Operations guide
How to write an SOP your team will actually use
A useful SOP is not a policy essay. It is a tested set of instructions that helps a trained employee produce a consistent result.
Start with the outcome
Write one sentence describing the result the process must produce. This prevents the document becoming a collection of background information.
Observe the real process
Interview the person who performs the work. Capture the trigger, inputs, systems, sequence, decisions, exceptions and evidence created.
Write one action per step
Start with a direct verb: verify, record, approve, send or file. Name the owner where responsibility could be unclear.
Build controls into the process
State what must be checked, who approves exceptions and when an issue must be escalated. Controls should sit beside the relevant step.
Test before approval
Give the draft to someone who did not write it. Watch where they hesitate, ask questions or produce a different output, then revise.
Control the document
Assign an owner, reference number, version, effective date, approver and next review date. Retire old copies when a new version is issued.