Last updated November 2, 2026. All guides
Interview yourself one step at a time, starting from the moment the task begins, and write each step as a short action plus how someone can tell it’s done. Leave a blank, not a guess, wherever you haven’t decided something. Then have someone do the task once from the sheet while you watch, and fix every place they stop to ask.
Why written steps go wrong
When you’ve done a task hundreds of times, you stop noticing parts of it. Those are the steps a new person misses. That’s why the interview matters more than the writing.
Interview yourself
- Picture the moment the task starts and ask what you do first. “The door’s locked. What do I do first?”
- Keep asking “what comes next?” until the task is finished.
- For each step, ask how someone else would know it’s done.
- Note where things are kept, what can go wrong and what to do then, and who to call.
If someone is interviewing you, ask them to ask one question at a time. Two questions at once get half an answer.
Write it down
- Number the steps.
- Start each one with a bold action of a few words, then “Done means” and something someone else can check: “Count the drawer. Done means the total is on the closing sheet.”
- Use roles, not names, so the sheet still works when staff change.
- Leave a blank, such as “[owner to fill in],” for anything you haven’t decided. A blank gets fixed. A guess gets followed.
- Never write safe codes, alarm codes or passwords on the sheet. Write “[code: ask the owner]” and pass the code on in person.
Example: closing the till
Closing the till
Who does this: closing staff. When: after the door is locked.
- Count the drawer. Done means the total is written on the closing sheet.
- Compare it to the register report. Done means the difference is written on the sheet, even if it’s $0.
- Bag the cash. Done means everything except the $200 float is in the bank bag, and the bag is in the safe [code: ask the owner].
- File the sheet. Done means it’s in the binder under the counter.
Missing: who should staff call if the count is off? You didn’t say, so it’s left blank.
Test it once
Have someone do the task from the sheet while you watch, without helping. Wherever they stop and ask, there’s a step to fix. Update the sheet, and test again if the change was big.
When to check the rules
If the task involves food safety, chemicals, employee pay or reporting large cash payments, have whoever advises you on those rules check the sheet. Writing down what you do doesn’t make it right by the rules.
Get interviewed instead of staring at a blank page. The written procedures tool in The After-Hours Kit asks you one question at a time, then writes numbered steps with “Done means” checks and lists what’s missing. See a sample