Practical guide / Free to read
Write a simple checklist for repeatable work.
Capture one recurring task clearly enough that the next person can follow it and improve it.
A checklist that explains when to begin, what to do, how to check it, and when to ask for help.
Choose a task with a clear beginning and end
Start with a small task that recurs: preparing a routine quote, checking an order before collection, or setting up a meeting. Leave the whole department manual for another day.
Begin with one task that someone can walk through and comment on. Keep the instructions available where the work happens, then revise the unclear steps after trying them. The EPA’s procedure guidance offers background on documenting repeatable work.
Background: EPA: Guidance for Preparing Standard Operating Procedures
Write what the person needs at the moment of doing
Use the names people already use for the work. Put a decision next to the step it affects. If a step only says ‘check everything,’ replace it with what is being checked.
- Trigger: when does this task begin?
- Inputs: what information or materials are needed?
- Steps: what happens, in what order?
- Check: what shows that the task is complete?
- Exception: where should someone stop and ask for help?
Try the checklist against the actual work
Walk through a normal example with the person who does the task. Notice missing information, unclear language, and exceptions. Ask what should change before asking anyone to rely on it.
Give the checklist a name, a person responsible for keeping it current, and a review point. This simple exercise is for ordinary administrative work; specialist or safety-critical procedures need the relevant expertise and controls.
Try it in your own situation
Draft a checklist you can try this week
- Choose one recurring administrative task.
- Write its trigger and the information needed to begin.
- List the steps in order, including where to stop and ask.
- Walk through an example, revise the list, and choose when to review it again.
Sources and further reading
Original Brass Charter examples and exercises, with background reading from the sources below.
- EPA: Guidance for Preparing Standard Operating Procedures
Procedure-writing background from an environmental quality context; not a requirement for every business.
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