# Process Component: Core Process Documentation

Most companies have processes. Few have them documented. Even fewer have them followed consistently. The Process Component fixes this by identifying your handful of core processes, documenting them simply, and ensuring they are followed by all. This guide covers the 20/80 rule, how to identify your core processes, documentation format, implementation through FBA (Followed By All), and department-specific examples.

## The 20/80 Rule

You do not need to document every procedure in your company. That leads to thousand-page manuals nobody reads. Instead, document the 20% of your processes that drive 80% of your results.

**What this means in practice:**
- Identify 5-7 core processes (not 50)
- Document each process in 5-20 major steps (not 200)
- Add just enough detail so someone competent can follow it (not a manual for someone with zero context)

### The Documentation Spectrum

| Too Little | Just Right | Too Much |
|-----------|------------|----------|
| "Handle customer complaints" | 8 steps from complaint received to resolution confirmed, with key decision points noted | 47-page complaint handling manual with scripts for every scenario |
| No one knows the process | New hires can follow it in their first week | No one reads the documentation |
| Inconsistent execution | 80%+ consistency across the team | Rigid process that cannot adapt |

## Identifying Your Core Processes

Every company, regardless of industry, has a set of core processes that define how the business runs. Most companies have 5-7 core processes.

### Common Core Processes

| Process | What It Covers | Who Owns It |
|---------|---------------|-------------|
| **HR Process** | Hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, offboarding | Head of People / Integrator |
| **Sales Process** | Lead qualification through close and handoff | Head of Sales |
| **Marketing Process** | Lead generation, nurturing, and conversion to sales-ready leads | Head of Marketing |
| **Operations/Delivery Process** | How you produce and deliver your product or service | Head of Operations |
| **Customer Retention Process** | Onboarding, support, renewals, upsells | Head of Customer Success |
| **Finance Process** | Invoicing, collections, reporting, budgeting | Head of Finance |
| **Product/Engineering Process** | Ideation, development, QA, deployment | Head of Product/Engineering |

### Discovery Exercise

Ask your leadership team:
1. "What are the major processes that run our business?"
2. "If a new leadership team took over tomorrow, what processes would they need to understand to run the company?"
3. "Where does inconsistency cause the most problems for customers or employees?"

List everything mentioned, then consolidate into 5-7 core processes. Each should span a meaningful arc of work (lead to close, not just "make a phone call").

## Process Documentation Format

Every core process follows the same documentation structure. Keep it simple. The goal is clarity, not comprehensiveness.

### Documentation Template

```
Process Name: _________________________ (give it a branded name)
Owner: _________________________
Last Updated: _________________________
Version: _________________________

Purpose: One sentence describing what this process achieves.

Steps:
1. [Step Name]
   - Key details or substeps
   - Decision point or criteria

2. [Step Name]
   - Key details or substeps

3. [Step Name]
   ...
```

### Naming Your Processes

Give each process a memorable, branded name. This makes it easier for the team to reference and creates a sense of identity around how you work.

**Examples:**
- Sales Process: "The Closer" or "The Revenue Engine"
- Onboarding Process: "The Welcome Track" or "First 30 Days"
- Support Process: "The Resolution Path" or "Care Loop"
- Delivery Process: "The Build Cycle" or "Ship It"

## Process Examples by Department

### Sales Process: "The Revenue Engine"

**Owner:** VP of Sales
**Purpose:** Convert qualified leads into paying customers through a consistent, repeatable process.

| Step | Action | Key Details | Exit Criteria |
|------|--------|-------------|--------------|
| 1 | **Qualify Lead** | Apply BANT criteria (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline). Score 1-4. | Score of 3+ moves forward |
| 2 | **Discovery Call** | 30-minute structured call using question guide. Uncover 3 core pain points. | Pain points documented, next step agreed |
| 3 | **Demo** | Customized to prospect's pain points. Show, don't tell. 45 minutes max. | Prospect confirms fit |
| 4 | **Proposal** | Send within 24 hours of demo. Include 3 options (good/better/best). | Proposal delivered and receipt confirmed |
| 5 | **Follow Up** | 3 touches in 7 days: email (day 1), call (day 3), email (day 7). | Decision received |
| 6 | **Close** | Signed agreement and payment terms confirmed. | Contract signed |
| 7 | **Handoff** | Introduce customer to onboarding team. Complete handoff doc. | Onboarding team confirms receipt |

