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Scaling operations for OEMs and service providers is no small feat. Unique industry hurdles require tailored solutions, and Guided Work Instructions (GWIs) have emerged as a powerful tool to standardise service delivery, elevate performance quality, and streamline resources.
You are likely familiar with the general concept of Work Instructions. A work instruction provides a consistent set of guidelines that a team member must follow when performing tasks to achieve desired results.
A Guided Work Instruction adds the layer of hyper-specific learning content and access to expertise to assist in the completion of the task.
It’s true that some tasks might only require simple written instruction. The benefits of guidance in the context of task completion however are numerous, and the table below outlines several.
The challenge however that OEMs face in the context of scaling is how to provide guidance en mass. How does one expert scale impact without the drain of time associated with classroom learning, travel or team expansion?
The Guided Work Instructions approach centers around the Workflow, and is supported by a Visual Content Library and Remote Expert Assistance. Together, these three pillars provide the basis of guiding frontline teams through each task and ensuring quality.
Let’s break down the need for each pillar.
Inconsistency in task execution is a common stumbling block for scaling. Diverging procedural paths followed by different workers can result in variable safety and productivity standards. Such inconsistency not only inflates operational costs and risks safety, but it also impinges on customer satisfaction - a significant bottleneck to scaling.
The traditional approach to combating inconsistency is either static Standard Operating Procedures or a team culture that encourages turnover.
Workflows such as the ones in HINDSITE are designed to combat inconsistency head-on. They provide step-by-step procedures for every task, instilling a uniform high standard across your workforce, irrespective of their individual expertise levels.
Whether servicing complex machinery or conducting meticulous site inspections, these workflows standardise processes, markedly enhancing service consistency and quality.
The ultimate benefit to using workflows is that you can accommodate for different conditions and scenarios by using branches. A branch is a string of instructions that stem from a decision that the user makes.
Picture a worker servicing an autonomous blast hole sensor. Through HINDSITE's Workflows, they receive guided instructions, ensuring consistent, accurate, and safe task completion regardless of the worker's individual experience. If at some point they respond ‘No’ to a critical safety check, the workflow can take them down the path of rectification before proceeding further.
The second component to an effectiveGuided Work Instruction is the Content associated with each step.
In the mining and METS industries particularly, the risk of knowledge loss when experienced workers retire or change jobs is significant. Vital expertise accrued over the years can evaporate unless effectively captured, disseminated and communicated.
Workflows in HINDSITE integrate your own curated rich Visual Content Library, ensuring the preservation and sharing of vital operational knowledge. This expert-generated library, filled with bite-sited video guides, illustrative diagrams, and more, becomes a reservoir of institutional wisdom.
When linked with each step, bite-sized opportunities for learning become de-stigmatised and ensure that not only the task is correctly communicated, but also the culture and approach of the expert.
Video plays a significant role in the absorption of information, and is the primary method that we recommend guidance be provided in Workflows. Video content is visually engaging, it communicates non-verbal cues and it allows the communicator to channel far more context into an instruction than on paper.
Consider a seasoned mine worker with specific expertise in calibrating a complex piece of machinery. With HINDSITE's Visual Content Library, they can record a step-by-step video tutorial. This guide then becomes part of the organisation's collective resource, and can be both accessed via specific workflows or by just browsing the library on-demand.
If frontline team members are familiar with the calibration activity, they can continue without watching the microlearning. But if they even have a miniscule sense of doubt as to their memory of the task, the content is available to guide them.
The third component of a successful Guided Work Instruction set up is what Eddie McGuire (or Regis Philbin if you’re in the States) would call ‘Phone a friend’. If all else fails, rely on your go-to.
Despite detailed instructions, the need for on-the-spot expert guidance cannot be avoided. Providing such immediate assistance can be a challenge, particularly in remote or difficult-to-access locations such as in underground mines or remote sites.
Workflows on HINDSITE come equipped with a Remote Expert Assistance feature to tackle this challenge. It allows your workforce to connect with industry experts in real-time, enabling them to solve problems quickly and continue their tasks with minimal disruption.
Suppose a junior geologist encounters a puzzling rock sample analysis. With the ability to call an expert mid-workflow, they can instantly connect with a senior geologist, ensuring the task progresses accurately and safely.
If that call is particularly useful as a demonstration of the task, it can then be saved into the aforementioned Visual Content Library and made available in the workflow for future geologists.
In conclusion, a successful approach to Work Instructions needs to involve a concept of guidance.
Balanced on the robust pillar of Workflows and augmented by a Visual Content Library and Remote Expert Assistance, Guided Work Instructions bring a transformative approach to the efficiency, consistency, and scalability of your service delivery and assembly operations.
With such a tool at their disposal, your frontline workers are empowered to deliver consistently high-quality service, thereby driving your organisation's growth and competitive edge as a customer-focused operation.
HINDSITE gives your frontline Guided Work Instructions to standardise a high level of service. This allows OEMs to scale operations and compete based on service delivery without additional resources.
Let us know how we can reach you and we'll give you a ring to explore whether HINDSITE is the right fit for your team.
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