A colleague walks you through a new task. Everything makes sense as they explain it, so you jot down a few keywords. But when it is your turn to do the task alone, a note like “check and save” is not enough. What exactly should you check, where should you save the result, and how will you know the task is complete?
During on-the-job training, you can create a short working guide that captures the steps, how to check the result, and the limits of your decision-making. It does not need to include the full explanation. Its purpose is to help you repeat a specific task and show you what you still need to ask about.
Choose one task with a clear start and finish
Instead of writing a general note such as “working with orders,” name one activity, for example, “preparing the weekly overview of open requests.” Note when it is done, what information it uses, and who needs the result. That will help you recognize when to use your guide.
Before writing your own procedure, ask whether there is already an up-to-date guide, template, or approved example. If so, use it as your starting point. You can add a personal note explaining an unclear step or marking where you got stuck during your first attempt.
Also check whether the example shows a routine case: “Is this a typical situation, or are we dealing with an exception today?” If your colleague demonstrates an unusual case, label it as one in your notes. Otherwise, you might mistake a one-off solution for a procedure that applies every time.
Capture the decisions and checks that are easy to miss
When you watch an experienced colleague, you can see what they open or where they click. But you may not know why they chose a particular file, how they decided to exclude a record, or when they would do things differently. Add a brief explanation at these points.
You can use the following outline. Leave out items you do not need for a simple task, and add detail wherever a wrong assumption could change the result.
- When to start: What tells you the task needs to be done, and when must it be ready?
- Inputs: Which source materials and which version of the template should you use?
- Steps: What do you do, in what order, and which decisions change the next step?
- Checks: What must be true before you consider the result ready?
- Handover: Where does the result go, who receives it, and does it need approval?
- When to stop: What uncertainty means you should pause and ask someone for help?
When an instruction is vague, ask what you should be able to observe or verify. “Check that it matches” might become, after clarification: “Compare the number of items in the overview with the number in the filtered list.” That gives you an action you can repeat.
If the demonstration is too fast, ask your colleague to pause briefly at an important decision: “I need to note this step. How did you choose this status?” You do not need to write down every sentence. Focus on the information you would otherwise have to guess at next time.
Separate personal notes from approved procedures
Personal notes are a working aid. If they differ from the current internal procedure or your colleague’s explanation, ask the person responsible for the process to clarify the difference. Your notes might be out of date, your colleague might be using a personal shortcut, or the rule might apply to a different situation.
At the top of your notes, you can record the source of the procedure, the date you checked it, and the situation it applies to. Keep it brief: the name of the internal guide, the date you discussed it, and a label such as “routine case.” If something changes later, you will know which details need to be confirmed again.
If screenshots would help, ask where and whether you are allowed to store them. Use a company-approved storage location and method. Do not automatically copy work records or screenshots containing work information into personal notes. Sometimes a field name or a link to an internal example is all you need.
Write down important rules in words, too. A picture of a button shows you where it is, but not necessarily when to use it. If the interface changes, understanding the purpose of the step can help you work out what to ask.
An example of useful notes for a single task
Example scenario: A new administrative team member prepares a weekly overview of open requests. A colleague shows them how to select records, transfer them to a template, and save a draft. After the first explanation, the new team member has written down only the names of those three actions.
After asking a few follow-up questions, they make the notes more specific. The wording below belongs to this fictional example. You will need to confirm the actual selection and handover rules at your own workplace.
| Original note | More specific version |
|---|---|
| Select requests | Open the saved filter for open requests. Confirm with a colleague which statuses the filter includes. |
| Transfer to spreadsheet | Use the current team template. Transfer the agreed fields and compare the number of items with the source list. |
| Check | Confirm that every row includes a request ID, status, and assigned owner. Flag any missing information for discussion. |
| Save | Save the draft in the agreed team folder. Notify the colleague who will review it; do not send the overview on before they confirm it. |
During a practice run, the new team member finds a request with no assigned owner. Their notes tell them not to fill in the information by guessing. They flag the record and ask their colleague what to do in this situation. Once they have an explanation, they add the relevant instruction to the guide.
Checking the item count also has its limits: matching counts do not confirm that the items themselves are correct. That is why the example also checks the agreed fields. For your own task, ask which checks are needed before someone else can use the result.
Try the procedure and revise the steps that stop you
After the demonstration, agree on a suitable way to practise. You might use a practice case, work on a copy of the source materials, or complete the task under supervision. If the task changes live data or sends a result to other people, decide in advance how far you may proceed independently.
Try to follow your notes. When you get stuck, identify what is missing: Are you unsure about a term, unable to choose an option, missing access, or unable to judge the result? Each kind of obstacle calls for a different kind of help.
You could then tell your colleague: “I followed my notes through selecting the records. I’m not sure whether to include this status. Where can I find the rule?” After they answer, update the specific part of your notes and continue from there. If your colleague completes the task for you, ask them to explain the step you missed.
Keep your notes concise and useful
After using your notes a few times, consider which parts you actually need. Remove outdated assumptions and repeated explanations, and add decisions that have been confirmed. Longer explanations can go in a separate section, leaving you with concise steps and checks for routine use.
Keep exceptions separate from the standard procedure. For each one, note how to recognize it and whom to contact if you do not know how to handle it. If the official procedure changes, review your personal notes too; otherwise, an outdated aid could lead you to follow instructions that no longer apply.
Notes cannot replace missing training, access, or a decision from your manager. If one of these prevents you from completing the task, explain what is missing and ask for it. Rewriting the same guide will not solve the problem.
At your next training session, choose one recurring task and agree on a supervised practice run after the demonstration. Then revise your notes based on where you got stuck. You will have a guide tested against a real task and a clearer sense of what you can already do independently.