### Operations Process: "The Build Cycle"

**Owner:** VP of Operations
**Purpose:** Deliver projects on time, on budget, and at the quality standard promised.

| Step | Action | Key Details | Exit Criteria |
|------|--------|-------------|--------------|
| 1 | **Kickoff** | Internal kickoff within 48 hours of signed contract. Review scope, timeline, team. | All team members clear on deliverables |
| 2 | **Planning** | Create project plan with milestones. Identify risks. | Plan approved by project sponsor |
| 3 | **Execution** | Weekly status updates. Flag blockers within 24 hours. | Milestones met on schedule |
| 4 | **Quality Check** | Internal review before any deliverable goes to client. | Passes quality checklist |
| 5 | **Client Review** | Present deliverable. Collect feedback. | Client approval or revision list |
| 6 | **Revisions** | Address feedback within 3 business days. One round included. | Revisions approved |
| 7 | **Close Out** | Final delivery, documentation, lessons learned, satisfaction survey. | Survey score 4+/5 |

### HR Process: "The People Path"

**Owner:** Head of People / Integrator
**Purpose:** Attract, hire, develop, and retain people who are the right people in the right seats.

| Step | Action | Key Details | Exit Criteria |
|------|--------|-------------|--------------|
| 1 | **Job Definition** | Write Accountability Chart seat description with core values requirements. | Approved by hiring manager and Integrator |
| 2 | **Source** | Post on 3+ channels. Employee referral bonus active. | 10+ qualified applicants |
| 3 | **Screen** | Phone screen (15 min) for core values and basic qualifications. | 5 candidates advance |
| 4 | **Interview** | Two rounds: core values interview (behavioral), skills interview (technical). | 2-3 finalists |
| 5 | **People Analyzer** | Score each finalist on core values and GWC. | All "+" on values, all "Y" on GWC |
| 6 | **Offer** | Extend offer within 48 hours of final interview. | Offer accepted |
| 7 | **Onboard** | 90-day onboarding plan: Week 1 orientation, 30/60/90 check-ins. | 90-day review passed |
| 8 | **Develop** | Quarterly conversations using core values and GWC framework. | Ongoing |

### Customer Support Process: "The Care Loop"

**Owner:** Head of Customer Success
**Purpose:** Resolve customer issues quickly and use feedback to improve the product and service.

| Step | Action | Key Details | Exit Criteria |
|------|--------|-------------|--------------|
| 1 | **Receive** | Ticket created via email, chat, or phone. Auto-acknowledge within 1 hour. | Ticket logged in system |
| 2 | **Triage** | Classify severity (P1-P4). Assign to appropriate team member. | Assigned within 2 hours |
| 3 | **Investigate** | Reproduce the issue. Check knowledge base. Consult engineering if needed. | Root cause identified |
| 4 | **Resolve** | Implement fix or workaround. Communicate resolution to customer. | Customer confirms resolution |
| 5 | **Follow Up** | Check in 48 hours later. Confirm issue has not recurred. | Customer satisfied |
| 6 | **Document** | Update knowledge base if new issue type. Flag product bugs for engineering. | KB updated |
| 7 | **Report** | Weekly metrics: volume, resolution time, CSAT, recurring issues. | Scorecard updated |

### Finance Process: "The Money Flow"

**Owner:** Head of Finance / Controller
**Purpose:** Manage the company's financial health through timely invoicing, accurate reporting, and proactive cash management.

| Step | Action | Key Details | Exit Criteria |
|------|--------|-------------|--------------|
| 1 | **Invoice** | Generate invoice within 24 hours of deliverable/milestone. | Invoice sent and confirmed |
| 2 | **Track** | Monitor payment status weekly. Flag AR over 30 days. | AR report updated |
| 3 | **Collect** | Follow up on overdue invoices: email at 31 days, call at 45 days, escalate at 60 days. | Payment received or escalated |
| 4 | **Report** | Weekly flash report (revenue, expenses, cash). Monthly P&L. | Reports delivered on schedule |
| 5 | **Forecast** | Quarterly cash flow forecast. Annual budget review. | Forecast approved by leadership |

## FBA: Followed By All

Documented processes are worthless if nobody follows them. FBA (Followed By All) is the implementation framework that turns documentation into habit.

