TEN MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN DEFINING A PROCESS

Don’t:

1. assume that a good process description on its own will make the process work – you still need to manage people.

2. go into more detail than is needed – know your audience.

3. repeat yourself – or say the same thing twice…

4. use passive tense for tasks – all tasks are actions, so “verb-noun” works best.

5. consider the “what ifs” and exceptional conditions at the outset - concentrate on the normal flow.

6. use different terms for the same role, or document – you may need to rationalise your job titles and tidy up your document register.

7. make a process description too long - refer to supporting documents or to a sub-process if more detail is required.

8. be inconsistent - apply a few basic standards and simple conventions, and stick to them.

9. use technical language or jargon – refer to a glossary if necessary.

10. assume that everyone knows the (business) objectives which the process should satisfy – they may not even appreciate why they do what they do within the process.