Management systems are designed to help you, not hinder. If you find that compliance means you are drowning in documents and forms, you will benefit from these tips for simplifying your systems.
1. Cull procedures that don't add value
Standards are less prescriptive these days than they used to be. In the past, you had to document certain policies and procedures, but it is not the case anymore. If there are policies or procedures no longer required for compliance and are not useful to you…
2. Remove duplication and consolidate
I find duplication in systems all the time, often in procedures built for a number of similar work units. Consolidate duplicated procedures into higher level documents that meet the needs of several areas of your business rather than using a number of area-specific documents.
3. Replace procedures with clear work instructions
Have your staff developed their own informal work instructions to follow for specific procedures? If so, the work instructions staff have developed are likely closer to what you wanted your procedure to achieve. Why not involve your staff in creating a work instruction everyone will find useful.
4. Use forms in place of procedures
Procedures outline the steps to be taken to achieve a task. If the steps are outlined clearly in your form, there is no need to have a separate procedure. For example, your form for recording non-conformances can prompt the user to assess impact, investigate root causes, initiate corrective action, recall work... all the steps required to suitably address non-conformances. A well designed form can eliminate the need for a wordy procedure.
5. Create a visually appealing layout
Make order out of chaos by simplifying the layout of your documents. Consider
fonts
character size
spacing
and colour to enhance readability.
Don’t underestimate the power of visual appeal.
6. A flowchart tells a thousand words
A visual representation of your process will also make a big difference to overall appeal. Rather than describing your process in several paragraphs, break it down into an easy-to-follow flowchart.
7. Check your language
So many manuals I have seen meet minimum compliance requirements by simply repeating what is written in the standard. Language used in standards is formal and needs ‘translating’ when being applied in procedures. Would you rather procedures looked smart or be useful?
8. Do you need a policy AND a procedure?
For example: Your policy may be something along the lines of: 'We will ensure documents are suitably authorised, with page numbers, version number and unique ID on every page, easily accessible, periodically reviewed and controlled... as described in our document control procedure'.
Your procedure will detail how you actually control your documents, so do you really need this policy?
9. Content chunking
The human brain takes in information more easily in chunks. Your procedures will be easier to read and absorb if they are written in bite-sized nuggets. If this article had been written without headings throughout… would you have read all this way?
10. Less is More
Fewer non-value-adding procedures, fewer unnecessary steps in processes, fewer words.
Enough said.
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