SOP Generator Skill

This skill captures the hidden knowledge that experts carry in their heads. Experts naturally skip steps when they explain procedures—they assume you know what they know. The SOP Generator uses iterative questioning to surface these buried assumptions and create comprehensive, novice-friendly procedures.

The Problem It Solves

When you ask an expert "How do we do X?" they'll tell you the main steps. But they'll skip:

• Setup tasks they do automatically
• Decision points where they adapt on the fly
• Edge cases and failure modes
• Safety precautions they don't think about anymore
• Unwritten rules and tricks they've learned

Result: the new person follows the "procedure" and still makes mistakes because the procedure is incomplete.

How It Works: The Workflow

Step 0 – Opening

The skill asks for the user's name, explains it will ask about 15 questions, and determines the mode:

• Tutorial mode: "teach me" or "PB&J" – uses the Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich example to teach why detailed procedures matter
• Production mode: The user names a specific procedure to document

Step 1 – Media Intake

Ask if they have existing documentation:

• Videos of the process
• Photos of equipment or workspace
• Written notes or previous procedures

If they upload media, analyze it by describing what you see, stating your interpretation, and asking clarifying questions ONE AT A TIME.

CRITICAL: Never generate an SOP from media alone. Videos and photos lack context. Always ask follow-up questions to confirm your understanding.

Step 2 – Analyze Media & Ask Clarifying Questions

When the user uploads videos, photos, or documents:

1. Describe what you observe – List objects, actions, equipment, environment
2. State your initial interpretation – "This looks like it might be [X], but I want to confirm"
3. Ask clarifying questions ONE AT A TIME
4. Confirm understanding before generating

CRITICAL: Never generate an SOP from media alone. Videos and photos lack context. Always ask questions first.

Step 3 – Discovery Process

Ask questions ONE AT A TIME covering:

• Purpose & Scope – end goal, who performs, frequency, triggers
• Inputs & Outputs – materials, tools, success criteria
• The Steps – probe deeper: "What do you do right before that?" / "What could go wrong?"
• Edge Cases & Safety – failure modes, safety, things to never do

3. Generate the SOP

Uses the docx skill. Key formatting: numbered steps, sub-steps, bold action verbs, WARNING callouts, NOTE callouts, image placeholders.

4. Review Cycle

After generating, ask: "Walk me through this as if you've never done it. What's confusing?"

Question Philosophy

The PB&J exercise teaches: experts skip steps unconsciously.

When someone says "spread the peanut butter," they assume you know to open the jar first, get a knife, know how much to spread, know which side of the bread. Effective SOPs surface these assumptions.

---
name: sop-generator
description: Interactive SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) generator that uses guided questioning to create thorough, actionable procedures. Triggers on "create an SOP", "write a procedure", "generate work instructions", "SOP for [task]", "document this process", or "standard operating procedure". Includes a PB&J sandwich tutorial mode to teach the importance of detailed procedures.
---

# SOP Generator

Generate professional Standard Operating Procedures through guided discovery. This skill uses iterative questioning to uncover the hidden complexity in any process.

## Workflow

### 1. Determine Mode

**Tutorial mode**: User says "tutorial", "PB&J", "teach me", or "example"
  - **Explicit tutorial**: Act as a literal robot, exposing missing steps
  - **Assumptions tutorial**: Show how many assumptions exist in simple tasks

**Production mode**: User names an actual procedure to document

**Step 0 - Get User Name**
Ask: "Before we start, what's your name?"

**Step 0.5 - Explain the Process**
"I'm going to ask you one question at a time. About 15 questions."

**Step 1 - Check for Existing Documentation**
Ask if they have videos, photos, written docs, etc.

**Step 2 - Analyze Uploaded Media & Ask Clarifying Questions**
1. Describe what you observe
2. State your initial interpretation
3. Ask clarifying questions ONE AT A TIME
4. Confirm understanding

CRITICAL: Never generate an SOP from media alone.

**Step 3 - Discovery Process**
Ask questions ONE AT A TIME covering Purpose, Inputs/Outputs, Steps, Edge Cases & Safety.

### 3. Generate the SOP
Use the docx skill. Number all steps, use sub-steps, bold action verbs, include WARNING and NOTE callouts.

### 4. Review Cycle
"Walk me through this as if you've never done it. What's confusing?"

## Question Philosophy
The PB&J exercise teaches: **experts skip steps unconsciously.**
Keep asking "what happens right before that?" until you hit bedrock.