SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, Procedures and Work Instructions

[Helmut Jilling]

Re: SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, procedures and work instructio

Whatever the client organisation likes and works for them...

In general, I tend to think of them as roughly:
Level 1, Policy
Level 2, Process
Level 3, Procedure
Level 4, instruction/checklist etc. ('work instruction' if you insist)

Middle, usually - ie, procedures. Could also be processes.

Kind of confused about your use of "process" as a document. Here in the western part of the planet, we think of process as an activity, not a document. That also mirrors the ISO definition.

Does the term have a different meaning in Australia?

 

[JaneB]

Re: SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, procedures and work instructio

Kind of confused about your use of "process" as a document. Here in the western part of the planet, we think of process as an activity, not a document. That also mirrors the ISO definition.

Does the term have a different meaning in Australia?

No. But you can document a process, not just a procedure.

For example, you could have a high-level process as a flow chart, which might be supported by one or more procedures, containing the detail.

PS. Australians consider themselves part of the western world also.

 

[Caster]

Re: SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, procedures and work instructio

I tend to call documents what they are and place more importance on their purpose..

Right On. We have a level of document with a prefix of WI-SOP - whaaa?

If I ever get to build another system, things will just be called what they are.

• design system
• entering a PO
• set up card for polyester clear coat
• inspection method for ABC123

The registrars are pretty smart, they'll figure it out without the COPS, MOPS, LOPS, WI, Processes, Procedures, Manuals, and tiers.

And of course, the word quality will be replaced with the word business everywhere it pops up.

 

[JaneB]

Re: SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, procedures and work instructio

If I ever get to build another system, things will just be called what they are.

• design system
• entering a PO
• set up card for polyester clear coat
• inspection method for ABC123

The registrars are pretty smart, they'll figure it out without the COPS, MOPS, LOPS, WI, Processes, Procedures, Manuals, and tiers.

Agree with you. That's what I do with all the quality system documents I write or help clients with. Makes a lot more sense.

And if the auditors do need a bit of help to understand it, that's one reason why they have someone to answer their questions!

But in very large and complex systems, there can well be benefit in using prefixes (SOP etc) and having a bit more formal structure to the documentation. It's easy to have a 'Entering Sales' procedure when you've only got 1 or at the most 2 documents like that, and perhaps 50 docs all up (including forms), but multiply that by a factor of 100 or even a 1000 in large businesses, and it can get hard to keep a handle on them.

 

[Jim Wynne]

Re: SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, procedures and work instructio

Agree with you. That's what I do with all the quality system documents I write or help clients with. Makes a lot more sense.

And if the auditors do need a bit of help to understand it, that's one reason why they have someone to answer their questions!

But in very large and complex systems, there can well be benefit in using prefixes (SOP etc) and having a bit more formal structure to the documentation. It's easy to have a 'Entering Sales' procedure when you've only got 1 or at the most 2 documents like that, and perhaps 50 docs all up (including forms), but multiply that by a factor of 100 or even a 1000 in large businesses, and it can get hard to keep a handle on them.

Yes. It's very easy for a larger system to get out of control, and that's why careful planning in the beginning is important. We need to take the "control" in "document control" quite literally, and design the system to be able to accommodate growth and complexity.

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Re: SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, procedures and work instructio

...

PS. Australians consider themselves part of the western world also.

I have fond memories of my visit to Australia back in the late 1970's. Went all over. Beautiful country. Especially enjoyed Perth.

 

[Patricia Ravanello]

Re: SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, procedures and work instructio

Here's a slightly different twist on system documentation.

Apart from the commonly identified levels, I include "Records and References" as the 5th level. Records and References typically represent "input to" or "output from" any of the many processes in the company.

Records and references may be "controlled" or "uncontrolled", and of "internal" or "external" origin...(controlled external: Customer-specific requirements, customer procedures, or controlled internal: Engineering Drawings, Business Plan, Training Plan, etc.).

Each system SOP is viewed as the "parent" document, which may have any number of "offspring", or "Work Instructions", which are created only when and where there is a need for more detail.
NO Work Instruction is an orphan. Each can be linked back to it's "parent" S.O.P.
The rest is relatively self-explanantory and/or repetitive....see attachment.

Patricia Ravanello

 

[JaneB]

Re: SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, procedures and work instructio

Good stuff, Patricia, and a good diagram to illustrate. I do like your clear thinking.

 

[RobQuality]

Re: SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, procedures and work instructio

I think we will can all agree there is no right answer to this question except what is right for you and your organization. If you are ISO or TS certified, just make sure you do what you say you’re doing. Keep it simple.

To define question asked I will give my spin on it.
Level 1, Quality Manual. (I use Business System Manual) All associates in organization must embrace.)

Level 2, QSP = Quality system procedures. Documents which describe process however it does not give the details to do the job. These documents provide how the process works and references level 3 documents which provide the details to perform process. I.e. contract review, Control of quality records, Purchasing, etc..

Level 3, SOP’s = Instructions which give details on how to do the job. I break this level into several different categories. MI for Machine instructions, AI for Assembly instructions, PI’s for packaging instructions, PI’s for process instructions. I do this so I can subgroup instructions to make documents easier to access for production associates. The are the value added documents in the organization for the more time you put into these the easier it will be to train associates and identify failures in the process for root cause analysis.

Level 4, Forms = Documents which are controlled and used to provide information or record data which can impact the quality or on time delivery of the product.

I hope this helps.
Robert

 

[20110108 Request]

Re: SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) vs. Policies, Procedures and Work Instructio

Try using ISO 9000:2005 for document definitions and ISO/TR 10013 for guidance on documentation.