{"id":827,"date":"2017-01-25T11:33:24","date_gmt":"2017-01-25T16:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.suprtek.com\/?p=827"},"modified":"2017-11-14T16:28:19","modified_gmt":"2017-11-14T21:28:19","slug":"what-is-the-difference-between-processes-and-procedures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.suprtek.com\/index.php\/2017\/01\/25\/what-is-the-difference-between-processes-and-procedures\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the Difference between Processes and Procedures?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a recent blog post we discussed the role of processes in Agile development<\/a>.\u00a0 In this post I will tackle one of the most frequent questions I have been asked over the last 15 years in my roles of technical\/business communication expert and ISO 9001\/QMS consultant.\u00a0 That question is, \u201cwhat is the difference between processes and procedures?\u201d<\/p>\n

There is often confusion about the difference between processes and procedures because they are somewhat similar in that they are both ways of documenting \u201chow we do things\u201d. \u00a0While in the big scheme of things the differences might be subtle, when it comes to the exact role they\u00a0play in an organization the difference is important and significant.<\/p>\n

Every Organization Should Have Documented Processes<\/h2>\n

Every business and organization operates through executing processes \u2013 doing the steps or activities to achieve a desired result.\u00a0 That involves almost anything the organization does including taking orders, creating accurate financial statements, on-boarding new employees, and assembling a widget.\u00a0 If processes are not documented, then they are very likely poorly controlled <\/a>\u2013 meaning that the activities and results vary widely.\u00a0 \u00a0When someone calls to place an order, you don\u2019t want the information gathered and the interaction with the customer to depend on whether Becky or George answers the phone and whether they take the call on a Monday or a Friday.\u00a0 You want the information collected and the customer experience to be accurate and consistent.<\/p>\n

If you have a documented order-taking process on which all personnel who may take orders are trained and familiar, the business is much more likely to have a higher level of consistency in how orders are taken than if no documented process exists.\u00a0 Plus, often the exercise of documenting the process\"Demming\u00a0provides an opportunity for reflection, gathering information, discussion, and review\/feedback as is usually the case when taking the time to write anything down.\u00a0 So in the end the people in charge of the process and those involved with executing the process understand it better. When processes are documented organization-wide a clearer understanding of how various processes interact will emerge.<\/p>\n

This process-based approach is the foundation of the ISO standards<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Should Every Organization Have Procedures?<\/h2>\n

Generally, every organization should have all of its key processes documented, and process documents and procedure documents are both ways of documenting processes.\u00a0 Now we return to our original question of, when should an organization use a process document or a procedure document and what is the difference?\u00a0 Here are the factors to consider when deciding:<\/p>\n

Scope:<\/h3>\n

Process documents can be very broad or very specific in scope.\u00a0 For example, there can b\"Broade an overarching sales process that covers all the aspects of generating sales and processes for all the particular sales related tasks.\u00a0 Procedures are usually much more narrow in scope and focus on the steps to complete a specific, individual task.<\/p>\n

Format:<\/h3>\n

While there are no hard and fast rules on how to document processes and procedures, and every business or organization should do what best meets their needs, generally procedures are more formal business documents while process documents are more informal and should be easy to create (e.g., simple flowcharts with concise steps).<\/p>\n

Review and Approval:<\/h3>\n

Process documents have a lower level of review and approval than procedure documents.\u00a0 Processes should be easier to change and update.\u00a0 The reason for this will be more clear when you read about \u201cadherence\u201d.<\/p>\n

Adherence:<\/h3>\n

Processes are general guidance that tell employees, \u201cThis is generally how we want this to be done.\u201d With process documents, there should be an understanding that deviation according the situation is acceptable. Achieving the desired result is what is most important, not blind adherence. \u00a0Procedures, on the other hand, should always be followed to the letter.\u00a0 That is the role of procedures in an organization; it documents the processes that have <\/em>to be done the exact same way every time.\u00a0\u00a0There are typically three reasons when adherence is important and a procedure is created instead of a process:<\/p>\n