#process #organization #delegation #predictability #control
idea
A Standard Operating Procedure ia a defined, documented, step by step definition of a process.
SOPs allow processes to be repeated with precision. They are a strong tool of the delegation framework, giving precise guidelines for how to act. They allow predictability. They also reduce the cognitive load on the operator.
A SOP is composed at minima of
- What it accomplishes (alternatively, its trigger)
- A step by step description of the process, possibly with points of control.
Implementation of the SOP must allow easy repeatability. As such, it can be printed on a stack of paper, or instrumented through virtual task lists.
I use Microsoft to-do for personal SOPs, an example is a check-list for going skiing, or camping with the kids, and contains everything that needs to be prepared and hauled for the occasion. Another example is a list for my evenings, and another for my mornings, when I'm single parenting. Another is an emergency list to determine whether my kid's asthma is ER worthy.
What these allow me is to free my brain from thinking about things I am doing over and over again, so I can focus on the important, and lower the stress of forgetting something for lengthy processes ; or to have a factual guideline to make a decision in the midst of an emotional crisis.
references
- the e-myth describes repeatability and the "turnkey" franchise model, which is roughly the collection of sop of the company
links
Getting Things Done's background thread is to reduce cognitive load and making things easier through a great deal of SOPs to get organized
SOPs are a great component of Delegation Frameworks
SOP help reducing Cognitive load and working memory usage by offloading it to an external system