According to Wikipedia, a standard operating procedure is “a set of instructions having the force of a directive, covering those features of operations that lend themselves to a definite or standardized procedure without loss of effectiveness.” Exciting stuff, eh? Maybe not, but it’s something we need to know about.
It’s been two years since I took a teleclass with Yvonne Weld, author of The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Thriving Business, and learned that standard operating procedures, or SOP, are just as important for one-person, home-based businesses as they are for large organizations. Even if you are the only person carrying out the work, if you don’t document it, how do you know you’ll do it the same way each and every time, ensuring consistency of service? And how will you remember how to do it if several months go by before you do that particular task again? Most importantly, how will someone else know what has to happen in the event that you’re unable to work?
Creating standard operating procedures for my business has been on my “someday list” ever since I took that teleclass, and now that there are two of us, it has become increasingly important to have a procedures manual. For that reason, when I saw that one of the workshops at the recent Forum on Virtual Assistance (FoVA) was Standard Operating Procedures – the Who, What, Where & Why you should have one for your Virtual Business, I was eager to attend.
The workshop was facilitated by Kristi Pavlik, who is known in VA circles as the Systems Chick. (Kristi appears in the above photo with her very own Systems Chick which was presented to her at FoVA.) She explained that an SOP has two main components: a system, which is the overall picture, and the process documents, which provide the specific instructions for each task.
To illustrate a system, Kristi supplied us with a copy of the mind map she uses for her business. The business name goes in the middle, and each broad area of the business goes in a bubble around it. Next to each bubble is a list of specific activities related to that business area. Each bubble then gets its own mind map. As I began to fill mine out, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it actually was. Furthermore, I realized that creating a procedures manual for my business is not all that different than the procedures manuals I created in my past jobs.
I’ve always had a problem wrapping my head around mind maps, so for my systems, I decided to make a list using outline mode in Outlook instead. I then used that outline as the starting point for my process documents by making a copy of the file, switching to normal view, and copying and pasting all the procedures that we have already documented. The rest will get filled in over time until it’s complete. I’m actually not sure if it will ever be complete, because we’re always making changes and introducing new procedures, but this is certainly going to make it a lot easier for us to keep track of everything.
Because this is so important, I decided to invest in Kristi’s e-book, Systems of a Successful VA, and was pleased to find it full of visuals, step by step directions, templates and added resources which should be very helpful as I move through the process.
I think getting started just may be the biggest step. Although there’s still a lot of work to be done, it feels really good to see how much has already been documented, and especially to see it assembled in one place. It’s also much easier to see now what sections still need to be completed.
If you don’t yet have an SOP for your business, I strongly encourage you to get started as soon as possible.
Excellent advice, as always, Janet! I know from working in a molecular biology lab where SOPs were, well, SOP, that they are very important in showing others how to do a procedure correctly.
I guess I better start working on my own SOP then, huh?
For sure! I wish I’d started mine back when I started my business – so much less to document back then – but better late than never!
Thank you Janet for the great post. I am glad to see you are at least starting your systems process
If you ever need help with getting that mind map completed, just give me a holler. Would love to do a “brain dump” session with you.
It was great to get to meet you at FoVA.
Kristi, what made the biggest difference for me was realizing I didn’t have to start at specific point – all I needed was the outline and we can fill it in as we go along.
Janet, I love creating systems for doing things (if only I had as much enthusiasm for maintaining them – that part doesn’t come as easy to me). I’ve recently taken on an opportunity to work with a successful new construction company (about 3 years up and running), and part of my tasking has been devising SOPs.
To create my SOP listing, I used a chart with 3 columns. The tasks are listed sequentially in the center column. On the left-side column, I list the documents and tracking applications that record the data for each specific task. On the right-side column, I list the person who has primary responsibility for the action (along with any one who has a supportive role, provides information or other resources to complete the task).
No one had previously documented the flow of work and how things got done. Putting things in writing helped identify gaps in the system and where procedures needed additions or revisions. It even revealed the need for an additional job position that is now being developed.
This is not just an exercise in maximizing efficiency. As we implement the processes (along with the documents and support people), we will be able to streamline the way we handle projects to the point that we can take on more and larger construction projects. But if you don’t have those SOPs in place, you won’t be able to grow beyond a small start-up.
Denise, I think SOPs are even more important in a business where there is staff turnover (as opposed to owner-operator situations). I too have stepped into jobs where the previous employee has already left, and there were no written procedures in place, and it was quite a nightmare! Even when the person you’re replacing is still around to provide training, written procedures are very helpful when the trainer has a different communication style than the trainee, and as a reference once they have moved on.