When I do something that involves multiple steps, you can be sure that I want to remember it. Sometimes I can’t rely on my brain for that, so process documentation is the solution. Whether you are completing repetitive tasks or creating a new program, process documentation can help formalize your work efforts. In fact, creating documentation helps improve coordination, structure, and consistency within your organization.
What is process documentation?
Process documentation involves creating internal guides that outline the steps needed to complete a task from start to finish. This material can be used when training a new employee or transferring tasks upon an employee’s resignation. Process documentation can also reveal the complexity of a certain role.
Why does process documentation matter?
If you lack the structure and details for your organization’s core processes, your business is at risk of failure. Process documentation provides an extra layer of protection for your organization.
Benefits of process documentation
Process documentation is critical to the function and flow of systems within your organization. Here are some common benefits of process documentation.
It provides transparency. Discrepancies can quickly turn into a nightmare. “Even in small organizations, the threat of isolation and real misalignment is significantly present. Process documentation provides transparency for collaborating team members, management, and stakeholders as a single source of truth,” says Amanda Sellers, Strategic Director of the EN Blog at HubSpot. It ensures business continuity. If your coworker suddenly leaves the company, all the secrets of how they perform their job shouldn’t leave with them. “Have you ever heard your coworker say, ‘What will this company do without me?’ I have heard that, and while it may be a badge of honor and false job security, it is terrible in reality,” says Pasha Coleman, Senior Marketing Manager and Program Director for Media Enhancement at HubSpot. “If there is a single point of failure in your processes, you could benefit significantly from writing down every step. You may likely find redundancies or even isolation that negatively impacts the company’s ability to continue operations if the process is disrupted or if the person leaves the company even for a week of vacation.” It creates resilience against change. Process documentation allows your organization to maintain a steady pace and momentum, despite the moving parts. By breaking down everything (as much as possible in detail), individual components of the process can be easily transferred or replaced. This can be particularly useful when there are restructuring or hiring changes in your organization. When one person leaves your team, their knowledge can live on. If a new team member joins, the documentation will help them integrate quickly. It will define processes and steps that can be bypassed. When you explore your organizational processes, you will determine whether a process provides a justified value to your organization. You will be able to identify the steps that are essential and effective within your processes. Are there any steps that can be modified or eliminated without sacrificing efficiency? This practice will create clarity for your team. It captures and organizes knowledge. A process document contains the collective knowledge about a particular approach to a subject. By making these documents easily accessible to team members, it allows for the flow of information throughout the organization. It allows for self-assessment and takes into account variations. Process documentation allows team members to reflect on their individual contributions. They can see their exact impact on the outcome of a specific process. Creating documentation is also helpful in identifying where adjustments can be made to improve the process for better results. It ensures compliance. Your team should include relevant process documentation in the hiring and training process. You can then ensure that both new and existing team members have all the information they need to complete a task. By setting criteria, you can ensure safety or legal compliance or others. It reduces errors. Mistakes are a natural part of life. However, you will want to avoid errors in your work as much as possible. Step-by-step instructions for completing a task can help reduce these mistakes.
How to
Creating Operational Documents
Now that we’ve seen how important operational documents are for your organization, let’s explore how you can implement them in your own business.
How to Write Operational Documents
1. Define your purpose.
Before you start writing, hold a brainstorming session. During this time, you should clarify what your final document should achieve. Are you creating a training manual? Are you establishing a process for senior management?
2. Identify your target audience.
Next, identify the target audience and the reason you need to explain this process to them. For example, is this for the sales team or for new employees? The audience will dictate the information you include.
3. Determine the format.
You need to decide what is necessary for you to include in your documents. This goes beyond just text. Will you need graphs? Perhaps your document will benefit from charts or tables or graphics. Maybe the PDF or webpage format isn’t the best. Some processes might be better explained through video.
4. Define the scope.
Your scope will determine what is included and what is not included in your documents. This can help you maintain a narrow focus on the specific task being documented. Working within a defined scope will help your team avoid information overload.
5. Identify the necessary tools and resources.
Then, determine what you will need to complete the task. This includes software, tools, and capital necessary for each step of the process. These resources are sometimes referred to as inputs.
6. Establish the sequence.
Whenever possible, outline the sequential steps necessary to replicate the process. This plays a significant role in enhancing efficiency and determining the overall success of any task.
7. Identify the responsible parties.
The next step is to think about the role of each party involved. This part of your document should be as detailed as possible. Include expectations for each person’s timeline and how these deadlines support the overall timeline goals.
8. Define the boundaries.
Your document should clarify any boundaries that shape your process. This includes process timelines, deadlines, financial constraints, and key performance indicators, etc. If you are considering changing your process, setting strict boundaries will help you understand any limitations. You will be able to identify what can change and what must remain constant.
9. Explain exceptions and emergencies.
Be mindful of exceptions that may arise and account for them in your operational document. The same applies to emergencies. You should specify when team members should deviate from the specified sequence of steps.
10. Review and test.
Once you have considered all these factors and documented your process, you will review your work. Edit your document. Then, test your instructions by completing the task as outlined. If everything is done correctly, you should achieve the desired results for your task.
Tip: If your process involves multiple parties, this may be a project that involves layers of feedback. Each perspective offers a greater opportunity to improve your operations.
Tips for Writing Operational Documents
Before your team starts writing, here are some tips that can help you make the most of your efforts.
1. Keep it concise.
You have the option to be lengthy or as brief as possible. We recommend being as concise as possible. Say enough to convey the idea without repetition or unnecessary words.
2. Include images (where applicable).
Images can make your document more engaging. For example, large images or graphics can break up the text. They can make your document easier to read.
3. Grant your team editing authority.
Give stakeholders the ability to edit the operational documents. This simple change in your document’s permission settings can save a lot of time and back-and-forth among your team. As processes evolve over time, you will have several members in your organization who can keep your content updated.
4.
Be flexible.
Remember: there is no one right way to document processes. The only way to do process documentation wrong is to ignore it completely. The method of creating documentation may change over time. In fact, your document itself will go through multiple revisions. Keep a flexible mindset to achieve the best results.
Getting Started with Documentation
Now that you’ve explored the best practices for process documentation, you can begin writing.
Remember: documenting the steps for your most followed processes saves your team from the continuous need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, your team will have a strong foundation. Instead, they can innovate when necessary.
Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/process-documentation
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