Are Your Policies and Procedures SMART? Can your policies and procedures pass the SMART test?

Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of companies to develop and refine policies and procedures. These documents have ranged from the routine — employee codes of conduct and office cleaning procedures — to the complex and highly specialized, such as cargo flight schedule management and cannabis dispensary regulatory compliance plans.

I’ve also encountered organizations with excellent SOPs: well-formatted, clear, and easy to follow. If you think your policies and procedures are solid but want to be sure, apply the SMART test — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. If your documents meet those five criteria, you’re likely in great shape.

Specific

Are your policies clear and written in language anyone can understand? Too often, employee manuals read like legal briefs — dense and confusing.

Your procedures should be specific enough that anyone could pick up the document and perform at least 80% of the referenced task. However, avoid excessive detail that makes procedures overly rigid or quickly outdated. The goal is clarity with flexibility — enough structure to guide action but not so much that it prevents adaptation.

Clearly document who is responsible for each procedure or step, especially when multiple roles are involved. Accountability should never be assumed; it should be visible.

Measurable

Procedures should include measurable performance indicators — whether time-based, volume-based, or outcome-based. Many clients start with defining their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and then build procedures to support those metrics.

KPIs remain essential in 2025, but consider incorporating real-time dashboards and automation. Today’s cloud-based systems and AI-powered analytics (such as Power BI, Tableau, or even built-in ERP dashboards) make it easier than ever to track KPIs continuously and share them across teams.

A good approach is to:

1. Document how tasks are currently performed.

2. Identify measurable points in each process.

3. Develop aligned goals for each employee.

4. Ensure KPI reporting is visible and transparent across the organization.

Achievable

Are your policies realistic? Procedures should start from how tasks are currently performed and evolve from there. Involve subject matter experts — the employees actually doing the work — in the documentation process. This prevents issues such as timing errors, redundant steps, or unrealistic expectations.

In 2025, consider using collaborative documentation tools (like Notion, Confluence, or Microsoft Loop) to keep your team engaged and processes dynamic. These tools also ensure updates happen in real time, rather than getting buried in a shared drive.

Relevant

This principle addresses how much detail to include. For instance, in a medical setting, a relevant instruction might be:

“Put on non-latex gloves before examining the patient.”

That’s sufficient. You don’t need to explain every micro-step of putting on gloves — that level of detail adds no value and clutters your documentation.

The same applies to technology or operational workflows. Keep your SOPs focused on what needs to be done and why, not the minutiae of how every keystroke or movement happens (unless compliance or safety requires it).

Timely

Timeliness remains a weak spot for many organizations. Policies and procedures should clearly specify when tasks are to be performed and how long they should take. Examples include:

• “Invoices are processed by the bookkeeper every Monday morning.”

• “Performance appraisals must be completed and discussed with each employee by the last day of each quarter.”

• “Procedures must be reviewed and updated annually or whenever regulatory requirements change.”

(Note the last clause — new for 2025. Many industries now require faster policy updates to comply with changing regulations, especially in cybersecurity, data privacy, and environmental standards.)

Additional Best Practices

• Use dynamic document tools. Replace static Word or PDF manuals with cloud-hosted versions that automatically track revisions and comments.

• Incorporate visual elements. Use diagrams, screenshots, and short video tutorials. Tools like Loom, Tango, or Scribe let you embed visual walk-throughs directly into your procedures.

• Add AI searchability. Many platforms now support embedded AI assistants to help employees find the right SOP or answer quickly.

• Maintain accessibility. Ensure your documents are readable across devices and compliant with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 or later).

• QR codes and quick links remain useful for connecting procedures to real-world tools, training, or assets.

Conclusion

Your policies and procedures don’t need to be perfect — they need to be practical. Following the SMART framework and embracing modern tools will help ensure your SOPs remain living documents that evolve with your business. In 2025, adaptability is as critical as accuracy. By keeping your procedures SMART — and smartly maintained — your business will continue to survive and thrive.

Andy is the CEO of Tempest Risk Management, The Business Navigator and AIndy.

He has worked with hundreds of organizations to streamline operations, develop effective policies and procedures, and build systems that help businesses grow, adapt, and thrive.