Resources
— Checklist · 10 minutes
SOP checklist
Most SOPs die because they were written for compliance, not for the person doing the work. Use this checklist before you call any SOP done.
Structure
- One owner named at the top.
- Last-reviewed date and next review date.
- Trigger that starts the process in one sentence.
- Definition of done in one sentence.
Steps
- Each step is verb-led and under 12 words.
- Each step names the role responsible.
- Decisions show their criteria, not just the choice.
- Tools and templates are linked, not described.
Edges
- What to do when the trigger doesn't apply.
- Escalation path with a name.
- Common failure modes and the fix.
- Where to record exceptions.
Review cadence
- Quarterly review owner is set.
- SOP links back to the workflow it supports.
- Last 3 changes are visible at the top.