Business Ops Operations Handbook

Build the Operations Handbook

Estimated time: 60-90 minutes

This workflow builds the operations handbook: how the company runs day to day, who decides what, and how problems escalate. It is the operations handbook, not the HR handbook. The build proceeds through operating cadences, the decision rights matrix, escalation paths, and the remaining operational sections, then assembles them into one document. Review and refine each section before advancing.

Steps

Step 1: Capture the Company Brief

Open by telling the user you will build the operations handbook (how the company runs day to day, distinct from an HR handbook), then ask them for: company stage, headcount, key functions, and any existing operating cadence such as weekly reviews or monthly business reviews. Ask these as a single grouped question and wait for the answer. Record the response verbatim as the brief.

• Input: user description of stage, headcount, functions, existing cadences
• Output: a captured company brief
• Key focus: anchor every later section in the company's actual stage and size

Step 2: Infer the Required Sections (uses: ops-handbook)

From the brief, infer which handbook sections this company needs at its current stage. List the inferred sections and give a one-paragraph reasoning. Surface the inference to the user so they can add or remove sections before you build them.

• Input: company brief from Step 1
• Output: the list of required handbook sections with reasoning
• Key focus: right-size the handbook to the stage, no premature bureaucracy

Step 3: Build the Operating Cadences (uses: ops-handbook)

Build the operating cadences: the weeklies, monthlies, and quarterlies, each with its purpose, owner, attendees, and inputs and outputs. Show the cadences to the user and ask whether to refine them or proceed to decision rights. If they ask for changes, revise against their feedback and show them again. Allow up to two refinement passes.

• Input: company brief from Step 1, required sections from Step 2, user refinement feedback
• Output: a reviewed set of operating cadences (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
• Key focus: each meeting has a clear purpose, owner, and output

Step 4: Build the Decision Rights Matrix (uses: ops-handbook)

Build the decision rights matrix: for each major decision type, define who is responsible, who is accountable, who is consulted, and who is informed. Use the required sections from Step 2 to scope which decision types to cover. Show the matrix to the user.

• Input: company brief from Step 1, required sections from Step 2
• Output: a decision rights matrix mapping decision types to roles
• Key focus: no ambiguous ownership; every major decision has one accountable owner

Step 5: Build the Escalation Paths (uses: ops-handbook)

Build the escalation paths: when and how an issue moves up, who it goes to at each level, and the response-time expectation at each level. Show the decision rights matrix and escalation paths together to the user and ask whether to refine them or proceed to the remaining sections. If they ask for changes, revise the escalation paths against their feedback and show them again. Allow up to two refinement passes.

• Input: company brief from Step 1, decision rights matrix from Step 4, user refinement feedback
• Output: a reviewed set of escalation paths with levels and response times
• Key focus: a clear, fast path from a stuck problem to the person who can unstick it

Step 6: Build the Remaining Sections (uses: ops-handbook)

Build the remaining operational sections identified in Step 2, such as tooling, communication norms, and on-call rotation. Show them to the user and ask whether to refine them or ship the handbook. If they ask for changes, revise against their feedback and show them again. Allow up to two refinement passes.

• Input: company brief from Step 1, required sections from Step 2, user refinement feedback
• Output: a reviewed set of remaining operational sections
• Key focus: cover the operational glue (tooling, comms, on-call) the stage needs

Step 7: Assemble and Ship the Operations Handbook

Assemble the final operations handbook as a single document with sections for cadences, decision rights, escalation paths, and the remaining operational sections. Confirm the handbook is complete and hand it to the user.

• Input: brief, required sections, cadences, decision rights, escalation, remaining sections from prior steps
• Output: the assembled operations handbook document
• Key focus: one authoritative document for how the company runs