A procedure is a set of instructions for performing a task. The task can be physical, such as installing a modem, or mental, such as calculating the profit margin on a product. Procedures are among the best known formats in technical communication. Various parts of a task relate to one another, such as how a bill passes through the a legislature. Something was done.
Users can then verify what happened.
For example, a researcher can review the procedures another researcher used to determine whether the analysis is valid. Something will be done. Users can then make necessary plans. For example, a procedure might state the plan for a documentation project. This procedure tells you how we conducted the study.