Americans strongly prefer processes that are written down and clearly specified. When a process matters, the expectation is that it will be documented—standard operating procedures, checklists, manuals, guides. The assumption is that people execute processes better when they can reference explicit instructions rather than relying on memory or implicit understanding. Documentation enables training, creates accountability, and allows processes to be analyzed and improved.
This means you should expect American organizations to have extensive written procedures for important activities. When you need to understand a process, look for documentation first.
When you design processes, plan to document them. When documentation doesn’t exist for something important, that gap will likely be seen as a problem to fix. The burden falls on arguments against documentation, not for it. Written processes are the default expectation.
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