Tip 16: Process Docs Need to be Professional
If you want them taken seriously, ensure internal and external SOPs are always on brand.
Design Talks
Like many things in life, most people appreciate well-designed things.
When you interact with things you can tell are poorly designed, it can feel like corners have been cut, and you begin to distrust the person or brand that created them.
Process docs are no exception.
At a bare minimum, if you want your team and clients to trust your docs, you need process docs that are…
Easy to skim
To make your process docs easier to skim, you should be using bigger fonts, organized sections, appropriate use of headers, clear highlight colors, and a format that works on all devices.
Match your branding
Reinforce your company’s brand by ensuring your process docs match brand colors and fonts automatically.
Pleasing to the eye
Pages and pages of plain text are not pleasing to the eye. Your team members are paid to get results, not sit down and read books — or at least that’s how they feel.
Create process docs that are pleasant to look at so they are also a joy to use.
Structured in an easy-to-understand way
Craft your process docs to create a logical flow of ideas. The reader shouldn’t need to strain their brain simply trying to follow your guides.
Example Doc
This screenshot is taken from our software, Arvo, which makes building professional process docs a breeze.
It provides a good example of what a clean and professional process document can look like without any coding or design skills necessary.
Summary
- Professional process docs are going to be used and trusted more.
- Simplifying the content is as important as the structure and the flow.
- Creating them doesn’t take much effort with the right tool.
