SOP Writing Best Practices
A procedure nobody reads is documentation theater. The best SOPs are written for the person doing the job and kept current by the team that owns the work.
Write for the person doing the job
Use plain, step-by-step language and name the exact tool and screen. A new hire should be able to complete the task from the document alone, without tribal knowledge.
One task per SOP
Do not cram a whole department into one document. One task, one procedure. It is easier to follow, easier to update, and easier to find.
Include owners, tools, and edge cases
Every step should say who does it, in what system, and what to do when the normal path fails. The edge cases are where the procedure is actually tested.
Review with the team and keep it living
Procedures rot when they stop matching the work. Schedule a review cadence and make one owner accountable for updates. A stale SOP is worse than none.