Work Instructions - Format and Various WIs per Department

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noboost4you

#21
I understand where you're coming from and that is what we are doing. I am sitting down with each individual asking them how things are done. I'm not necessarily observing their procedures, but I am writing down the instructions and procedures that they follow. (Hope that made sense)

And you're right, there needs to be a set person to write and document everything. If every department head wrote their own procedures and instructions, there would be no single format or standard.

Tomorrow I will post a Work Instruction that I need to ask questions on and hope to receive further feedback.

Thanks again everyone,
Bryan
 
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Sidney Vianna

Post Responsibly
Staff member
Admin
#22
All you need is to have explain what they do and you write it the procedure for it.
I'm not necessarily observing their procedures, but I am writing down the instructions and procedures that they follow. (Hope that made sense)
Certainly, you want to involve the process owners to understand the processes at hand, instead of creating WI's and procedures "from the vacuum" in the conference room. However be CAREFUL not to institutionalize dysfunctional processes, by capturing them into command media. A step of the document development process should be a critiquing mechanism so other stakeholders of those internal processes being documented might be able to improve it. Failure to do so just promote the deployment of ineffective, inefficient and dysfunctional processes.

Contrary to popular belief, ISO 9001 is NOT "do what you say, say what you do...."
 
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N

nitejava

#23
I have a question about WI too that maybe I could get an opinion on.
During the beginning stages of our ISO journey, the people who performed the work were asked to make WI to satisfy (what was thought to be) an ISO requirement. They were told to make them simple and not to refer to part #'s in the builds as these #'s change frequently and they don't refer to any drawings etc. All those references were basically taken away. (This means they have them hidden in draws and filing cabinets.) So what we have now is 100's of WI that are either not required. (The process is repetitive or simple) or inefficient work instructions that are of no help.
We have just been recommended for registration. The assessment really didn't get too much into the WI area but I believe future Audits will reveal problems, maybe not CARs, but might address the need for WI improvement. If it was up to me, I would write up that the WI's that we have are ineffective, but then again, I have hindsight. I see people working in an area when someone suddenly is away and they're trying to use these "work instruction" and they're failing miserable, production is stopping/slowing or who knows what is being shipped out. It really is a mess. Our assemblers are assembling some pretty complicated things, and variations etc. I really think some good detailed instructions would be a good way to capture the knowledge of these workers before they all start to retire, or worse, before they all win lottery pool!
I've talked to the people on the floor and the authors of the original WI agree that the WI would not be useful to someone who would need them in the future but how do I convince management that they need to be redone? The Lead Auditor, who is also the person responsible for updating revisions doesn't want me to pursue this because of the extra work in controlling document changes. I don't want to overstep anyone but I KNOW what is going wrong on the floor.

I need some possible scenarios that might occur before I talked to the coordinator. I don't want to center any of the workers out, and possibly make them feel they're in trouble or anything.
Can the external Auditors say these instructions are not effective?
What if an employee says they don't use their WI because it is not helpful?
That would mean they're not being reviewed for their effectiveness?
I am ready to role up my sleeves and get busy if that helps.
 
N

noboost4you

#24
Good morning everyone,

Attached is a little work instruction I put together and I have a few questions on it:

1. Dates: Does there need to be an Issued date? If so, what exactly is an issue date; the date its printed off or the date its physically given to the department to use?

2. Dates: In the footer, we have a Created By, Verified By, and Approved By with dates. I created these three sections for traceability; is it required/recommended or could I do away with them? Also, after each signature block is a date block; do we really need to know when each person signed the work instruction?

Simply because I may sign it one day and then a couple months later it may be approved. Is the date when it was approved the issue date as well?

Thanks,
Bryan
 

Attachments

D

DsqrdDGD909

#25
Good morning everyone,

Attached is a little work instruction I put together and I have a few questions on it:

1. Dates: Does there need to be an Issued date? If so, what exactly is an issue date; the date its printed off or the date its physically given to the department to use?

