• support@bizmanualz.com
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Help
  • My Account
Policies and Procedures SOP Manual Template WordPolicies and Procedures SOP Manual Template WordPolicies and Procedures SOP Manual Template WordPolicies and Procedures SOP Manual Template Word
  • Policy
    Procedure
    Manuals
    • CEO 9-Manual Set-45% Off
    • CFO 5-Manual Set-34% Off
    • Policy Procedure Software
    • Accounting Manual
    • Finance Manual
    • IT Policy Manual
    • HR Policy Manual
    • Sales Marketing Manual
    • ISO 9001 Quality Procedures Manual
    • AS9100 D Quality Procedures Manual
    • ISO 22000 Food Safety HACCP Manual
    • Production Operations
    • Medical Office Procedures
    • Nonprofit Procedures
    • Construction Procedures
  • Document
    Management
    Software
    • Product & Benefits
    • OnPolicy Software Overview
    • On-Policy – 30-Day Free Trial
    • Testimonials
    • Resources
    • Subscribe to OnPolicy
    • Software, Procedure Manual Bundle
    • OnPolicy Help Introduction
  • Free
    Procedure
    Samples
    • Free Sample Policies and Procedures Template
  • How To
    Business
    Articles
    • Save Time Writing Procedures
    • Write Better Policies
    • Writing Procedure Manuals
    • Write Better Procedures
    • Strengthen Your Financials
      • Set Better Objectives
      • Tighten Accounting Controls
      • Improve Company Governance
      • Simplify Compliance
    • Improve Quality
      • Obtain ISO Certification
      • Make a Process Map
      • Implement ISO Quality
      • Improve Quality
      • Improve Management Systems
      • Increase Customer Satisfaction
      • Make Your Business Lean
      • Making Change Easier
    • Solve Business Problems
      • Organize Your Business
      • Business Startup
      • Be a Better Boss
      • Empower Employees
      • Grow Your Business
      • Find Business Improvements
      • Increase Innovation
    • Improve Business Processes
      • Better Sales and Marketing
      • Better Project Management
      • Improve Business Communication
      • Improve Internet Marketing
      • Improve Your Hiring Process
      • Improve Your Social Media
      • Improve Your Training
      • Improve Employee Health and Safety
      • Better Disaster Security Planning
    • Leverage Technology
      • Automate Policy Management
      • Improve Your Social Media
      • Increase Productivity
      • Analyzing Business Data
  • Lean ISO
    Consulting
    Training
    • Improve Your Training
    • Customer Testimonials
    • ISO 9001:2015 Classes | Internal Auditor Training St Louis MO
    • ISO 9001:2015 Classes | Lead Auditor Training St Louis MO
    • ISO 9000 Help | Lean Consulting Training St Louis MO
    • ISO Writer | Writing Policies and Procedures Training Class
    • Lean Training Class St Louis MO
    • FREE Quality
      Audit* Offer
0

How to Write Effective Procedures

Categories
  • Write Better Procedures
Tags
  • effective
  • effective communication
  • information
  • process
  • write
  • writing
document process

Developing effective management systems relies on writing effective procedures. There are some specific procedure planning activities that will result in better, more useful procedures. Let’s get started on how to write effective procedures.

Policies Procedures Writing ebook

New Release of “How to Write a Policies and Procedures Manual” is now available in e-book PDF Format

Three Steps to Write Effective Procedures

Basically, the advice I have in order to write effective procedures is the same advice I would give anyone taking on any kind of writing project – from a college term paper to a novel, a business letter, or a procedure; craft the writing project by working through a process that includes three phases:

Plan — Draft — Revise

Extensive research has shown that writing projects of any kind tend to be successful when writers use the process approach and engage in some type of activity from all these three phases. The type of activity doesn’t always have to be the same — it should be appropriate to the type of writing project and the personal preferences of the writer. But it is clear that successful writers do some type of planning activity before they draft their work, and then they engage in revision activity.

In this article let’s cover the first step in the process — Planning. Speaking generally, planning consists of activities like research, brainstorming, diagramming/outlining, reflection, and free-writing (stream of consciousness writing as an idea generation or reflection activity).

