Procedure Document Any Task
If you can't document it, you can't delegate it. This template makes documentation dead simple.
📋 Why This Template Works
The Reality Check: If your delegate still needs to ask you questions, your procedure isn't finished.
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📄 The Procedure Template
Header Section
| Procedure: | [Task Name] |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Owner | [Name] |
| Last Updated | [Date] |
| Delegate To | [VA / Contractor / AI Agent / Employee] |
| Expected Duration | [e.g., 15 mins / 1 hour] |
1. Trigger
What kicks off this task? Be specific about the event, schedule, or condition.
[e.g., When a new client signs a contract / Every Monday at 9am / When inbox reaches 50 unread]
2. Inputs
What does the person need before they can start?
Prerequisites
- ☐ [Access to system/tool required]
- ☐ [Login credentials / permissions]
- ☐ [Prior task completed]
Required Information
- ☐ [Document / data source]
- ☐ [Reference material location]
3. Steps
Number each step. Be specific. Include screenshots where helpful.
1. [First action]
[Detailed explanation]
[Screenshot placeholder]
2. [Second action]
[Detailed explanation]
3. [Third action]
[Detailed explanation]
4. Decision Table
For tasks requiring judgment. Delete this section if purely knowledge-based.
| If... | Then... | Because... |
|---|---|---|
| [Scenario A] | [Action] | [Rationale] |
| [Scenario B] | [Action] | [Rationale] |
| [Scenario C] | Escalate to owner | [Rationale] |
5. Definition of Done
How do you know the task is finished? List what must be true.
- ☐ [Outcome 1 is complete]
- ☐ [Outcome 2 is verified]
- ☐ [Quality check passed]
- ☐ [Ready for next person to pick up]
6. Hand-Over
Who needs to know this task was done? How do you communicate completion?
7. FAQs
Update this section every time someone asks a question about this procedure.
Q: [Question that came up]
A: [Answer]
Q: [Question that came up]
A: [Answer]
Revision History
| Date | Version | Changes | Author |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Date] | 1.0 | Initial version | [Name] |
📝 Worked Example: Create a Procedure
Meta Alert: This is a procedure for creating procedures. Use it as your guide for documenting any task.
Header Section
| Procedure: | Create a Procedure |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Owner | [Your Name] |
| Last Updated | [Date] |
| Delegate To | Self (initially) / VA / Team Lead |
| Expected Duration | 30-60 mins for simple tasks; 2-4 hours for complex tasks with judgment calls |
1. Trigger
- • You're about to delegate a task for the first time
- • You've done a task more than three times and will do it again
- • Someone asks "how do I do this?"
- • You're onboarding a new VA, contractor, or employee
- • You want to train an AI agent to handle a task
2. Inputs
Prerequisites
- ☑ You can actually do the task yourself (or have done it recently)
- ☑ Access to screen recording tool (Loom, OBS, or similar) if task is digital
- ☑ Access to this procedure template
- ☑ Somewhere to store the finished procedure (Google Drive, Notion, SharePoint, etc.)
Required Information
- ☑ Clear understanding of what "done" looks like for this task
- ☑ Knowledge of who will be doing this task (VA, contractor, AI agent)
- ☑ Awareness of any edge cases or exceptions you've encountered
3. Steps
1. Determine if this task needs a procedure
- • Ask: Does this task require my judgment or just my knowledge?
- • If just knowledge → proceed with documentation
- • If judgment → decide whether to retain authority or train the judgment (requires more detailed documentation)
2. Do the task while recording
- • For digital tasks: Start a screen recording with audio narration
- • For physical tasks: Take photos or video at each stage
- • Talk through your thinking as you go, especially at decision points
- • Don't edit or optimise yet — capture the real process
3. Identify the discrete steps
- • Watch/review your recording
- • Note every action you took, even the "obvious" ones
- • Flag any points where you made a decision (these become your decision table)
- • Count the steps — a "simple" task often has 10-15+ micro-decisions
4. Document the trigger
- • What event, schedule, or condition kicks off this task?
- • Be specific: "When X happens" not "As needed"
5. Document the inputs
- • What did you need before you could start?
