Policies and Procedures 4 of 5: HOW

In this mini-series on policies and procedures I am covering;

1. WHAT is a policy and procedure
2. WHY should you document a policy and procedure
3. WHEN and WHO should document a policy and procedure
4. HOW to document a policy and procedure
5. TEMPLATE for a policy and procedure

This post is on HOW to document a policy and procedure...

Whenever I document a policy and procedure I tend to 

- put them in one document together

- use words to clearly explain everything 

- use numbered points for structure

- use diagrams if need be

- publish the document on "the path most travelled" so that is is easily accessible by all team members (e.g. Intranet, CRM system, Yammer, email, notice boards). Wherever it will get seen. 

In terms of structure there are 5 main sections;

1. Explain the context
2. Define vocabulary and jargon 
3. State the policies
4. Describe the procedure
5. State how compliance will be measured

A few details on each of the above...

1. Explain the context

Why is this policy and procedure important? What benefit is there (to the team, to customers, to suppliers, to the company) if this policy is followed? To whom does it apply? Who is responsible for making us sure it us followed? 

2. Define vocabulary and jargon 

If there any words in here your Mum wouldn't understand, define them. If the are any abbreviations, define them. A complete newcomer to the company should be able to understand thus document. 

3. State the policies

Try keep it simple. What are the main policies. Put them in bullet points. 

4. Describe the procedure

Step by step describe the procedure. Explain who does each part of the process. Explain how to use the relevant systems. If the supervisor were unable to show the team how to do their job, they should be able to follow these instructions. 

5. State how compliance will be measured

If you can, find relevant metrics to measure whether it not this policy is being adhered to. Measure. Share. Improve. 

Every policy will need reviewing on a regular basis to improve and keep up to date. 

Tip: if you can publish your policies as a "live" document such as a web page, it's much easier to ensure everyone has access to the latest version of the policy at the click of a mouse. So much easier than emailing out attachments. 

Next: TEMPLATE for a policy and procedure (coming 15.02.14).