Video-to-SOP Delegation Method
Record real work and let the next hire turn it into an SOP
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 99%
The Video-to-SOP Delegation Method converts urgent replacement work into reusable onboarding documentation. When an employee leaves and no current procedure exists, the manager temporarily performs the role's real tasks while recording the screen or process and narrating what is happening. The recordings are then given to the new hire, who watches them and writes the first version of each standard operating procedure. This reverses the usual documentation burden: the experienced operator supplies a faithful demonstration, while the learner converts that demonstration into explicit instructions and identifies unanswered questions. The manager then reviews and corrects the drafts. Larunger says he used this method after receiving the advice from his coach, Daniel DiPiazza, and that it worked well for filling the role.
Origin
Larunger attributed the method to his coach, Daniel DiPiazza, and used it after an employee left. Extracted from The Foundr Podcast.
Core principles
- 01Real execution reveals details that memory omits
- 02A screen recording preserves both actions and explanations
- 03The learner strengthens understanding by drafting the SOP
- 04Questions expose gaps that the recording did not resolve
How to run it
- 1
List the role's immediate work
Identify the tasks that must continue while the role is vacant. Prioritize recurring work and responsibilities that the replacement will inherit.
Pro tip Start with tasks that are both frequent and costly to perform incorrectly.
Watch out Do not record confidential customer or employee data unnecessarily.
- 2
Record real execution
Perform each task while filming the screen or process. Narrate what you are doing and why, including important choices and exceptions.
Pro tip Use the actual workflow rather than a polished mock demonstration.
Watch out Silent recordings preserve clicks but lose the reasoning a new hire needs.
- 3
Assign the recordings
Give the videos to the new hire as training material. Ask the hire to watch them before attempting the work independently.
Pro tip Group recordings by task so the material remains easy to revisit.
Watch out A recording alone is not proof that the learner can perform the task.
- 4
Have the hire draft the SOP
Ask the new hire to turn each demonstration into a written standard operating procedure and collect any questions. This makes the learner process the workflow actively.
Pro tip Require prerequisites, steps, expected output, and escalation points in each draft.
Watch out Do not treat the first draft as authoritative before review.
- 5
Review and correct
Check the written procedure against the real task, answer questions, and correct missing or inaccurate steps. Use the reviewed version for future training and updates.
Pro tip Test the SOP by having the hire complete the task from the document.
Watch out Procedures decay when the underlying tools or workflow change.
In the wild
After an employee left, Larunger faced doing that person's work while also hiring and training a replacement. DiPiazza advised him to record himself performing and explaining the work, give the videos to the new hire, and have that person write the SOPs from the recordings. Larunger said he followed the method and it worked well.
→ The replacement received task demonstrations and produced written operating procedures from them.
Common mistakes
Recording actions without reasoning
A new hire may copy the visible steps but fail when a decision or exception appears.
Skipping the review
The learner's first SOP can contain misunderstandings, so the experienced operator must verify it against the real workflow.
Using stale recordings forever
Tool and process changes can make old demonstrations inaccurate, so the procedure needs maintenance.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for repeatable digital or administrative tasks that can be demonstrated while they are performed.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for hazardous, highly confidential, or judgment-heavy work that requires supervised practice beyond a recording.
From the transcript
“film yourself doing all that work and then explain what you're doing”
“ask them to write out standard operating procedures based on those videos”
From the episode
177: How Shannon Willoughby Turned Her Passion Into a $30K/Month Business (Start & Scale Student Spotlight – Part 2)