Business process documentation creates a written record of procedures, standardizes them, and establishes best practices. Tips include using simple language, defining technical terms, and having multiple parties review the documentation. Detailed documents are essential, but cheat sheets can provide a quick reference.
Business process documentation is the process of creating a written record of the steps associated with a specific business process or procedure. Such documentation helps standardize procedures and establish best practices. Tips for creating clear and effective process documents include using language that is easily understood, having multiple parties review the documentation and write both detailed documents and simplified spreadsheets.
Many companies create business process documentation for training purposes. This means that many people who may have very different levels of understanding are likely to read the documents. For maximum effectiveness, process documents should be easily understandable by anyone who may use them.
Experts often recommend writing such documents using language equivalent to an eighth-grade reading level. Writers should also avoid using technical or industry jargon. When acronyms or industry terms are to be used, they must first be clearly defined. It is also a good idea to include a list of definitions when creating business process documentation.
While business process documentation is often completed by an expert in developing such documents, it is important that other users review them before they are put into use. If the person writing the documentation is not an expert on the process being documented, that expert should perform a review to ensure that the content is technically correct. The documents should also be reviewed by at least one person unfamiliar with the process so that any unclear instructions or missing steps can be identified.
Detailed documents are an essential part of business process documentation. Documents explain all the steps involved in a process and can also provide additional information, such as software program requirements, legal restrictions, and contact information for various steps. While documents are essential for a complete explanation of the process, they can be too long or cumbersome to use on a day-to-day basis.
One solution to this problem is to create a cheat sheet that only addresses the most critical steps and serves as a reminder once you’ve read the entire process documentation. These cheat sheets should provide an easy way to find background information on each step. It might be wise to provide the page or chapter number where the information in the full documentation can be found so that the reader has a reference if they need more detail. Such sheets are often presented as flow charts or outlines.
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