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Processes. Love them or loathe them, we can not live without them. They are part of everything we do in our lives and in business. However,often we take our business processes for granted until disaster hits or we need to break free from our indispensable role as the boss; but how do you get started with documenting processes for your business? Here are nine easy steps to get you onto the path of process enlightenment. They include:
Now let us take a look at each of these steps in detail : 1. Start with the basics. It is tempting to try to jump straight into writing procedures, but before you do this it is important to document information about your business that may seem obvious. It might be obvious to you, but ask your staff a few simple questions and you may get a surprise! Start with the basics – what the business does, who its customers are, where you are located, who your suppliers are, what your operating hours are and how you can be contacted. |
2. Who are you writing for?
Before you plunge headlong into your business’s most complex processes, remember who you are writing the procedures for - not for those like yourself who have intimate knowledge of the entire business, but for your staff. The more accessible you can make your instructions the easier it will be for your staff to learn. Write your procedures as if you are talking to a child – that way everyone will understand them.
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3. Make a list.
Before you start writing procedures, make a list of all of the processes within your organisation, note who can provide the information and prioritise each one of them.
4. Just start.
What are you waiting for? Just start! Stop thinking about it and do it. Procedures are like life insurance - do not put it off. You never know when you might need it…
5. Never mind the medium.
Do not be overly concerned with how you document your procedures. Whilst Word and Excel are good ways to start, it does not really matter if you write them with a rusty nail dipped in blood - as long as you do write them (just make photocopies!)
6. Step By Step.
When you write a procedure, break everything down, step-by-step. Try to number each step, write down who is responsible and clearly articulate what is required. You may find it helpful to start each step with a verb. For people like me, that means a doing word, like "create"!
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7. Ask your staff.
You probably think you know everything about your business (and I am not saying you do not!) but you should always let your staff review your procedures. You might find out that they are not doing things the way you had hoped, and they may even have some new ideas for ways to do things better…
8. Re-invent.
Documenting your processes and procedures forces you to think about the way things are currently done. This very act can help to stimulate creative juices and generate ideas to re-invent and improve your business.
9. It is a living thing.
Once you have documented your procedures do not put them on a shelf and forget about them. It is important to keep them alive and up-to-date. If you cannot handle continually updating them then set a date in your diary to review them on a regular basis.
First published on www.theprocessninja.com. Reprinted with permission.