Processes 1: Writing them

If we agree that formalizing your processes can be useful in some ways, what's next? Two things: define or document each process (so far as you need to), and then manage or control it. Managing a process, in turn, also requires at least two things: that the process have an Owner, and that it be measured in some way.

Originally I tried to fit all this information into one post, but it got long and ugly. So I'm going to break it into bite-sized pieces, to keep the topic light and easy:

1. Documenting a process
2. Process Owners
3. Measuring a process

Then I'll add a fourth post as an appendix, about some of the risks to watch for in process measurement.

Sound fun? 😀 Let's do it.

What do you say?

When you document a process, say only what you truly need to say and then stop. 

• If something is a legal requirement, spell it out.
• If something is a safety guideline, spell it out.
• If something is complicated enough that you don't want people improvising, spell it out.

But when you get to the point where it really doesn't matter how somebody does something so long as the thing gets done – in that case spell out the What and stay silent about the How. Again, say only what you need.

There are a couple of reasons for this. 

• It makes the documents shorter, so they are easier to write and easier to read.
• Therefore it makes them easier to follow.
• Therefore your documents will feel like less of a burden. 

Most people already roll their eyes when they are faced with too much documentation. If you can keep it simple, your people can focus on their real work rather than scratching their heads over subparagraph 17(a).

At a minimum, you should list the inputs into your process, and the outputs from it. And try to answer the basic question, "What are we doing here?"

It can also be helpful to point out how one process interacts with another, and what resources each one requires. (These latter points are required by the ISO 9001 standard; so if you want certification, be sure to do them. If not, do as much as you find helpful..) 

How do you say it?

Along with keeping your documents short, keep the language direct. Use the second person (like I'm doing here). Use active verbs wherever they fit. In fact, maybe it's simpler if you just get The Elements of Style, by Will Strunk Jr. and E. B. White, the pre-eminent style guide for American English. If you follow their advice in writing, you don't need mine.

Who does the writing?

As I discussed previously, the content has to come from your experts in the task at hand. But generally they'll be grateful if somebody else can help them with the wordsmithing and the typing.

Where do you store the documents when they are done?

Wherever the people who have to use them can find them later. If they all have access to a computer, then an online document repository is great. If they don't, you might need to store them on paper. Remember that if you store the documents on paper, there has to be some way for people to get copies at the same time that the master is kept safe; also, if you distribute copies on paper you have to be sure to collect them all when the document gets updated so that nobody is following out-of-date instructions. That's one reason that online repositories are so popular -- because they make updating easier. But they only work if everyone can reach them.

Depending on what you are doing, document management can get a lot more complicated. But these are the basics. So let me follow my own advice and stop here for now. If you'd like to see more detail later, please leave me a Comment to say so.