A Framework for Building Best in Class AI-Enabled Digital Work Instructions
The Manufacturing Landscape is Facing a Critical Juncture
Deloitte research confirms the long-feared reality: a crippling labor shortage. From an aging workforce to evolving skill gaps, manufacturers are struggling to find and retain the talent needed to meet demand. Outdated standard operating procedures (SOP), lack of processes, and the exiting of the workforce have created a sense of urgency to mitigate declining productivity and the threat of compromised quality. SOPs are the backbone of efficient and consistent operations, and digital work instructions serve as up-to-date versions that are accessible to all employees.
Efficiency in SOPs is essential to delivering excellent products, and it empowers employees with the knowledge to perform their tasks effectively. By digitizing SOPs, you can ensure that everyone follows the correct procedures, reducing errors and improving quality.
Digital work instructions formalize SOPs across all skilled workers and can be easily updated to reflect process changes, eliminating the need for outdated processes. Implementing a digital work instructions solution creates a world where every employee, regardless of experience, has access to a seasoned mentor who guides them through complex processes with clear, step-by-step instructions.
Standard Operating Procedures and Digital Work Instructions
While the crossover is undeniable, SOPs provide directions, while digital work instructions ensure you reach your destination accurately and efficiently. SOPs outline the overarching framework of a high-level overview of the process, defining its goals, responsibilities, and how it should be executed. On the other hand, digital work instructions dive deeper into the specifics, offering detailed step-by-step guidance for completing individual tasks within that process.
Digital work instructions act as repositories of institutional knowledge, capturing the expertise of veteran employees and other tribal knowledge and digitizing it in a way that can be scalable to train and upskill frontline workers. Digital work instructions ensure consistent quality and standardized procedures as the foundation for a truly scalable training program. By empowering new employees with readily accessible instructions, you ensure rapid onboarding and upskilling, minimizing downtime and maximizing operational efficiency.
Digital Work Instructions Help Attract and Retain New Workers
The benefits extend beyond just process optimization by giving you a solution that supports you in the essential task of attracting and retaining talent. Digital work instructions are a game-changer when it comes to attracting new workers, especially younger generations. These interactive tools offer a modern and engaging learning experience, aligning perfectly with the tech-savvy nature of today’s workforce. By replacing traditional, static manuals or outdated solutions with dynamic digital content, manufacturers can showcase a forward-thinking approach to training and development that accelerates onboarding and makes the organization more appealing to potential employees seeking opportunities to learn through technology.
To fully leverage the potential of digital work instructions, we must recognize that learners are diverse and modern workers absorb information in various ways. By tailoring your digital training content to accommodate multiple learning styles, you will create a more inclusive and effective training environment.
A Framework For Building Best-in-Class Digital Work Instructions
One Step at a Time
Complex processes can be intimidating, and breaking down your instructions one step at a time makes it easier to focus and follow along effectively. Decompose the work instructions into clear, actionable steps with concise descriptions that rival the simplicity of Lego instructions to ensure easy comprehension and prevent overwhelming new hires.
Pro Tip: Keep each step action-oriented by focusing each step on what the user needs to do. Eliminate any unnecessary text in exchange for using action verbs like “connect,” “inspect,” or “tighten” to guide the user through the process better.
Focus on the End User Experience
Don’t get lost in technical jargon or overly detailed procedures that require multiple views to understand. Work instructions are not for engineers; they are for training and enabling your frontline workers. Use clear and concise language that tailors the instructions to the user’s skill level and experience. Encourage user feedback and actively involve subject-matter experts in refining the instructions as processes or equipment evolve. Focusing on the end user means keeping it simple and building a workflow and feedback loop that is easy to follow.
Pro Tip: Including end-users in the process helps to identify potential challenges and refine the instructions accordingly. Make sure your solution includes feedback loops and encourages a culture of collaboration to build the most effective work instructions possible.
Embrace Visual Storytelling
The old saying is that a picture is worth a thousand words, and that includes the manufacturing floor. Utilize high-quality images, exploded views, diagrams, videos, and rich multimedia content to illustrate complex steps. Emphasizing visual storytelling in your digital work instructions enhances comprehension by engaging multiple senses to create an immersive learning experience.
Pro Tip: When incorporating visuals, ensure they are high-contrast and easy to understand. You can use annotations and hotspots to call out specific details within images or diagrams.
Make Them Accessible & Interactive
Ensure your digital work instructions are readily available across all devices, including desktops, tablets, phones, and even wearable technology for a blended reality experience. Consider the work environment and optimize the structure and format of your work instructions accordingly.
Pro Tip: Ensure your digital work instructions can function offline for environments with unreliable internet connectivity. Consider features like offline syncing, caching, or downloadable work instructions to provide uninterrupted access to critical information on devices.
Optimize Processes and Measure the Impact
Be sure your solution allows you to track analytics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to understand the impact of your digital work instructions program. Metrics like error rates, training times, and employee engagement provide valuable insights for further optimization. You can gain a deep understanding of each step’s cycle time to learn the time it takes to complete each step, identify bottlenecks, and optimize your processes.
Pro Tip: Leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance your digital work instructions for workplace efficiency tracking. AI can provide real-time recommendations, troubleshoot issues, and even predict potential problems based on data analysis.
Empowering Your Workforce for Success with our AI-powered Digital Work Instructions Framework
By implementing this framework strategy for building your digital work instructions, you will transform your SOPs and outdated processes from simple documents into powerful tools that drive operational excellence. They foster a culture of knowledge sharing, empower employees, and bridge the talent gap by creating a more resilient and adaptable workforce prepared to handle future challenges. Learn how Belvac revolutionized training with digital work instructions.
CDS Mentor stands by your side as a robust digital work instruction solution specifically designed for your industry. Our platform incorporates user-centric design principles, advanced features, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Get in touch today to learn more and see a demo.
