Process specification provides clear step-by-step guidance for completing a task. It can be standardized or include non-standard language. The reader follows a flowchart to produce an indistinguishable final product. It is used in manufacturing, software development, and document generation. Standardized terminology guides and conventions are available.
Process specification is the provision of clear, step-by-step guidance to enable anyone to follow a series of steps to complete a task such as putting together an object or formatting a report correctly. These steps can follow a strict set of rules to make them as standardized as possible so that a reader can understand them easily. In other cases, process specifications may include non-standard language or discussion topics and may be less universally understood.
In a process specification, the reader follows a series of steps defined in the form of a flowchart. At each step, there may be forks to reflect different approaches to the process or different end products. If the reader follows the steps exactly, they will end up with a final product that should be indistinguishable from one produced by another person following the same directions. Process specifications may allow for individually produced products or may provide guidance for mass production using manufacturing equipment.
Manufacturers use process specifications to ensure standardized and accurate completion of projects. This document can be sent to another factory, which will be able to produce exactly the same final product by following the steps. The steps detail the types of materials to be used, their colors and method of assembly, as well as providing detailed drawings and discussions of manufacturing techniques. The document’s clear guidelines allow products to be reproduced without personal instruction from someone experienced in their manufacture.
Manufacturing is not the only activity that can be standardized with process specifications. Software development, document generation, and other tasks can be complemented with guidelines of a similar nature. In all cases, the goal is to create clear and understandable directions that will be executable by anyone with basic training in that area of interest. An administrative assistant familiar with word processing programs, for example, can follow the instructions to create a report for administrator use.
Writing a process specification requires a detailed understanding of the process and language used in that particular industry. Standardized terminology guides and conventions are available for some processes. These can be a useful resource both for staff preparing the specifications and for staff members who may need to read and follow them. If you have questions about the process specification, the guide can often provide the answer by defining the language used and allowing the reader to understand exactly what is meant by a given statement.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