Planning a Good Procedure Means Understanding the Process

A key planning activity for writing good procedures is to understand the process that the procedure will document. That starts with research, or in other words, collecting information. This would include doing things like interviewing process owners and process doers. In technical writing terms they are the Subject Matter Experts. They are the ones who know and understand the process, and a large portion of the information should come from them.

All the information, however, shouldn’t come from those directly involved with the process. Another key source of information should be exploring current and obsolete documents related to the process (old procedures, related procedures in other areas of the organization, product specifications, customer requirements, etc). There you can find key information about the process that needs to be preserved or perhaps even restored.

Research should also be conducted outside of the organization. Is there information available from experts or from industry leaders about best practices regarding the process or related activities? Learning and incorporating best practices (modified as needed to best fit the unique organization) should be a key goal of documenting any process, but it takes effort to locate and incorporate this kind of information.

Learn Attributes of Process Success

Process Template

Process Template for Writing Procedures

As you work to understand the process your are documenting, make sure you identify and understand the key aspects of the process.

This includes the following:

Process Inputs

Who are the suppliers (external or internal)? What are the inputs and what format (for example) should they be in? Are there critical paths and timing that are crucial in receiving inputs? As you work to understand the process, make sure you identify and understand the key aspects of the process.

Process Activities and Tasks

What are the key activities that must be performed in order to transform the inputs into the needed outputs? What are the timelines and chronological components? Who are the key players? Try to identify excessive waste or inventory and unnecessary delays; what might be potential solutions to these process issues?

Process OutputsSIPOC process map

What is the ultimate point of the process? Who are the customers (external or internal)? What are the requirements for the outputs? What criteria related to the outputs can help determine if the process is successful and/or in control?

Process Goals and Objectives

Goals and objectives help determine if a process is effective and efficient. Ballistic processes run on and on without any reflection or attention to how well the process functions. No one knows if the process is achieving objectives. Is this how you want your business or department to run? Controlled processes have clearly defined objectives, measurements that relate to the objectives, and regular reviews on performance and improvement efforts. Research should help define objectives by learning process capabilities and by learning how well industry leaders perform in these areas (bench-marking).

Process Communicationremote communication

Lack of useful, meaningful communication is a serious problem in many organizations, and perhaps it is one of the larger impediments to success. Those of us who work in organizations see it all the time: Sales doesn’t know what Marketing is doing, Production doesn’t know what Product Design is doing, and vice-versa. This lack of communication leads to expensive waste and rework, as well as to very unproductive last minute scrambling. Identifying the needed communication and building it into the process can lead to significant improvements in this area.

Writing Effective Procedures

Once the information gathering is complete, using tools such as business process mapping, flow-charts, outlines, and value streams can present the information in a meaningful format that illuminates process, product, and/or information flow. It doesn’t really matter what method is employed, as long as it is useful and meaningful to those leading and executing the documentation (writing) process.

So if you are starting a writing project of any kind, including writing a procedure, and the first thing you do is sit down at the keyboard to start typing the document, then you are making a serious error. Creating a document should come naturally from what you have learned from the planning phase. Skipping directly to drafting almost ensures your writing project will not be a success.

More Articles from Bizmanualz...

  • What is Revision in the Policy Process?What is Revision in the Policy Process?
  • How Do You Simplify Complex Processes and Procedures?How Do You Simplify Complex Processes and Procedures?
  • How to Write Email Subject Lines that Get OpenedHow to Write Email Subject Lines that Get Opened
  • How Do You Make a Client Feel Special?How Do You Make a Client Feel Special?
  • 5 Ways to Make Your Writing Clearer5 Ways to Make Your Writing Clearer
  • What are the Most Effective Interview Questions?What are the Most Effective Interview Questions?
  • How Do You Measure the Effectiveness of Remote Working?How Do You Measure the Effectiveness of Remote Working?
  • Books You Should Read to Improve Your WritingBooks You Should Read to Improve Your Writing
  • 8 Tricks in Business Writing for Management Professionals8 Tricks in Business Writing for Management Professionals
  • How Do You Customize the Onboarding Processes for Different Industries?How Do You Customize the Onboarding Processes for Different Industries?
Share

