16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER

WORK INSTRUCTIONS
 WELCOME
Are you growing frustrated using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to create and
manage your companys work instructions and product documentation?

Youre not alone.

Being tasked with ensuring that operators properly follow work instructions,
stay on top of updates, and adhere to quality standards is easier said than
done. The days just arent long enough to monitor everyone and everything.

Tens of thousands of other manufacturing professionals have benefited from

replacing clunky documents and versioning systems, and well show you
how, without breaking the bank.

16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 2

UPGRADE YOUR
WORK INSTRUCTIONS
In this guide, learn how to improve processes and save time by improving your work
instructions. Well address the most common issues faced by production engineers,
shop floor managers, COOs, and more:

Creating initial versions takes forever, and its nearly impossible to standardize
templates to reduce errors down the line.

Updating outdated versions is a nightmare due to clunky editing

tools, frustrating Word documents, and lengthy processes to track down
approval signatures.

Distributing paper instructions takes tons of time, requiring confirmation that

employees are working from the correct versions and that old ones are archived.

Tracking production data is nearly impossible with paper instructions, as they arent
connected to popular ERP systems.

One consistent theme in the headaches outlined above is inefficiencywasted time.

Now, lets dive into how you can improve your work instructions in 16 easy steps.
TA B LE O F CO N T EN TS
CR E AT ING
K E E P I T S IMPLE , AVOID WALLS OF TEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
K N OW YOUR AUDIE N CE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
BE SP ECIFIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
I N CLU DE CLEAR PHOTOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
M A K E I T EAS Y TO N AV IGATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
M A K E I T MODULAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
U SE LI STS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
STA R T WIT H A V E R B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
U SE V I DEOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
T E ST I T OUT WITH A BEGIN N ER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
D O N T US E WE AS E L WOR DS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

U P DATING
I N CO R P OR AT E FEEDBACK LOOPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
ST I C K TO A PR OCE S S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

D ISTR IBUT I N G
I M P LE M E N T A S TAN DAR DIZE D V ER S ION CO NTRO L SY STEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
D I TC H THE PAPE R BIN DER S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

TR ACK ING
I N CO R P OR AT E WITH E R P S YS T E MS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
CREATING
Producing initial versions takes forever, and its nearly impossible to
standardize templates to reduce errors down the line.

The following tips can help.

16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS

 1. K E E P IT SIM P L E , AVO I D WA L L S O F T EX T

Front-load the useful details. When you start with the important stuff,
your readers take the essential point with themeven if they dont read
everything.

Assume your readers are not going to slog through entire paragraphs.
Readers are scannershunting and pecking for words and phrases that
they find pertinent.

The average person spends just seconds reading a web page, absorbing
only about 20% of the text. The more concise you are, the more
information readers actually comprehend.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 6

 2 . K NOW YO U R AU D IE N C E

Optimize your work instructions to match the audiences expertise.

Knowing your audience means knowing what to include and what
not to include.

It means you know how many steps itll take to explain something. It
means you know how long your manual is going to be and what sort of
language to useyou shouldnt be writing over your audiences head.

Not sure how to gauge the reading level of your writing?

Free sites like Hemingway Editor let you measure

the readability of your instructions.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 7

 3. BE S PECIF IC

Work instructions dont just standardize work, they also prevent

accidents. Give your team members all the information they need
to stay safe.

Rather than assuming a user can fill in the gaps in written information, be
sure to include specific actions and steps for the user to be successful.

After all, its always possible to have an instruction be too short.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 8

 4. IN CLUD E CL E AR P H OTO S

Dont just tell readers how to do somethingshow them. Instructions filled with
blocks of technical jargon are time consuming, and difficult to understand. To ensure
a successful end-user experience, its crucial to use photos in your documentation.

Most people are visual thinkers. They sketch out a process or mentally visualize steps
before tackling a project. By including photos, youll not only save them time and
energyyoull also foster their confidence.

Work instruction tools like Dozuki also have built-in markup tools to quickly add
notations on an image. They allow you to highlight key detailslike individual screws
or special componentsand they guarantee that your instructions are precise.

