How to Write an Effective SOP: A Step-by-Step Guide

What is SOP?

SOP, meaning standard operating procedure, is a list of step-by-step instructions that guides team members on how to perform a complex task. SOP can also refer to the documentation of these instructions or the process of writing them. Both help businesses define and develop their processes and improve quality.

What does an SOP Include?

An SOP includes the following:

• Title Page

  • SOP identification number

  • Task SOP is being written for

  • Date SOP was created

  • Date SOP was finalized

  • Date/s SOP was revised

  • Names of people involved in writing SOP

  • Department or group SOP applies to

• Table of Contents

• Purpose and Scope

• Procedure (actual SOP for the task)

• Success Metrics

• Responsibilities

• Approval Signatures

How to Write an Effective SOP

Writing a standard operating procedure may differ based on the industry and use case of the SOP but there are general guidelines that you should follow to ensure its effectiveness. Here’s a step-by-step guide in writing an SOP:

Step 1: Form a Team

Writing an SOP is not a one-person job. Since SOPs must always be correct, it is highly critical that the people you include in your SOP writing team know the ins and outs of the task the SOP is being written for. It is also critical to include at least one representative from the team or group that will use the SOP or to whom the SOP applies. Ideally, this representative should have firsthand experience of what their team members go through on a daily basis, their struggles, strengths, weaknesses, and habits. For alignment, make sure to train each member on the process of properly writing SOPs.

Step 2: Fine-tune the Details

Ideally, by this time, the core elements of the SOP, such as scope and purpose, have been established and noted. This step requires that you and your SOP writing team further develop these core elements through discussion, investigation, or other means of examination. The goal of this step is to help make the basic details of the SOP clearer so that the writing of the actual procedure later on is quicker and easier.

Step 3: Define Success

Closely related to the purpose of the SOP, success metrics are what you will use to gauge the effectiveness of the SOP during testing, reevaluation, and after implementation. Start by asking the following questions, together with your SOP writing team:

• What does success look like?

• How will we know if we’ve succeeded?

• How much weight will we give to the effect of the SOP on productivity or efficiency?

• How much weight will we give to the intended audience of the SOP actually using the SOP and liking it or finding it helpful?

To answer these questions, it may be necessary to interview the people who will be using the SOP or have a conversation with their managers. Doing so will ensure that your answers are in line with the goals and activities of the team and that the finalized success metrics are aligned with their expectations.

Step 4: Gather Information

Though ideally your SOP writing team should be composed of people employed by the business and who are experts on the task, if this is not the case or if further clarification is needed, you may choose to consult with third-party experts or specialists to help narrow the knowledge gap. Additionally, you may conduct more interviews with the team the SOP is being written for or ask for the input of higher-level executives within the business.

Step 5: Write SOP

Using the information you have gathered in the previous step, you can finally start writing the SOP or the actual list of step-by-step instructions on how to perform the task. While writing the SOP, be sure to include the equipment, materials, and other assets needed for each instruction, helpful tips, warnings, common mistakes, the do’s and don’ts, as well as photos or other references that would help guide those following the SOP.

Step 6: Review SOP Thoroughly

Have each member of your SOP writing team read the SOP. Keep a look out for technical or grammatical errors, inconsistencies, unrealistic aspects, and possible difficulties with implementation. Ask the team or group who will be using the SOP for their thoughts and points for improvement. Share this first draft of the SOP with the team’s managers and incorporate their suggestions.

Step 7: See the SOP in Action

Once the initial review of the SOP has been completed, you may then proceed with testing the SOP. To do this, you can ask the team for whom the SOP is intended to use it just for one day or for one shift to see if it works. You can also try experimenting with different conditions and situations to find out if the SOP is adaptable or versatile enough. Remember to record observations and the test results as you will use them in the next step.

Step 8: Reevaluate, Edit, and Improve

After testing the SOP or even while the SOP test is ongoing, you can begin the process of reevaluating the SOP. Remember though that any major edits should take place only after testing. Start the reevaluation by asking the following questions:

• What worked?

• What didn’t?

• What are the weak spots of the SOP?

• What are the strengths of the SOP?

Discuss the answers to these questions with other members of your SOP writing team as well as the team the SOP was written for and their managers. Once all questions have been sufficiently answered, make revisions or edits to the SOP based on these discussions and on the test results.

Step 9: Plan for Implementation

After all improvements have been made, send the SOP to the head manager of the team it was written for (the person above their managers) and other executives. If they have any comments or suggestions that could help further improve the SOP, make edits and resend. If they no longer have any comments or suggestions and have given their approval signatures, you can start planning for the SOP implementation.

As the SOP implementation will depend on the specific SOP written and on the structure of the business, the exact steps regarding SOP implementation will be up to you.

However, there are two things to keep in mind. The first is to ensure that the team the SOP was written for is given an introduction, orientation, or demo on how to use the SOP correctly. The second is to ensure that the SOP is available and can be accessed conveniently by the intended team.

Step 10: Continuously Review SOP

Though an SOP should ideally be the best way to perform a task, this doesn’t mean that it should just be followed blindly or not criticized. To truly stand the test of time, it must be a dynamic document that is constantly updated and improved. Once the writing of the SOP has been completed, set a reminder or a schedule for reviewing the SOP.

Make sure that you choose a specific date and refrain from merely stating that you will review the SOP regularly, as it can be easy to forget to do so.

Tips to Writing a Standard Operating Procedure

Once you’ve understood what each of these components entails, you can use them as an outline for writing your SOP document. Below are 4 tips that can help you get started:

1. Choose the Appropriate Format

There are various formats in which you can write an SOP, such as step-by-step, hierarchical, flowchart, or even a simple checklist. The format to be used depends on the purpose of the document and the complexity of the task. Choosing the right format can make the SOP easier to understand and follow, ensuring that tasks are completed accurately and efficiently.

2. Follow the 5C’s

The purpose of an SOP is to eliminate the guesswork from your organization’s procedures and ensure that everyone is following the same procedure when performing specific tasks. As such, it is important to avoid ambiguity and be specific with the instructions that you provide in the SOP. The 5 C’s ensure that SOPs are clear, concise, correct, courteous, and complete.

3. Use Visuals

There are different types of learners in your organization. Using visuals such as flowcharts, videos, or quizzes can help translate your SOPs into a much digestible format for your employees. Online learning tools allow you to transform standards and procedures into micro-lessons for easy retention.

4. Use an SOP template

Creating an SOP can sometimes be overwhelming, especially for organizations with a lot of processes involved in their daily operations. Instead of creating one from scratch, you can source for ready-built Standard Operating Procedure Templates in which all you need to do is fill out preset fields.