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Products

  • AS9100 D Quality Procedures Manual AS9100 Quality Procedures Manual Rev D | ABR217M Aerospace Quality Procedures Manual $ 395.00 $ 297.00
  • Accounting Policy Procedure Manual MS-Word Template Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual
    Rated 4.50 out of 5
    $ 495.00 $ 397.00
  • Sales Marketing Policy Procedure Manual Sales Marketing Policies and Procedures Manual | ABR44M
    Rated 4.00 out of 5
    $ 495.00 $ 347.00
  • Finance Policy Procedure Manual Finance Policies Procedures Manual | ABR42M
    Rated 4.20 out of 5
    $ 495.00 $ 347.00
  • it standard operating procedures IT Policies and Procedures Manual
    Rated 4.40 out of 5
    $ 495.00 $ 397.00
  • Human Resources HR Policy Procedure Manual HR Policies and Procedures Template | ABR41M
    Rated 3.89 out of 5
    $ 495.00 $ 347.00
  • Security Policy Procedure Manual Security Policies and Procedures Manual $ 395.00 $ 297.00
  • Disaster Recovery Policy Procedure Manual Disaster Recovery Planning Manual
    Rated 4.00 out of 5
    $ 395.00 $ 297.00
  • ISO 9001 Procedures ISO 9001 2015 Procedures | ABR211M
    Rated 4.60 out of 5
    $ 495.00 $ 347.00
  • ISO 22000 Food Safety Procedures Manual ISO 22000 Food Safety Procedures Manual | ABR213M
    Rated 3.83 out of 5
    $ 395.00 $ 197.00
 Free Sample Policies Procedures

automation blog brand identity business business process change communication compliance Covid customer cybersecurity data digital marketing Ecommerce email employee finance hiring internet marketing ISO 9001 lean management marketing metrics online policies policy procedures process productivity project management quality remote work risk security SEO social media software startup strategy team technology tools website writing

Get to Know Us

About Bizmanualz

Our Customers

Our Contributors

Featured Products

Business Manual Products

Free Policies and Procedures

Privacy Policy

FAQs

Risk Free Guarantee

Process Improvement

Contact Us

Top Business Blog Posts

What is a Procedure?

What are Policies and Procedures SOPs?

What is the Purpose of a Procedure Manual?

What is the Difference Between Policies and Procedures?

How to Create a Standard Operating Procedure

What are the Top 10 Core Business Processes?

Are Procedures the Same as Work Instructions?

What Business Policies Does Every Company Need?

How to Start Writing Policies and Procedures

Business Procedures

Accounting Manuals Template

Finance Procedures

HR Procedures

IT Policies and Procedures Templates

Sales Marketing Procedures

Quality Assurance Policy Statement and Procedures

Medical Office Procedures

Employee Handbook Manual

Aerospace Procedures

Food Safety Procedures

Security & Disaster Plans

Production Procedures

Procedure Writing Guide

Featured Manuals

  • Alt Text CEO Bundle and Document Management Software Package $ 2,495.00 $ 1,857.21 one time, and
    $ 990.00 / year
  • St. Louis ISO auditor training class ISO 9001:2015 Classes | Lead Auditor Training St Louis MO $ 2,395.00 – $ 3,270.00
  • 9-Manual CEO Company Policies and Procedures Bundle | Save 45%
    Rated 4.23 out of 5
    $ 2,495.00 $ 1,997.00
  • CFO Responsibilities Financial Accounting Procedures 5-Manual CFO Internal Control Procedures Bundle| Save 34%
    Rated 4.64 out of 5
    $ 1,695.00 $ 1,497.00
  • AS9100 D Quality Procedures Manual AS9100 Quality Procedures Manual | ABR217M Aerospace Quality Procedures Manual $ 595.00 $ 499.00
Copyright ©1999-2022 Bizmanualz, Inc. All Rights Reserved | Sitemap | Privacy Policy
0
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Help
  • My Account
Go to mobile version