Document a Simple Process
Write a process someone else can follow without asking you.
Simple processes fail when the steps live in someone's head. This Cookbook helps you capture the trigger, owner, raw steps, decisions, hand-offs, checks, exceptions, and one-page handoff notes. Enter only what you know about the process, tools, and done signal. Each recipe tells the assistant to invent nothing and to mark gaps instead of filling them with guesses. You leave with a compact process one-pager someone else can follow.
- Made for
- Anyone documenting a repeatable work, home, or team process for another person to run
- You leave with
- process snapshot, raw steps, decisions, hand-offs, clear procedure, checks, exceptions, quick start, and one-page SOP
- Time
- about 30 minutes
- Steps
- 7 guided steps
- Requires
- any AI you already use (a free chat account is usually enough); sample answers included where available
- Completed runs
- 248 (demo metric)
- Average rating
- 4.8 / 5 (demo metric)
Also in Start Here Selected by SousMeow Recently Added Under 30 Minutes Deep Workflows
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Stages
3 stages in sequence-
13 steps
Capture
Name the process, gather raw steps, and expose decisions.
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22 steps
Clarify
Rewrite the steps and add checks, exceptions, and pause points.
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32 steps
Hand off
Create a quick start and a one-page process handoff.
Workflow steps
7 steps · completed in orderStage 1: Capture
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1
Name trigger and owner
Create a small process snapshot with the owner, start signal, and done signal.
A process handoff starts failing when the runner does not know when to begin, who owns the work, or when to stop. This step locks those boundaries before step-writing begins. Common mistakes: naming a department instead of a person, inventing a backup, or turning done into a vague feeling. Need help if the AI fills gaps? Paste again and require unknowns to be marked as unknown. You are ready when the process has a clear start and finish.
- Start signal is clear A runner knows exactly when the process begins.
- Owner is named from facts The owner or backup is not invented.
- Done is visible The finish state can be checked without guessing.
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2
List raw steps
Turn messy remembered actions into a first pass of steps, inputs, tools, and gaps.
Raw capture keeps knowledge from disappearing before it is polished. This step preserves what is known and separates it from what still needs confirmation. Common mistakes: cleaning too soon, inventing missing steps, or hiding unknowns. Need help if the AI over-organizes? Paste again and ask for a raw list only. You are ready when every known action appears somewhere.
- Known actions are captured The raw list reflects the steps you entered.
- Tools match the pantry No unprovided app, form, or equipment appears.
- Unknowns stay unknown Gaps are listed as questions instead of guesses.
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3
Mark decisions and hand-offs
Find the places where the runner must decide, pause, or pass work to someone else.
People get stuck in processes at decision points, not at obvious steps. This recipe makes choices and hand-offs visible without making up policies. Common mistakes: inventing approval rules, hiding wait states, or telling the runner to guess. Need help if the AI creates a policy? Paste again and ask it to phrase uncertain items as questions. You are ready when pause points are easy to spot.
- Decisions are explicit The runner can see where judgment or a pause is needed.
- Hand-offs have recipients Each hand-off goes to a person, place, or system named by the facts.
- Assumptions are not treated as facts Unverified details remain marked for confirmation.
Stage 2: Clarify
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4
Rewrite clear steps
Convert the raw list into a clear ordered procedure with notes and unresolved facts.
A handoff needs action sentences, not memories. This step rewrites the process so another person can run it in order while still seeing what is not known. Common mistakes: combining too many actions, adding new tools, or smoothing away uncertainty. Need help if steps get bloated? Paste again and ask for one action per line. You are ready when each step starts with a verb.
- Steps are runnable A new runner can follow the numbered list in order.
- Notes prevent known mix-ups Operator notes come from decisions or hand-offs already approved.
- Missing fact remains visible The rewrite does not pretend an unknown was solved.
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5
Add checks and exceptions
Add quality checks, exception paths, escalation notes, and evidence to leave behind.
A process document should tell someone how to avoid mistakes and what to do when normal steps break. This step creates guardrails from known facts instead of inventing policy. Common mistakes: writing vague "be careful" checks, solving exceptions with unknown authority, or requiring evidence that is not available. Need help if the AI invents escalation? Paste again and ask for pause-and-ask wording. You are ready when every exception has a safe next move.
- Checks are observable Each check can be verified during the process.
- Exceptions avoid guessing Problem paths pause, ask, or use known hand-offs.
- Evidence matches done The proof lines up with the definition of done.
Stage 3: Hand off
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6
Write quick start
Create a compact starter guide for someone who needs to run the process today.
A long SOP helps later, but a new runner first needs the fastest safe overview. This step condenses the process without dropping the trigger, pause points, or done signal. Common mistakes: omitting exceptions, adding training details not provided, or making the quick start too long. Need help if it becomes a manual? Paste again and cap it to five main moves. You are ready when a backup can start without pinging you for basics.
- Backup can begin The quick start includes the trigger and first moves.
- Pause points are preserved The guide says when not to guess.
- Done signal is intact The quick start ends at the same finish line.
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7
Pack process one-pager
Assemble the process snapshot, steps, checklist, hand-off notes, and update note.
The final handoff should be short enough to use and complete enough to prevent pings. This step packs the approved pieces into one page and keeps unresolved facts visible. Common mistakes: adding policies, burying the trigger, or hiding update needs. Need help if the AI invents detail? Paste again and ask it to use only approved artifacts. You are ready when the one-pager can live beside the work.
- One-pager has boundaries Owner, trigger, and done signal are visible.
- Checklist supports running Checklist items are practical during the process.
- Updates are explicit Unresolved facts are named for later correction.
Your information
6 details, answered once- Process name Give the process a plain name someone would recognize.
- Who runs it? Name the owner and backup if known. Do not invent a backup.
- What starts the process? The event, time, request, or signal that tells someone to begin.
- Steps you already know Messy is fine. Put one action or memory per line. Mark unsure items.
- Tools, spaces, or materials used Apps, forms, shelves, equipment, supplies, or rooms touched during the process.
- Definition of done What visible state proves the process is complete?
Finished files
What you export when every step is approved
One Markdown file per approved step, plus kit.html (opens in any browser, offline)
and a README of what you approved.
kit.htmlOffline HTML reader for every approved step01-name-trigger-and-owner.mdName trigger and owner02-list-raw-steps.mdList raw steps03-mark-decisions-and-hand-offs.mdMark decisions and hand-offs04-rewrite-clear-steps.mdRewrite clear steps05-add-checks-and-exceptions.mdAdd checks and exceptions06-write-quick-start.mdWrite quick start07-pack-process-one-pager.mdPack process one-pagerREADME.mdManifest of what you approved