Starting a Runbook from Scratch

Starting with a blank page can be daunting. Fortunately, when writing a runbook, you have a head start: the actual process you want to document. Chances are, you already know how to do that process rather well, and doing the same thing you always do is a great way to begin writing the runbook.

This guide describes multiple levels of refinement when writing a runbook. You can stop at any level and still have a useful product. In fact, it will probably make sense to stop at a different level for each runbook. That way, you can get most value for the least amount of work.

Start by doing the process as you usually would the next time it comes up naturally. As you go along, take quick notes for yourself about each individual step you take. These notes are merely to jog your memory later on, and to ensure you don't missing anything important. Don't feel compelled to write so much that you distract yourself from the job at hand.

The result of this level is a partial set of ad-hoc bullet points outlining what you did this time around. It's fine if these don't make much sense to another person yet.

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