Need a crash course in how-to take great photos?

Check out our free photography workshop

for some professional tips.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 9

 5. MA KE IT E ASY TO N AV I G AT E

End users hate flipping or scrolling through hundreds of pages to find

the one instruction they need. Information should be easy to find, no
matter how you choose to publish it.

Choose a system with built-in search to allow users to quickly find

what they need. In addition to a search, be sure to include a table of
contents and an index for easy referencing and organizing.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 10

 6. MA KE IT MO D U L AR

Breaking tasks down into repurposable segments can make instructions easier
to comprehend. Think of it this way: processes have to be done in a certain order.

You cant make a hamburger without first cooking your beef. So, grilling your burger
patty is a prerequisitea dependent task. Prepping the toppingstoasting the buns,
slicing tomatoes, washing the lettuceis also a prerequisite.

Organizing your procedural information based on prerequisite tasks is an easy way

to create modular instructions. These modular layouts act as building blocks, which
allow workflows to respond quickly to changes. Teams will have the ability to move
discrete processes to underutilized workstations, balance production lines, and
reduce overall cycle times.

See how Automation Plastics standardized their

work instructions and captured tribal knowledge
to achieve ISO certification compliance.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 11

 7. US E LIS TS

Whether numbered or bulleted, short lists are quick for users to

comprehend and highly skimmable.

Not sure what sections would be best for your instructions? Design
your own structure.

Take a look around at other successful instructions you have. Figure

out what you like and what you dont like about them. Use that
information to make your future work instructions even better.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 12

 8. STA R T W ITH A V E R B

Not using a verb to begin your instructions gives them a passive voice.
Procedures arent suggestions, they are meant to be followed.

Operators shouldnt have to guess what to do, by starting with a verb

you are immediately setting the stage for the who and whatthe
meat of your instructions.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 13

 9. US E VID EO S

People are drawn to instructional videos.

They mimic that one-on-one, expert/apprentice relationship that we crave when

learning something for the first time. Videos also help you quickly demonstrate
movements that cant be properly captured in a still image, like rotation.

In fact, video instructions are so popular that YouTube is now the internets default
authority for everything from computer repair to home improvement to physics.

Learn the ins and outs of creating effective

instructional videos in our free tutorial.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 14

 1 0. TE S T IT O U T W ITH A B EG I N N ER

Sometimes it can be hard to tell when your work instructions are unclear. Want to
make sure? Give your writing to someone who knows nothing about the procedure.

Try a hallway usability test: hand the instructions to five random people in the
building. Every time someone says, I dont know what this means, its time for
some revisions.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 15

 11. DONT U SE WE ASE L WO R DS

Some words can weasel into your sentence and steal your oomph.

Words like "mostly," "slightly," "seems," and "somewhat" are built-in sentence
loopholes. They signal to the user that you mean what you say just not entirely.

Is the screw "pretty hard to tighten" or is it just hard to tighten? Is running into your ex
"fairly uncomfortable" or is it just downright uncomfortable?

Say what you mean without wishy-washy words, it will give your instructions more
credibility and authority.

CREATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 16

UPDATING
Overhauling outdated versions can be a nightmare.

With clunky editing tools, frustrating Word documents, and lengthy

processes to track down approval signatures, it can be easy to just
give up.

Were here to boost your confidence and help you stick it out! The
upside on updating is well worth it, lets dig in.

16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS

 12 . IN CORP O R ATE F E E D B AC K LO O PS

Written instructions are never done: effective, continuous improvement means

constantly integrating feedback from the people actually doing the work. Put a
system in place to capture user feedback.

Giving your employees tablets is a great way to bring them into the loop. This allows
you to empower employees to comment on and suggest improvementsdirectly
from the floor.

Workers know which instructions are confusing. Deputize them as adjunct members
of your team. Once they know youre listening, theyll feel empowered to help you
revise and improve your documentation.

Learn how Training Within Industry (TWI) helps

organizations incorporate employee feedback
and create effective training programs.

UPDATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 18

 13. S TICK TO A P RO CE S S

Implementing standardized processes can be a tough sell on the line, particularly

when people have been doing procedures the same way for years.

Let employees know that youre not shoving a new procedure down their throatyou
want to optimize procedures to make everyones job easier. Giving them a voice in
the process and integrating their feedback is the best way to get everyone on board.

UPDATING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 19

DISTRIBUTING
Sharing paper instructions takes tons of time, requiring confirmation
of receipt and proper archiving.

Its easy to spend as much time distributing new versions with teams
as you did authoring them, but that doesnt have to be the norm.

16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS

 14. IMPLE ME NT A STAN DA R DI ZED
VE R S IO N CO NTRO L S Y S T EM

Ensuring everyone is working from the correct information is a never ending task.
When a new version is released, it can take an entire team to track down and replace
the old versions, and can be even harder to confirm delivery.

Digital work instructions allow users to instantly receive updates of new versions,
archive old ones, and restrict access based on user permissionsmaking sure teams
are working from the right document, every time.

Deploying new versions should be easy. See how

built-in version control software can help.

DISTRIBUTING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 21

 15. DITC H T HE PAP E R B I N DER S

Unfortunately, there is simply no easy way to update a paper manual.

In 2012, Toyota had to recall thousands of cars because they botched a couple
sentences in the manual.

What happens if a safety-critical update misses 5% of your field technicians or floor

operators? Thats just one of many reasons to adopt a central work instructions
platform like Dozuki. With dozens of built-in features specifically intended to improve
work instructions, leave the most challenging part of the process to the experts.

Dozukis innovative software has built-in

version control, custom approval workflows, data
capture, video support, and moreall designed to
help your teams run more efficiently.

DISTRIBUTING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 22

TRACKING
Collecting production data can be nearly impossible with paper
instructions, as they arent connected to popular ERP systems
you use to track key metrics.

With a modern approach, your work instructions and ERP systems

can play niceand you can avoid future headaches.

16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS

 16. IN CORP O R AT E WITH ER P S Y S T EM S

Having disconnected documentation and data collection just creates one more
hurdle to capturing accurate information from floor operators. Work instructions
provide you with a great opportunity to collect data directly from the floor.

Look for a digital work instructions platform that integrates directly with your
existing ERP system, giving you valuable insight into cycle times, employee
efficiency, and more.

Who are your most efficient performers? What

time of day is the most productive? Dozuki
captures key data straight from your instructions.

TRACKING | 16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS 24

IMPROVE YOUR WORK
INSTRUCTIONS WITH DOZUKI
Focusing on work instructions can transform your companys efficiency
and lean efforts. Using clear visuals and concise language can reduce
your quality issues while boosting employee confidence.

The basics weve outlined here are just the beginning. This guide
contains many helpful tips for your instructions, but these tactics are
only the tip of the iceberg. Continue to improve and collaborate each
work instruction in an effort to improve your communication efforts and
increase output.

Now go, young grasshopper, youre well on your way to becoming a

work instruction master.

16 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER WORK INSTRUCTIONS

A BOUT D OZ U K I
Dozuki is the visual, online work instructions software that helps companies make better
work instructions, training manuals, and product support guides.

For years, companies have relied on outdated programs like Word or Powerpoint to
produce instructions. The result: messy, insecure, and hard to update documentation.
Dozuki offers the perfect alternativea powerful interactive tool, designed with robust
features for your companys needs.

For more information on Dozuki, including a full list of features, product videos, live
demos, along with additional resources such as customer stories, on-demand webinars,
and ROI calculators, visit our website at www.dozuki.com

Headquarters: Headquarters: Features include:

1330 Monterey St 1Tbingerstr. 77/1 -Version control
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 70178 Stuttgart, Germany -Centralized management
+1 805 316 0880 +32 473 999 380
-Data capture
-Custom approvals
-Built-in translations
Web: http://dozuki.com
-Flexible API
Email: hello@dozuki.com
-Export to PDF
Blog: http://dozuki.com/blog
... and more