Ways to Track Policy & Procedure Changes

Numerous methods can be created to track policy and procedure changes. Private and public institutions, organizations and companies — both small and large — can use various methods of policy and procedure development to try out new strategies and/or enhance methods that work. According to the University of Minnesota, changes are often effected by boards of trustees, voting procedures and timetables.

According to the University of Minnesota, when policy and procedure changes are in the works, they are best monitored through phases. The first phase is pre-development monitoring. Ways to track pre-development processes include identifying policy needs and cultivating the right time to achieve set goals. The pre-development phase should involve precise determinations as to what needs accomplishing and should conclude with the formation of a policy draft. Team members should remain in the pre-development phase, if the draft needs continual work. If the draft is considered strong by all members — or a majority of members — the process should move on.

Development is the second phase of policy-and-procedure-change tracking. Once a policy is determined, the development phase moves the process forward, outlining the definitions of said policy and determining procedures to carry it out. All policy definitions and procedural information should be written in layman’s terms for easy comprehension and confirmed by appropriate authorities. The development phase is in good shape once policies and procedures are completely outlined, formatted and disseminated.

Policy team members should continue to track plans after policies and procedures are in place, according to the University of Minnesota. Additional changes may come, in this stage, as evaluations of the effectiveness of implemented plans are monitored under physical conditions. Plans may often be tweaked, confirmed and/or eliminated, in this phase, and feedback is sought from persons and departments whom these plans affect. Members must not hesitate to begin the entire process again — starting in the pre-development phase — should results determine the plans ineffective.