procedúra

Procedúra (from Latin procedere, 'to go forward') is a defined sequence of steps or actions designed to achieve a particular outcome. In many languages, including Slovak and Czech, the term is used to refer to a formal set of instructions used in professional and administrative contexts. A procedúra typically specifies the purpose, scope, prerequisites, steps with responsible persons, inputs and outputs, and decision points or conditions for proceeding.

Procedúra vs. process: a process is the broader series of activities that transform inputs into outputs; a procedúra is the explicit, prescriptive way to perform part or all of a process.

Fields of use: in medicine, procedures include surgical operations or diagnostic tests; in law, procedural rules govern filings and hearings; in administration, standard operating procedures (SOPs) ensure safety and uniformity. In computing, a procedure—often called a stored procedure in databases—is a named subroutine that can be executed by software.

Documentation and governance: procedures are usually documented, versioned, reviewed, and approved; controlled distribution; training and auditing.

Creation and maintenance: drafting a procedure involves defining its scope, prerequisites, steps, responsibilities, inputs and outputs, success criteria, and exception handling; it should be tested, reviewed, and version-controlled.

A well-designed procedúra contributes to efficiency, safety, compliance, and accountability across organizations.