In short: a good work instruction lets a trained colleague perform a task correctly the first time without asking anyone. To get there: pick one task, watch it being done, write one action per step, add a photo of the real situation, state target values and checks, test it with a new operator, publish it digitally at the workstation and give it an owner. The template below is the structure we use for every instruction.
What makes a work instruction good?
A work instruction is not a description of a process and not a training manual. It is the shortest possible guide that gets one task done right, by someone who already has the basic skills. Good instructions share five properties:
- One task, one instruction. "Change the die on press 3" is a task. "Operate press 3" is a manual.
- One action per step. A step that contains "and" usually hides two steps and a place where errors happen.
- Concrete values. "Tighten to 35 Nm" instead of "tighten firmly". "Wait until the display shows 180 °C" instead of "wait until hot".
- A picture of the real thing. A photo of your machine, your part and your fixture, taken from the position the operator stands in.
- A check at every critical point. A confirmation, a measured value or a photo of the result where a mistake would be expensive.
Eight steps to write a work instruction
1. Choose the task and its trigger
Start with tasks that cause errors, questions or long onboarding. Write down when the task starts (the trigger: a work order, an alarm, a changeover) and when it is finished (the result: a tested pump on the pallet, a signed release). Everything between those two points belongs in the instruction; everything else does not.
2. Watch the task being done by your best operator
Do not write from memory. Stand next to an experienced operator, let them perform the task at normal speed and note every action, every tool and every check they perform, including the ones they do not consider worth mentioning. Those unmentioned checks are usually the knowledge you want to capture.
3. Take photos from the operator's point of view
While watching, photograph each state that is easier to show than to describe: the part in the correct position, the setting on the display, the finished result, and the most common wrong state. Take the photos from where the operator stands, in the real lighting, with the real tools. Two minutes with a phone is enough.
4. Write the steps: one action, one verb, one sentence
Start every step with a verb: place, tighten, check, measure, confirm. Keep sentences short and avoid adjectives that need interpretation. Compare:
| Weak step | Strong step |
|---|---|
| Make sure the housing is properly mounted and the bolts are tight. | Place the housing on the two guide pins (photo). Tighten the four M8 bolts crosswise to 25 Nm. |
| Let the machine warm up. | Press Start. Wait until the display shows 180 °C (about 4 minutes). |
| Check the quality. | Measure the outer diameter at position A (photo). Target 42.00 mm, tolerance ±0.05 mm. Enter the value. |
| Finish the job. | Take a photo of the label on the pallet. Press Save. |
5. Add checks, values and safety steps
Wherever an error would be expensive or dangerous, turn the step into a check the operator must confirm: a measured value with a tolerance, a photo of the result, a yes/no confirmation or a signature. Put safety steps (lock-out, protective equipment, hazardous materials) in the sequence where they are needed, not in a general warning at the top that nobody reads.
6. Test with someone who has never done the task
Give the draft to a trained colleague who has not performed this specific task and watch them follow it without helping. Every question they ask is a missing step, a missing photo or an ambiguous value. Fix those, then test again. Two rounds are usually enough.
7. Publish digitally where the work happens
An instruction in a binder or a network folder is read once. Publish it in a system with version control, put a QR code or NFC tag on the machine so the instruction opens in seconds, and retract the paper version the same day. Digital execution also gives you the evidence for audits: who did what, when, with which values and photos.
8. Give it an owner and a feedback loop
Every instruction needs one owner who receives remarks from operators, reviews the instruction after changes or incidents and publishes new versions. Without an owner, digital instructions age exactly like paper. With a remark button in the instruction, the improvement loop runs by itself.
Work instruction template
Copy this structure for every instruction. In the Work Instruction App the header fields are part of the workflow definition and each step is a block with its own photo, text and optional input.
| Field | Content |
|---|---|
| Title | Verb + object + where: "Change die on press 3" |
| Owner and version | Name of the owner, version number, date published (automatic in a digital system) |
| Trigger | When this instruction is used: "At every product changeover on press 3" |
| Required | Tools, materials, protective equipment, qualification |
| Safety | Lock-out and protective measures placed as steps in the sequence |
| Steps 1 to n | One action each, with photo, target value or tolerance where relevant, and a check (confirmation, value, photo, signature) at critical points |
| Result | What "done" looks like, with a photo of the correct end state |
| Remarks | A way for the operator to report problems or suggest improvements to the owner |
Checklist before you publish
- Every step starts with a verb and contains one action.
- Every value has a unit and a tolerance.
- Every critical step has a check the operator must confirm.
- Photos show the real workstation and are taken from the operator's position.
- A colleague who never did the task completed it without asking questions.
- The instruction opens from the machine via QR code or NFC tag.
- The paper version is removed and the owner and review date are set.
Where work instructions fit
Work instructions are the lowest, most concrete level of your documentation. They belong to a procedure that defines responsibilities and records; the relationship between policies, processes, SOPs and work instructions is explained in SOP vs. work instruction vs. procedure vs. policy. To build your first one in the app, follow the getting started guide; the available step types (text, photo, value, signature, barcode) are listed under user input.
