How to write understandable work instructions

John Broomfield

Staff member
Super Moderator
#31
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
WORK INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR TRAINING (excuse me for shouting)

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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Jen Kirley

Quality and Auditing Expert
Staff member
Admin
#33
Click on Tools > Options > Spelling & Grammar tab > Check "Show readability statistics" checkbox

The next time that you perform a spelling and grammar check, Word will display the readability statistics, including a Grade level.
That's killer! :applause: 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. :D
 
M

m_josefsson74

#34
Very good question...
Search for "standard work" at the web. In the standard work consepts you have both work and control instruction in one document. Beside this you should have standardizes work chart (Spaghetti diagram) to show where the operators should be.
In the instructions you need 3 things:
1. Pictures.
2. Pictures.
3. Describing text.
At my company we test the instruction like this; we simply put a paper over the text and see if the operators can do the "Right" work by follow the pictures. If YES then we know that the instructions are good.
 
R

rogersgeorge

#35
I see this was posted back in October; I hope this is still relevant, and that the system tells you I posted a reply. (I also hope I don't repeat a lot of folks--I neglected to look for other replies before I came here.)

Here are a few keys to writing good instructions:

  • It's good to introduce a set of instructions with a paragraph that tells what you're about to describe.
  • Number the instructions if the order matters. Otherwise use bullets.
  • Instructions should contain two sentences, generally. The first is in the imperative (do x); the second is indicative, and tells the result of following the instruction correctly (y happens).
  • Avoid the future tense. Use the present for anything customary, even if it hasn't happened yet.
  • Pictures are good. They follow the instruction they refer to.
  • Have someone follow the instructions. If they get something wrong, the problem is with the instructions, not the reader. Fix.
 

John Broomfield

Staff member
Super Moderator
#36
rogersgeorge,

I commend your x and y logic.

Instead of the introductory para, I usually describe the objective of the task/activity/subprocess. This is the y for the work steps (x) described by the instruction.

Could describing the y (result) for each x (step) insult the intelligence of the competent user of the work instruction by over-stating the obvious?

For example:

Adjust the rear sprocket or gear to remove more than 10mm up or down slack from the chain. Make this adjustment so the chain will not slip-off the sprocket or gear.

Would this level of detail (explaining the why for each step) engender respect for the work instruction from a competent mechanic?

John
 
U

underdogmatt

#37
John Broomfield,

I believe rogersgeorge (George Rogers?) meant, with the x and y logic, and using your example;

Adjust the rear sprocket or gear to remove slack from the chain. Chain should have no more than 10mm up or down movement after adjustment

Concrete examples and rules-based tips seem to be the most useful tips to share here. Thanks, George and John, for sharing.
 
R

rogersgeorge

#38
It's pretty hard to insult the intelligence of someone reading instructions. In my experience, anyone performing an unfamiliar process (especially the more intelligent folks--they assume less) appreciates any description of a correct result that is more than a restatement of the first sentence.

In our example, putting the reason (prevent slippage) in the first sentence and the 10 cm in the second sentence is excellent. It gives the sophisticated reader the needed info right away, and gives the less self-assured reader a nice tangible follow-up. And even the experienced reader will appreciate the reassurance that 10 cm is about right.

That said, who is your readership? If you expect your reader to be on the less experienced side, putting the 10 cm in the first sentence is correct--this reader needs to be told exactly what to do from the get-go, and then explaining why increases their understanding of what's going on.

Oh--and yup, it really is Rogers George.
 
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U

underdogmatt

#39
Ok guys this is getting good - so lets make it harder and real world;

Some of us make new products - so lets take this case and work on it in cyberspace as if ti were a new product that we are totally unfamiliar with;

Lets say the product has a magnetic disc made of brittle ceramic where the sprocket was and an "inducer head" instead of a chain that has to be perpendicular to the disc OD at a set distance, but there is no contact between the two for it to work.

Now that we're all new to it, how do we explain it to others so they get it right the first time? Show an example of your proposed instructions and tell us the principle behind why you wrote what you did.
 

Stijloor

Staff member
Super Moderator
#40
Ok guys this is getting good - so lets make it harder and real world;

Some of us make new products - so lets take this case and work on it in cyberspace as if ti were a new product that we are totally unfamiliar with;

Lets say the product has a magnetic disc made of brittle ceramic where the sprocket was and an "inducer head" instead of a chain that has to be perpendicular to the disc OD at a set distance, but there is no contact between the two for it to work.

Now that we're all new to it, how do we explain it to others so they get it right the first time? Show an example of your proposed instructions and tell us the principle behind why you wrote what you did.
Very hypothetical situation.... The work instruction will be entirely dependent upon the competency of the intended users. It's not good practice to develop work instructions assuming that people walk in green from the street.

Stijloor.
 
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