Lesson 197 · 3 min
Writing an SOP
Talk through a task the way you would teach a new hire, and AI can shape it into a numbered standard operating procedure.
An SOP, or standard operating procedure, is a step-by-step guide so a task gets done the same way every time. Most teams know they need them and never write them because it feels slow.
Speed it up by recording yourself or typing fast while you do the task. Then ask AI to turn it into numbered steps, with who does each step, what tools are needed and what "done" looks like.
Ask the AI to list questions a newcomer would have. Those questions show you the steps you skipped because they feel obvious to you.
Then test it for real: give the SOP to someone who has never done the task and watch where they get stuck. Fix those spots and try again.
Do it now
Turn one task into an SOP
- 1. Pick a task you do often, like processing a refund or opening the shop.
- 2. Type or dictate how you do it, messy is fine.
- 3. Run the prompt below, then hand the result to a colleague to try.
Turn my rough description into an SOP. Include: purpose (one line), who does it, tools needed, numbered steps (one action each), what done looks like, and common mistakes. Then list 5 questions a new employee would ask that my notes do not answer. [PASTE DESCRIPTION]
Quick check
Keep going
Next →Giving feedback to a colleagueWords from this lesson
- Prompt
- The instruction or question you give an AI. Clearer prompts with context usually get much better answers.
- Speech-to-text
- AI that turns spoken words into written text, as in meeting transcripts and voice typing.
- Human in the loop
- Designing a process so a person reviews or approves the AI's work before it has real consequences.