What Is A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)? Definition From ...

How to write a standard operating procedure

An effective SOP explains the steps taken to complete a task and informs the employee of any risks associated with the process. The instructions should be brief and easy to understand, focusing on how things should be done rather than what needs to be done.

If possible, the procedure should detail what the user can expect as a response when a specific SOP step is performed. The SOP should include a "get out of trouble" section with recommended solutions to potential problems. These troubleshooting instructions can appear adjacent to a particularly complex procedure that can potentially fail, so that the user can find a fix rapidly. An appendix can contain the "fix it" section if such situations are rare.

Before writing an SOP, the author should perform a risk assessment of all steps in the procedure. The assessment should identify all obstacles that might arise and any risks associated with them. The user should identify threats to the process and any potential vulnerabilities (e.g., a single point of failure) that may cause a disruption.

Key questions to answer in an SOP include:

• Who performs what role?
• Who backs up that person in case they are unavailable?
• What does each role do?
• What is the goal or outcome of each person's role?
• What steps should occur in the event of a process failure?
• Is what needs to happen clearly explained?
• Is there a help desk or equivalent function to answer questions?

Organizations should list all their business processes to decide which procedures would benefit from an SOP. Managers should discuss employees' daily responsibilities to ensure all procedures are accounted for. Routine tasks that multiple employees handle should be considered for SOP creation.

SOPs are especially important if the organization has (or is considering) a business continuity (BC) plan. Knowing the most essential business processes, as specified in SOPs, is foundational to a BC plan. The plan should be designed to provide guidance in the event of an incident that threatens the continued operation of the firm's SOPs. It does this by guiding recovery and restoration of mission-critical SOPs to mitigate the effect of any business disruption.

Here are the six main steps involved in creating an SOP:

Step 1: Define the task's goal and why it needs an SOP. Employees in decision-making roles and other stakeholders define the task's goal and explain why that goal needs an SOP.

Step 2: Determine format for the SOP. The author decides on the SOP format. Some organizations use templates. Software is available to help facilitate SOP development. Other firms let authors design their own formats. For consistency and compliance considerations, using a company-approved procedure format is smart. Examples of possible formats include:

• A flowchart or workflow diagram that displays procedures with unpredictable or various outcomes.
• A bulleted or numbered list of simple steps that is short and easy to follow.
• Hierarchical steps written as a bulleted or numbered list but intended for procedures with many steps and decisions; these might have a primary step followed by a collection of sub-steps.
• Again, if possible, describe what should happen – such as a confirmation message -- when a specific procedure is performed.

Include instructions for handling problems when they occur. Provide contact information for the help desk or similar function.

Step 3: Decide on the delivery medium. Once a format is selected, decide whether to make the SOP available as a hard copy or online and store it in a database. Ensure that SOPs and all related documentation are stored securely on-site or in a cloud service.

Step 4: Identify task dependencies. The task of the SOP in question could rely on other procedures in the organization. The author should identify these dependencies and decide how to incorporate them into the new SOP. An option is to incorporate the latest procedures into an existing SOP. A flow diagram, included as a supplement to the SOP, may help identify dependencies.

Step 5: Identify the audience. The author determines the SOP's targeted audience to ensure it's written appropriately. An SOP for experienced employees should differ from one written for new employees.

Step 6: Write the SOP. Once all these decisions are made, the author writes a draft SOP. These instructions use the present verb tense and an active voice. If the organization has a style guide, the author should follow it. It is important to circulate the draft SOP to employees who will be using the SOP to review it throughout the writing process to ensure all necessary steps are included.

Step 7: Test and gather feedback. Once the draft is written, it must be reviewed, edited and tested multiple times, with feedback collected. This process repeats until the SOP has buy-in from all stakeholders. It is then distributed to everyone who will use it as part of their job. The target audience should try out the draft SOP to ensure it works as intended. It might need revision if these employees have difficulty understanding or following the SOP.

Step 8: Implement the process. The SOP is made official once all issues are addressed, approvals have been obtained, and its intended target audience can use it without issues.

Step 9: Update regularly. As SOPs can be considered "living documents," their creation and maintenance are iterative processes. Once the detailed instructions are written, the SOP process should be analyzed and updated every six to 12 months to ensure it continues to support regulatory compliance and other organizational requirements. All changes must be recorded, and versions tracked using the organization's change management process.

Step 10. Provide ongoing training. Regularly scheduled continuous learning sessions will ensure employees become familiar with new procedures. A similar process should be available for new employees during their onboarding.