What You’ll Learn
In this article you’ll learn:
- Why a process map is not automatically ready to become an SOP.
- Why workflow validation comes before documentation.
- The seven steps for creating a reliable SOP.
- Common mistakes to avoid.
Introduction
One of the most common questions I hear is:
“We’ve finished our process map. Now how do we create the SOP?”
The answer is simple.
Don’t create the SOP from the process map.
Create it from the validated workflow.
A process map shows how work flows. Before that workflow becomes an SOP, make sure it accurately reflects how the work is actually performed.
Once the workflow has been validated, it becomes the foundation for documentation people can trust.
Start with the Right People
Every good process map starts with the right people.
Include the people who:
- Perform the work
- Receive the work
- Make decisions
- Approve the work
- Are impacted by the work
If the right people aren’t in the room, important details will be missed.
Good documentation begins with the right conversation.
Process Map vs. SOP
These two tools work together, but they serve different purposes.
| Process Map |
SOP |
| Shows how work flows |
Explains how work should be performed consistently |
| Identifies activities and decisions |
Provides guidance for performing the work |
| Shows handoffs |
Defines responsibilities and expectations |
| Helps people understand the workflow |
Helps people perform the work consistently |
Think about it this way.
A process map answers:
What happens?
A validated workflow answers:
Is this what actually happens?
An SOP answers:
How should this work be performed consistently?
The Seven Steps
1. Get the Right People in the Room
Start with the people who know the work.
2. Map the Workflow
Document how the work moves from beginning to end.
3. Validate the Workflow
Walk through the workflow with the people involved.
Confirm:
- Activities
- Decisions
- Handoffs
- Exceptions
- End points
Don’t assume.
Validate.
4. Verify Decision Logic
Make sure every decision has a complete path.
Ask:
- What happens if the answer is Yes?
- What happens if the answer is No?
- Are there other possible outcomes?
5. Confirm Ownership
Every activity should have a clearly identified owner.
If ownership isn’t clear, accountability won’t be either.
6. Review Handoffs and Exceptions
Look closely at:
- Internal handoffs
- Exception paths
- Rework
- Escalations
Many execution problems begin here.
7. Develop the SOP
Now you’re ready.
Use the validated workflow as the foundation for your SOP.
Your SOP may be written, video-based, interactive, or a combination of formats.
The format isn’t what matters.
Consistent execution is.
Common Mistakes
Many SOPs fail because organizations:
- Skip workflow validation.
- Leave out exception paths.
- Miss important handoffs.
- Assume everyone performs the work the same way.
- Create documentation without involving the right people.
These mistakes are much easier to prevent than they are to fix.
Errol’s Insight
One of the biggest mistakes I see is assuming a completed process map is ready to become an SOP.
It usually isn’t.
Workflow validation almost always uncovers something that needs attention.
A missing decision.
An overlooked handoff.
An exception that no one documented.
Taking the time to validate the workflow first leads to better documentation and more consistent execution.
The Bottom Line
Don’t create an SOP from a process map.
Create it from a validated workflow.
That one step improves everything that follows.
Better SOPs.
Better training.
Better execution.
Better results.
About the Process Clarity & Validation Method™
The Process Clarity & Validation Method™ (PC&VM) is the approach I use to help organizations understand, validate, and document their business processes.
The Method emphasizes involving the right people, validating the workflow, and then creating documentation that accurately reflects how work is actually performed.
Because the quality of your SOP depends on the quality of the workflow it was built from.