Career development
Turn a repeated work task into cross-training notes
Cross-training notes cover four things: what starts the task, what must be in place first, the steps in order and the exceptions that break the usual path. Add a contact for cases the notes do not cover.
A text to start with
I do this recurring task: [task name]. It starts when [trigger]. Before I begin I need [prerequisites]. My steps are roughly [rough steps]. Things sometimes go wrong when [exceptions I remember]. Turn this into notes a colleague could follow. Ask me about any step where I skipped a detail, and mark places where I should add a screenshot or example.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Cross-training notes template
Task name: [ ] How often it happens: [ ] Trigger that starts it: [ ] Prerequisites and access needed: [ ] How to request access: [ ] Step 1: [ ] How to confirm step 1 worked: [ ] Step 2: [ ] How to confirm step 2 worked: [ ] Common exception: [ ] Sign that it has happened: [ ] What to do: [ ] How to tell the task is finished: [ ] Escalation contact and when to use it: [ ] Last tested by and date: [ ]
Steps that live in your head
People who repeat a task often skip steps they no longer notice, such as checking a value before clicking or knowing which of two similar files is the right one. Walk through the notes while doing the task and add anything you do without thinking. Give exceptions as much space as the normal path, since that is where a newcomer gets stuck. Remove private accounts and credentials, and point to the approved way to request access. Say how a person can tell the task finished correctly.
Ask another agent to check the result
Read these notes as someone who has never done this task. Mark every step where you would have to guess, and every place where you could not tell whether something had failed. List terms or tools that are not explained.
Test the notes with someone else
Ask an authorized colleague to try the notes on a suitable example or during an agreed supervised run. Note where they hesitate or need an explanation, and intervene if continuing would affect real work incorrectly. Revise those steps and confirm the expected result. Save the notes in the agreed location with an owner and the date they were last tested.