Write an SOP someone else can actually follow

Do the task once while recording your screen and talking through why each step matters. Don’t write anything yet.

Turn the recording into numbered steps. One action per step, each starting with a verb. Add a screenshot wherever a click is easy to miss.

The parts people forget to write down are the ones that cause mistakes.

• Trigger: when does this run?
• Done: what does finished look like?
• Common mistakes and how to fix them
• Who to ask when stuck

Hand it to someone who has never done the task. Watch without helping. Every question they ask is a missing line.

Update the SOP, add a version date and an owner. Review it whenever the task or the tools change.

Tip: An SOP nobody owns is out of date within a quarter.