more extensive processes into smaller steps or tasks.
By identifying the primary action items in each process, you can ensure that the entire process is done the same way, even when completed by different individuals.
What seems intuitive to you may not be intuitive to someone else, so try to think about each step as a unit and be sure to explain your expectations!
4. Show the Procedure, Don’t Just Tell the SOP Steps
Wherever possible, use images and videos to explain steps in the process.
This added step will help speed the learning process and ensure the information is accessible to anyone needing it - even if you are not there to show them.
This can be done throughout the SOP documentation or in an appendix or resources section at the end.
5. Manage the End Result from the SOP
As a final consideration, it is important to consider how you will ensure the process is followed.
Will there be any reporting involved? How often will you review and revise SOPs to update information and streamline processes?
By considering how you will manage the result of your Standard Operating Procedures, you can ensure that they remain relevant and efficient, resulting in a streamlined experience for your clients or customers.
Read More: Top 4 Essential SOPs to Create for Your Small Business
Need help building SOPs for your business?
Developing Standard Operating Procedure documentation can often feel daunting, but at the end of the day, an SOP is just a set of instructions for how to do something.
By following best practices for SOP documentation, you can create helpful training materials that will ensure quality and consistency within your business.