2. Dates: In the footer, we have a Created By, Verified By, and Approved By with dates. I created these three sections for traceability; is it required/recommended or could I do away with them? Also, after each signature block is a date block; do we really need to know when each person signed the work instruction?

Simply because I may sign it one day and then a couple months later it may be approved. Is the date when it was approved the issue date as well?

Thanks,
Bryan
Bryan,

We do our docs electronically, but we have an origination date (date doc was first created), review dates when it was reviewed before it is approved as final, approved as final dates, date doc is effective and a review by date (typically 1-2 years after the effective date).

Looking at the document I would simplify it by not having a third numbering (e.g. 2.3.1) - it looks like they would all fit under 2.3. Just my :2cents:
 

Sidney Vianna

Post Responsibly
Staff member
Admin
#26
During the beginning stages of our ISO journey, the people who performed the work were asked to make WI to satisfy (what was thought to be) an ISO requirement.
It is not.
So what we have now is 100's of WI that are either not required. (The process is repetitive or simple) or inefficient work instructions that are of no help.
Get rid of the ones that are not required and ensure that the required ones reflect the tasks and activities at hand.
I see people working in an area when someone suddenly is away and they're trying to use these "work instruction" and they're failing miserable, production is stopping/slowing or who knows what is being shipped out. It really is a mess. Our assemblers are assembling some pretty complicated things, and variations etc. I really think some good detailed instructions would be a good way to capture the knowledge of these workers before they all start to retire, or worse, before they all win lottery pool!
I've talked to the people on the floor and the authors of the original WI agree that the WI would not be useful to someone who would need them in the future but how do I convince management that they need to be redone?
Can you provide data to management about non-conforming products, customer returns, productivity drops which can be traced to substandard assembly as a result of ineffective WI's? If you can, those would be powerful arguments added to the knowledge management piece.
 

Jim Wynne

Staff member
Admin
#27
In addition to Sid's excellent advice, I think there's a utility for work instructions that's almost always overlooked. Before instructions are written, the design of the process should be verified--it should be confirmed that if the process operates in accordance with the instructions, nothing bad is likely to happen. When it comes time to actually document the operation of the process, the written instructions also become a record of those efforts, and a reference for how the process must be operated. Work instructions are all about standardization, and the people who operate the process must understand that there is one way and only one way, to do it properly. If you can't do that, you need to go back to the process design phase.
 

CarolX

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#28
Bryan - first off - well done!!
:applause: :applause:

1. Dates: Does there need to be an Issued date? If so, what exactly is an issue date; the date its printed off or the date its physically given to the department to use?
I have approval date on mine - that is the day it is approved and issued for use.
KIS (keep it simple)

2. Dates: In the footer, we have a Created By, Verified By, and Approved By with dates. I created these three sections for traceability; is it required/recommended or could I do away with them? Also, after each signature block is a date block; do we really need to know when each person signed the work instruction?
Do you really need all that info? Created, verified and approved by - you only need to know who approved it and when.

Simply because I may sign it one day and then a couple months later it may be approved. Is the date when it was approved the issue date as well?
Why would you sign it one day and not issue it immediately? Why the extra steps?
 
N

nitejava

#29
Thanks Syd, Thanks Jim.
I know you're both right.

I think I was looking for an easy fix, namely a sure external finding that will occure if there isn't something done, to scare up action. I wouldn't really do that, but it's nice to know I can. :)

But what I did not know is that the WI could be used as proof/records of a process. That's very good to know for when the bridge comes.
 
C

C Logan

#30
I am new to this forum as well. I agree with the other fine folks do not get caught up in a specific format, ISO doesn't require a specific format you determine what works for your company then define it.

When To Document:
When activities:
> Are very complex or difficult to remember
> Have critical sequencing
> Have important measurements and proportions
> Are not common or are rarely performed
> Are subject to a high rate of employee turnover or performed by temporary help.

Risk of losing the body of knowledge.
Customer, government or standard required.
Training alone is not adequate.

Hope this helps.
 
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