Policies and Procedures Case Study
Challenge
Taco Bell Corporation needed to document everything from accounting procedures to recipes. Before our involvement, procedure manuals were out of date and difficult to use. Process were handed down by word of mouth.
Solution
We conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of the chain’s restaurants. We observed operations, surveyed restaurant teams and corporate personnel, and held focus groups at every level of the organization. Using the findings, we designed a completely new format for the chain’s reference system. We re-wrote standards and procedures to make them easier to read, and developed a comprehensive index for each section. We even designed heavy-duty binders with easels and identified a nearly indestructible paper that resisted water, grease, and tearing.
Results
In usability testing, crew member training time was reduced significantly. Managers and crew members both reported that the new system was easier to use and easier to maintain. Many of the attributes of the new system were adopted by the chain’s sister companies for their reference manuals.