SOP WRITING

Question 1

SOP STANDS FOR

Answer 1

Standard operating procedure

Question 2

It is a document consisting of step by step information on how to execute a task

Answer 2

Standard operating procedure / SOP

Question 3

SOP will allow you to

Answer 3

Achieve consistent results
Reduce costs and increase productivity
Create a safe breaking environment

Question 4

In creating your SOP you must consider the following

Answer 4

Choose your format
Consider your audience
Consider your knowledge
Decide between a short or long form SOP
Keep your SOP purpose in mind

Question 5

There is no right or wrong way to write an SOP

Answer 5

Choose your format

Question 6

If a pre-existing SOP is not available as a template you may have a few options

Answer 6

Simple steps format
Hierarchical steps format
Flow chart format

Question 7

This is for routine procedures that are short, have few possible outcomes and are fairly to the point.

Answer 7

Simple steps format

Question 8

Apart from the necessary documentation and safety guidelines, it’s really just a bullet list of simple sentences telling the reader what to do

Answer 8

Simple steps format

Question 9

This is usually for long procedures those ones with more than 10 steps, involving a few decisions to make, clarification and terminology

Answer 9

Hierarchical steps format

Question 10

This is usually a list of main steps all with substance in a very particular order

Answer 10

Hierarchical steps format

Question 11

If the procedure is more like a map with an almost infinite number of possible outcomes, this may be your best bet

Answer 11

Flow chart format

Question 12

This is the format you should opt for when results aren’t always predictable

Answer 12

Flowchart format

Question 13

Inconsidering your audience there are three main factors to take into account before writing your SOP

Answer 13

Your audience’s prior knowledge
Your audience’s language abilities
The size of your audience

Question 14

This includes questions such as are they familiar with your organization and its procedures? Do they know the terminology? Your language needs to match the knowledge and investment of the reader

Answer 14

Your audience says prior knowledge

Question 15

Is there any chance people who don’t speak your language will be reading your SOP

Answer 15

Your audiences language abilities

Question 16

If there are any chances where other people don’t speak your language and will be reading your SOP it is a good idea to include lots of

Answer 16

Annotated pictures and diagrams

Question 17

If multiple people at once are reading your SOP, you should format a document more like a conversation in a play

Answer 17

The size of your audience

Question 18

It includes questions such as, are you the best person to be writing this? Do you know what the process entails? How it could go wrong? How to make it safe?

Answer 18

Consider your knowledge

Question 19

If you think that you may be not the best person to be writing the SOP he may be better off handing it over to someone else

Answer 19

Consider your knowledge

Question 20

It will not only reduce productivity and lead to organizational failures but it can also be unsafe and have adverse impacts on anything from your team to the environment

Answer 20

Poorly written SOP

Question 21

It is not a risk you should not take

Answer 21

Poorly written SOP

Question 22

It is a normal part of any SOP creating process

Answer 22

Conducting interviews

Question 23

If you are writing or updating an SOP for a group of individuals that are familiar with protocol terminology and etc and would just benefit from a short and snappy SOP that’s more like a checklist, you could just write it in short form

Answer 23

Decide between a short or long form SOP

Question 24

What’s of use is that you have a procedure within your organization that keeps on getting repeated over and over and over

Answer 24

Keeping your SOP purpose in mind

Question 25

Why is SOP important

Answer 25

To ensure compliance standards are met
To maximize production requirements
To ensure the procedure has no adverse impact on environment
To ensure safety
To ensure everything goes according to schedule
To prevent failures in manufacturing
To be used as training document