### The FBA Cycle

```
Document → Train → Measure → Update → Repeat
```

**Step 1: Document** (covered above)

**Step 2: Train**
- Every employee involved in a process receives training on the documented steps
- Training is not a 2-hour lecture. It is hands-on practice with feedback.
- New hires are trained on relevant processes in their first two weeks

**Step 3: Measure**
- Spot-check compliance monthly (review 5-10 random instances of the process)
- Track process-related quality metrics on the Scorecard
- Ask: "Is the process being followed? If not, why?"

**Step 4: Update**
- Processes should be reviewed quarterly
- If the team consistently deviates from a step, either enforce it or update it
- The person who owns the process owns the updates

### FBA Compliance Checklist

| Question | Yes/No | Action if No |
|----------|--------|-------------|
| Is the process documented and accessible? | | Write/share it |
| Has everyone been trained on it? | | Schedule training |
| Are we measuring compliance? | | Add spot-checks |
| Is the process producing consistent results? | | Identify which step is failing |
| Has it been reviewed in the past quarter? | | Schedule review |

## Visual Process Documentation Tips

Processes are easier to follow when they are visual. Use these approaches:

### Flowchart Format

```
[Lead Received] → [Qualify (BANT)] → Score 3+?
                                       ├── Yes → [Discovery Call]
                                       └── No  → [Nurture Sequence]
```

### Swimlane Format

Use swimlanes when multiple people or departments are involved:

| Marketing | Sales | Operations |
|-----------|-------|------------|
| Generate lead | | |
| Qualify MQL | | |
| | Accept SQL | |
| | Discovery call | |
| | Close deal | |
| | | Kick off project |
| | | Deliver |

### Checklist Format

For processes with many parallel tasks (like onboarding), a checklist works better than a flowchart:

**New Employee Onboarding Checklist**
- [ ] Equipment ordered (IT, day -7)
- [ ] Accounts created (IT, day -3)
- [ ] Welcome email sent (HR, day -1)
- [ ] Office tour (Manager, day 1)
- [ ] Core values training (HR, day 1)
- [ ] Process training begins (Manager, day 2)
- [ ] 30-day check-in scheduled (Manager, day 1)

## Training New Employees on Processes

### The See-Do-Teach Method

1. **See:** New hire observes an experienced team member performing the process
2. **Do:** New hire performs the process with the experienced team member coaching
3. **Teach:** New hire explains the process back to someone else

If they can teach it, they know it. This method works for any process in any department.

### Training Schedule Template

| Week | Focus | Method | Assessment |
|------|-------|--------|------------|
| 1 | Company overview, core values, core processes overview | Orientation sessions | Can state core values and name all core processes |
| 2 | Primary process (the one they will use daily) | See-Do-Teach | Completes process independently with <2 errors |
| 3 | Secondary processes (ones they interact with) | See + documentation review | Can explain how their work connects to upstream/downstream processes |
| 4 | Edge cases and exceptions | Scenario-based practice | Handles 3 of 4 edge case scenarios correctly |

## Quarterly Process Review Cadence

Every quarter, each process owner reviews their core process:

### Review Agenda (30 minutes per process)

1. **Compliance check (10 min):** Are people following the process? Where are the deviations?
2. **Results check (10 min):** Is the process producing the desired outcomes? What do the Scorecard metrics say?
3. **Improvement check (10 min):** What feedback have we received? What steps should be added, removed, or changed?

### Process Health Scorecard

| Process | Compliance Rate | Outcome Quality | Last Updated | Status |
|---------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|--------|
| The Revenue Engine | 85% | Win rate 28% | Jan 15 | Healthy |
| The Build Cycle | 70% | On-time 82% | Dec 1 | Needs attention |
| The People Path | 90% | 90-day retention 95% | Jan 20 | Healthy |
| The Care Loop | 60% | CSAT 3.8/5 | Oct 15 | At risk |
| The Money Flow | 95% | AR <30 days 92% | Jan 10 | Healthy |

Any process below 80% compliance or with declining outcome quality goes to the Issues List for IDS.
