Create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Key steps 31 steps

1. 1 SOPs should be "off the street" ready, meaning someone with intermediate job knowledge but no experience in the specific topic can follow them.
2. 2 SOPs should be created for problems that occur more than once.
3. 3 If another SOP is required before starting, mention it as a prerequisite or requirement.
4. 4 Break down processes into milestones, with each milestone being self-contained and having a clear end result.
5. 5 Within each milestone, list the step-by-step instructions to achieve it.
6. 6 Use bullet points for hierarchical information and numbers for sequential steps.
7. 7 SOPs should address the most common or important scenarios, not every possible situation.
8. 8 Write in the active voice, for example: "Place the file in the folder" instead of "The file should be placed in the folder."
9. 9 Test every SOP with someone before making it public.
10. 10 Close out with a recap and screenshots of a successful completion. "Having completed this process, you'll see that…”
11. 11 Make the SOP visual by using screenshots or GIFs to show where to click, drag, write, or select whenever possible.
12. 12 Use Google Drive or any other cloud storage to store SOPs.
13. 13 Install CloudApp (or a similar screenshot app) on your computer to capture screenshots for illustrating your SOP steps.
14. 14 Install and activate Grammarly’s Chrome plugin (or a similar grammar and spelling checker) while editing your SOP.
15. 15 Create a dedicated email address for signing up on various platforms for testing purposes.
16. 16 Use a spreadsheet, Notion page, or other documentation tools to track all created SOPs.
17. 17 Research the task you need to create an SOP for using documentation, videos, blog posts, etc
18. 18 Create an outline in Google Docs
19. 19 Use a naming convention for the SOP. For example: “SOP 001: [SOP title]”
20. 20 List out all the prerequisites (logins, links, files, etc) to execute the SOP
21. 21 Fill out the introduction for the SOP:
22. 22 Follow the outline to create the SOP. Each SOP should be divided into steps and substeps.
23. 23 In some cases, you can add short introductory paragraphs for the steps:
24. 24 Capture screenshots and/or GIFs using the screenshot tool to make it easier to understand your SOP.
25. 25 Use a tool like Grammarly to check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
26. 26 Ensure all terminology, formatting, and style are consistent throughout the document
27. 27 Simplify any complex language or jargon that might be confusing
28. 28 Double-check all factual information, including data, URLs, and references, to ensure accuracy
29. 29 Ensure all screenshots, diagrams, and GIFs are relevant, clear, and correctly placed
30. 30 Collect feedback from actual users who will be using the SOP and make necessary adjustments.
31. 31 Get approval from a supervisor or team lead before publishing the SOP

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