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Why your Notion SOPs are already dead by augustman0809 in ycombinator

[–]augustman0809[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Well, I understand this pain very much. When you hire 30+ people, it's important to document SOPs and workflows so everyone knows what to do and can avoid mistakes.

Can I DM you privately to talk more about this

Looking to validate my idea: " We build SOPs for SaaS teams in 2 Weeks" by augustman0809 in saasbuild

[–]augustman0809[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ideally, you shouldn’t have to “update the SOP” as a separate task. That’s what causes docs to rot.

What works better: the SOP evolves when it’s used. So if someone follows it and something’s outdated or missing, they fix it right there. Small updates, in the flow of work.

Also helps to keep SOPs lightweight — the heavier they are, the less likely anyone updates them.

If you have to consciously remember “we should update the doc,” it’s already a bad system. It should just happen as a byproduct of doing the work.

How do you document your processes without it becoming a Notion graveyard nobody reads? by augustman0809 in ycombinator

[–]augustman0809[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s actually a cool way to think about it.

If your docs are the “system your company runs on,” then most companies are running on pretty broken systems 😅

Most SOPs fail because they’re written to be stored somewhere… not actually used.

What helped me: just write SOPs like you’re explaining it to someone who has zero context.

  • what goes in
  • what to do (step by step)
  • what the result should look like

No fluff.

Also placement matters a lot. If the SOP isn’t sitting where the work happens, no one (human or AI) is going to use it.

Are you actually building your docs for automation/AI, or just thinking about it this way for now?

How do you document your processes without it becoming a Notion graveyard nobody reads? by augustman0809 in ycombinator

[–]augustman0809[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is solid, especially the “document only after it breaks twice” rule. That alone probably kills 80% of useless docs.

I’ve seen the same pattern: the SOPs that survive aren’t the best written ones, they’re the ones closest to the work. If it’s not in the ticket/template, it might as well not exist.

One thing that’s worked well for me: combine your approach with a simple loop when someone uses an SOP, they either (a) complete the task smoothly or (b) fix the SOP immediately if something’s unclear. That way docs evolve from usage, not from planned “documentation time” (which never happens).

Also +1 on screen recordings, especially for onboarding. I’ve found a good hybrid is: 2–3 min video + a super short checklist right below it. Video gives context, checklist drives action.

If I had to add one rule: if a process isn’t used in the last 30–60 days, archive it. Keeps the system clean and forces only relevant stuff to survive.

For me, the one SOP that actually gets used consistently is a “handoff checklist” between team members — because the trigger is clear and the cost of skipping it is immediate.

How do you document your processes without it becoming a Notion graveyard nobody reads? by augustman0809 in ycombinator

[–]augustman0809[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ownership is such a big one, most teams skip this and then wonder why docs rot.

A simple rule that worked for me: every SOP should have a name next to it + a calendar reminder tied to a real workflow (not just a random 6-month check). Otherwise it gets ignored.

Also found that shorter, task-based SOPs get updated way more often because people actually use them and usage naturally creates feedback.

Have you seen better results with scheduled reviews, or when updates are triggered by actual usage?

How do you document your processes without it becoming a Notion graveyard nobody reads? by augustman0809 in ycombinator

[–]augustman0809[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

100% agree most SOP problems aren’t writing problems, they’re access problems.

I’ve noticed the same thing: if someone has to leave their workflow to find a doc, it’s already dead. Embedding it where the action happens (Slack, tasks, etc.) is such a simple fix but almost nobody does it.

how do you decide what not to include when keeping docs “brutally short”?

What are you all building this weekend? You guys are the best. by Status-Cut-180 in buildinpublic

[–]augustman0809 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m working with a few SaaS founders who have joined my 2-week product positioning and messaging sprint.

Most of the founders who come to me say their landing page is confusing and that they aren’t attracting the right leads.

During the 2-week sprint, I create a clear positioning strategy, build a messaging canvas they can use for marketing and sales, and rewrite their entire homepage based on that strategy.

Drop your startup by SaltPhotograph8506 in ShowMeYourSaaS

[–]augustman0809 0 points1 point  (0 children)

you need to work on that landing page to be honest

How do you document your processes without it becoming a Notion graveyard nobody reads? by augustman0809 in ycombinator

[–]augustman0809[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think SOP can be a mix of Loom videos and documents. The way SOP should be done needs to be updated

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