But How Do I Document My Processes?

Don’t overthink it.  It’s only 3 Steps to Streamline Your Business Processes.

If you want to boost efficiency and effectiveness in your business, streamlining your core processes is key. By following these three steps, you can simplify and package your essential business operations for maximum impact.

Get a free pdf of the 3 step process and an example here

Step 1: Identify Your Core Processes

In order to document your processes you first have to know what processes you have (or should have).  Here we mean your main processes. The ones you do regularly.  You do not need to document all of your processes.  Start by identifying the 5-10 essential processes your business relies on. Common examples include HR, Finance, Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, and various Operations processes. While the names might differ depending on your business, these general categories often apply across industries.

Step 2: Document and Simplify

Focus on documenting and simplifying 2-3 core processes each quarter. By taking this approach, you can document and streamline all your processes within a year. Working on just one core process per quarter can make a noticeable difference. Aim to capture the major steps that account for about 80% of the work and summarize them in 1-5 pages, not lengthy documents. Ideally this task is done by the person who does the processes and knows them the best, along with a coach or another set of eyes that understands efficiency.

Once the processes are finalized, ensure the leadership team approves them. This helps you gain buy-in and valuable feedback, as well as foster respect and understanding across departments. 

Step 3: Package Your Processes

Package your processes so they are easy to find and use. Often, teams have their processes spread across various internal drives, which can be chaotic. Choose a single location to organize them and package the information in user-friendly formats like checklists, flowcharts, or videos. Electronic files are great but having a hard copy on paper can facilitate the visual understanding of a process.  A business coach with experience in process documentation can provide additional recommendations on software and other effective ways to document and package your processes that can help you and your team manage and access your processes with ease.

Following these steps can ignite or reignite your passion for process management and help your business run more smoothly. Like a well-oiled machine, your business can operate efficiently with clear, organized processes that your employees—or even outside volunteers—can follow effectively.