KEI&S

M13BuildOperations· Module 2

Standard Operating Procedures

Each person does the job their own way. Quality depends on who is on shift.

  • Stabilise
  • Scale
  • Institutionalise
  • Operations
  • People
  • ~5 min · Template

The business problem

Without standard procedures, the business relies on individual memory and judgement. New staff learn by shadowing whoever is available and inherit their shortcuts. Quality varies by person and by branch, and the founder becomes the only reliable standard.

Why it matters

SOPs make good work repeatable. They shorten training, reduce errors, support delegation and make it possible to open a new branch or shift without the founder being present.

What you will learn

  1. Decide which tasks need an SOP and which don't
  2. Write SOPs that people actually use: short, visual, specific
  3. Include standards, checks and what to do when things go wrong
  4. Keep SOPs current as the work changes

Core questions

  1. Which tasks, done inconsistently, cost us most?
  2. What is the standard, and how will someone know they met it?
  3. What should a person do when the normal case doesn't apply?
  4. Who owns and updates each SOP?

Work through the module

CaseWhat is happening?

Restaurant group, 2 branches · Illustrative teaching case

A restaurant opens a second branch. Portions, presentation and food costs differ immediately. The recipes exist only in the head chef's experience. The group writes one-page recipe cards with photos, weights and plating standards, and introduces a daily opening checklist for each kitchen.

Full teaching case: The Second Branch · Growth Broke the Business

DecisionWhat does the leader need to decide?

Rely on experienced staff to maintain standards, or define the standard in writing and check against it?

FrameworkHow should they think about the problem?

The usable SOP

A usable SOP states the purpose, when it applies, who does it, the steps, the standard and the check. It fits on one or two pages, uses photos or diagrams where possible, and is written with the people who do the work.

  1. Purpose and trigger
  2. Owner and roles
  3. Steps
  4. Standard (what good looks like)
  5. Check
  6. Exceptions
ToolWhat can they use?

SOP templateTemplate

  1. Title, purpose and when it applies
  2. Roles: who does it, who checks it
  3. Numbered steps, one action each
  4. Standard, with a photo or example where possible
  5. Exceptions and who to escalate to
  6. Owner and review date
ApplicationHow does it apply to their business?

Apply it to your own business:

  1. Choose the task where inconsistency costs you most
  2. Write its SOP with the best performer and a new starter
  3. Test it: can the new starter do the task from the SOP alone?
ImplementationWhat changes?

What should change in the business:

  1. Place SOPs where the work happens, on paper or on screen
  2. Train to the SOP and check against it
  3. Set an owner and a review date for each
ReviewDid it work?

How to tell whether the change worked:

  1. Has variation or error rate on the task fallen?
  2. Has time to train a new starter reduced?
  3. Are SOPs being updated when the work changes?

After this module you should be able to decide

Rely on experienced staff to maintain standards, or define the standard in writing and check against it?

And leave with: A usable SOP for one critical, repeated task.

Sequence · Operations

  1. Process Mapping
  2. Standard Operating Procedures
  3. Workflow Design
  4. Inventory Management
  5. Procurement
  6. Quality Control

Next step

Start with what is actually happening.

Tell us what is happening in your business. We will help identify the appropriate next step.

Start With Your ProblemTake the Business Diagnostic
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