- • What access, tools, credentials, or prior information is required?
- • What state does the equipment/system need to be in?
6. Write out the steps
- • Number each step
- • Use action verbs: "Click," "Open," "Navigate to," "Check that"
- • Include screenshots or photos for anything visual
- • Note the technique, not just the action
7. Build the decision table (if applicable)
- • List each scenario where judgment is required
- • Document the appropriate action for each scenario
- • Include the rationale — this helps the delegate understand the principle, not just the rule
- • Add an "Escalate to owner" row for situations outside their authority
8. Define done
- • List the specific conditions that must be true when the task is complete
- • Make it observable: "The floor has no visible dust" not "The floor is clean"
- • Include quality criteria
9. Document the hand-over
- • Who needs to know this task was completed?
- • What information do they need to continue?
- • What method of communication? (Slack, email, status update in tool)
10. Test with a delegate
- • Have someone follow the procedure without your help
- • Watch where they hesitate, ask questions, or make errors
- • Do not step in and do it for them — let them complete it and provide feedback after
11. Update based on questions
- • Every question they ask gets added to the FAQs
- • Every confusion point means a step needs more detail
- • Every error means the definition of done needs clarification
12. Store and communicate
- • Save the procedure in an accessible location
- • Notify relevant people that the procedure exists
- • Link it from any relevant project or task management system
4. Decision Table
| If... | Then... | Because... |
|---|---|---|
| Task is done less than 3x per year | Don't create a procedure | Time investment won't pay off |
| Task is simple, no judgment required | Create a basic procedure (skip decision table) | Knowledge transfer only |
| Task requires judgment calls | Create full procedure with decision table | Need to train the judgment or define escalation points |
| Task is highly variable each time | Document the principles, not the steps | Rigid steps won't fit; delegate needs to understand the "why" |
| You can't articulate how you do it | Record yourself doing it first | Tacit knowledge needs to be made explicit before documenting |
| Delegate keeps asking questions | Update the procedure, don't just answer verbally | Questions reveal gaps; fixing the document prevents repeat questions |
5. Definition of Done
- ☑ Procedure document is complete (all sections filled in)
- ☑ At least one person has followed the procedure without assistance
- ☑ Questions from testing have been added to FAQs
- ☑ Procedure is stored in the designated location
- ☑ Relevant people have been notified the procedure exists
- ☑ You could hand this task off tomorrow and walk away
6. Hand-Over
7. FAQs
Q: How much detail is too much?
A: If you're questioning whether to include something, include it. The first version should err on the side of too much detail. You can trim later once you see what people actually need.
Q: What if the task changes?
A: Update the procedure and increment the version number. Note what changed in the revision history. If the delegate is mid-task when it changes, notify them directly.
Q: Should I create procedures for tasks I'm not delegating?
A: Yes, if you do them repeatedly. Future you is also a delegate. And if you get hit by a bus, someone else needs to pick it up.
Q: What if the delegate still does it wrong?
A: Check whether your instructions were incomplete before assuming they didn't follow them. If instructions were clear, provide feedback and have them correct it themselves — don't just fix it for them.
Q: Can I use AI to generate procedures from recordings?
A: Yes. Feed a transcript into an LLM and ask it to extract steps into this template format. Always review and test the output.
💡 Pro Tips
Use Scribe or Loom
Tools like scribehow.com auto-capture screenshots as you work. Record first, document second.
Include the "Why"
In your decision table rationale, explain the principle. Delegates who understand why make better judgment calls.
Make it Observable
"The floor has no visible dust" beats "The floor is clean." Specific beats vague.
Questions = Gaps
Every time someone asks a question, your procedure just got better. Update it immediately.
🎯 The Bottom Line
Documentation is delegation, even if you're delegating to future you.
The Ultimate Test: Could someone follow this procedure tomorrow without asking you a single question?
If yes, you're done. If no, keep refining.
Remember: A procedure that requires follow-up explanations isn't finished — it's a draft.
"If you can't write it down clearly enough for someone else to do it, you don't understand it well enough yourself."