PROCEDURES

Relying on a few people for the information needed to perform a task makes little sense. These people may depart from the organization due to promotions, sickness, vacations, death, and so on. Yet few organizations record this information in procedures.

Procedures document how to perform tasks or conduct specific activities. They provide specific answers regarding who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Contrary to popular belief, preparing procedures on just about every conceivable topic is unnecessary and counterproductive. Procedures should only exist for topics concerning essential activities or atypical circumstances. The last thing you want are procedures that cover insignificant, minute details. You’ll only waste time and money.

Well-written procedures share some common characteristics. They are brief, not exceeding more than a few pages. They also have plenty of white space; too much narrative text creates a mental block and makes searching for key information difficult. Furthermore, they give preference to pictures, charts, and diagrams, rather than narrative text to facilitate comprehension. Finally, they are clear and concise; that is, they do not look like an eighteenth-century novel.

Procedures offer several advantages. They reduce the effects of employee turnover or retirement as well as the learning curve for new staff. They also provide standards and guidelines for conducting business. Finally, they clearly define responsibilities and activities.

for Developing Procedures

• Determine the topic.
• Define the scope and purpose.
• Define the audience.
• Develop an outline of the structure and contents.
• Draft the procedure.
• Edit for readability, information, and understanding.
• Verify the contents.
• Make revisions, if necessary.
• Publish the procedure.