Writing Standard Operating Procedures
Overview
Clear standard operating procedures make work consistent, safe and easy to learn. This course shows how to plan, write, format, review and maintain SOPs that people actually use, with practical drafting exercises on participants' own processes.
Who should attend
Quality and process staff, supervisors, technical writers, administrators and managers responsible for procedures.
Training methodology
Interactive presentations, practical exercises, case studies, group discussions, role-plays where relevant, and a personal action plan that participants apply in their own work.
Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Decide when an SOP is needed and what it should cover
- Gather information from experts and process maps
- Write clear, step-by-step procedures
- Format SOPs with flowcharts, checklists and visuals
- Set up review, approval and document control
Course outline
Day 1The Role of SOPs
- Policies, procedures and work instructions
- Why procedures fail
- When an SOP is needed
- Regulatory and quality requirements
- Users and their needs
- Review of existing procedures
Day 2Gathering Information
- Interviewing subject experts
- Observing the work
- Using process maps
- Identifying risks and controls
- Agreeing scope and boundaries
- Exercise: plan an SOP
Day 3Writing Clearly
- Standard SOP template
- Writing steps with action verbs
- Plain language rules
- Responsibilities and decision points
- Warnings and cautions
- Drafting workshop
Day 4Formatting and Visuals
- Flowcharts within procedures
- Checklists and forms
- Tables, photos and diagrams
- Layout for readability
- Digital and mobile formats
- Exercise: improve a procedure
Day 5Control and Maintenance
- Review and approval workflow
- Document numbering and version control
- Training staff on new SOPs
- Periodic review and audit
- Managing changes
- Finalise your SOP and action plan
