Is there some kind of tutorial or standard out there that I can give our employees who create work instructions? Some of them seem to think that they are writing process instructions for engineers instead of production associates. I have come across some pretty bad work instructions, especially when auditing the shop floor. I have heard that the work instructions should never be written above a grade 6 reading comprehension level is this accurate? Not that the production employees are illiterate, just that for some, English is not their first language, and all our instruction are in English with pictures for clarifications.
I would appreciate any help on this as I seem to be fighting a losing battle when I write up an NC that a work instruction isn't "Legible" and I get...."Sure its legible I can read it!"
thanks
I would appreciate any help on this as I seem to be fighting a losing battle when I write up an NC that a work instruction isn't "Legible" and I get...."Sure its legible I can read it!"
thanks
1. We must have training of able people for competence in the activity (subprocess).
2. Competent operators can write an excellent work instruction with some wordsmithing and using grammar check to measure readability (grade 8 or less).
3. Work instructions can then act as cues or memory joggers (not as a means to impart competence!).
4. The work instruction can also be marked up by users to collect suggested improvements (scooped up daily/weekly/monthly by the process owner).
5. Operators, supervisors and managers (daily/weekly/monthly) evaluate conformity and the effectiveness of the documented work instructions.
As with all system documents, work instructions are meant to be a reliable indicator of the way the activity is actually carried out.
To make the text light, direct and easiliy understood I always use the present tense to describe the activity (for example: the cat sits on the mat, instead of the cat shall sit on the mat).
Too often, it seems, we resort to work instructions instead of first ensuring the workers are able to do the job as required.
Hope this helps,
John
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I never knew that. I have checked, and found my Beyond Compliance paper is written at the 12th grade level. Ergo, no legitimate excuses for top management to comprehend it.