Writing Policies That Avoid Confusion

How I Write an SOP That Actually Helps as a Program Manager at Amazon Most SOPs gather dust. Too long. Too vague. Too disconnected from the real work. At Amazon, a good SOP doesn’t just document a process. It makes the next person’s job easier…immediately. Here’s how I write SOPs that people actually use: 1/ I write it like a checklist, not a policy doc ↳ Clear steps ↳ Clear triggers ↳ No corporate speak Example: I once rewrote a 5-page doc into a 1-pager titled “How to Launch a New Data Feed.” Each step was 1 sentence, each had an owner. Adoption went up overnight. 2/ I start with the “when” and “why,” not just the “how” ↳ Why does this SOP exist? ↳ When should someone follow it? Example: I added a top section: “Use this when onboarding a new team to the dashboard. Purpose: prevent access issues and missed metrics.” That framing reduced questions by half. 3/ I link directly to the tools and templates ↳ No “search the wiki” ↳ Just: click → fill → done Example: Instead of “Use the onboarding tracker,” I write “Fill out this tracker → [link].” That one link removes 3 minutes of confusion. 4/ I include edge cases and common mistakes ↳ “If X happens, do Y” ↳ “Avoid this—it’s where people get stuck” Example: I once added a tip: “If permissions fail at Step 3, ping analytics-infra in Slack.” That one line prevented dozens of Slack threads. 5/ I test it with someone new ↳ If they’re confused, the SOP isn’t done ↳ Feedback closes the loop Example: I had a peer follow my SOP step-by-step, cold. Their questions helped me rewrite 4 sections before publishing. A great SOP doesn’t just live in Confluence. It lives in your team’s day-to-day execution. What’s your #1 tip for writing SOPs that actually get used?

In pharma, most SOPs exist because they have to. But what if your SOPs could be more than just compliance documents? Here are 4 ways to transform your SOPs from regulatory checkboxes into practical tools: 🔄 ────────────────── 1️⃣ PROFILE YOUR USERS LIKE PRODUCTS 🎯 Don't just list job titles. Map out: • Their actual expertise level • When and where they'll use the SOP • Common pain points in their workflow 👉 Example: For a drug synthesis SOP, experienced chemists need quick-reference data while new techs need detailed safety protocols ────────────────── 2️⃣ EMBRACE RADICAL SIMPLICITY 📝 • Use short, clear sentences • Write in active voice • Maintain consistent terminology 👉 Example: Instead of: "The reagent solution should be added to the water sample." Write: "Add reagent to water sample." ────────────────── 3️⃣ FORMAT FOR FINDABILITY 🔍 • Create clear visual hierarchies • Use white space strategically • Add clear section breaks 👉 Example: Instead of: Safety Protocols: Full PPE required in lab area. Safety goggles mandatory. No food/drink permitted... Better: SAFETY REQUIREMENTS □ Full PPE in lab area □ Safety goggles □ No food/drink ────────────────── 4️⃣ BUILD FUNCTIONAL SECTIONS 🏗️ Don't just dump information. Create purposeful sections: • Quick-reference guides • Step-by-step procedures • Troubleshooting matrices • Decision trees 👉 Example: Instead of one long "Procedure" section, break into: 1.0 Sample Preparation    1.1 Equipment Setup    1.2 Safety Checks 2.0 Analysis Steps    2.1 Running Tests    2.2 Recording Results ────────────────── Remember: Every extra minute spent making your SOP more usable saves hours of confusion, mistakes, and workarounds later. What's your biggest SOP pain point? Share below 👇

✋ 10 Things I Hate About Policies (and What We Should Do Instead) Let’s be honest: most corporate policies aren’t helping people make good choices. They’re long. They’re vague. They’re legally sound, but practically useless. I’ve worked in legal and compliance long enough to say this with love: most policies are written by lawyers for lawyers—not for the humans they’re meant to guide. Here are 10 things I hate about traditional policies—and what I believe we should do instead: 1. Written for lawyers, not people. They sound like a deposition transcript. Real people need real words. 2. Law citations before guidance. I don’t need to see “FCPA, UKBA, ISO 37001” before you tell me what to do when someone offers me playoff tickets. 3. “Including but not limited to.” The unofficial mascot of policy clutter. Retire it already. 4. The exception maze. Don’t bury nuance at the bottom. Acknowledge gray areas like grown-ups. 5. Training required just to understand it. If I need a course to decode the policy, the policy has failed. 6. All “don’ts,” no “do’s.” Fear-based rules freeze people. Clarity-based ones empower them. 7. Walls of text. White space is your friend. So are headers, visuals, and clean design. 8. Peanut butter approach. Stop sending the credit card policy to everyone. It’s lazy compliance. Target people who actually need it. 9. Undefined audience. Who is this for? Managers? HR? Everyone? I shouldn’t have to guess. 10. Assume we’ll figure it out—or else. Bad policies punish. Good ones guide. ✨ Want better policies? Start here: - Use clear language. - Show people what to do, not just what not to do. - Make it role-relevant. - Design it like you want someone to actually read it. Let’s write policies that help people make good choices—with confidence and clarity. #Compliance #Culture #PolicyReform #MakeGoodChoices #LegalDesign #HumanCompliance #Ethics #Leadership #UserExperience