Method of procedure (MOP)

A method of procedure sets out exactly how a technician will do a piece of work that changes the state of critical equipment. Uptime Institute describes it as a step-by-step sequence of actions, written so that different technicians following it get the same result.

A good MOP typically has basic information such as title, author, approver and version, then prerequisites, safety steps, special tools and parts, numbered steps with the expected result of each, and a back-out plan if a check fails. Technicians usually mark each step as completed with initials and a time.

A MOP is different from a standard operating procedure, which is the broader document for how routine work is done, and from an emergency procedure, which covers urgent events. The exact boundaries are used differently across organizations, and Uptime notes that practitioners hold a range of views on these terms.