Conduent developed a prototype for concise standardized work instructions that enabled a major manufacturer of jet engine structural components to add manufacturing technicians and meet Lean program requirements. This in turn allowed them to respond to increased demand. Our prototype for the performance support for each work process included critical requirements, reasoning, and specific techniques from experienced technician. This supported all technicians in performing the work consistently and with the same understanding of critical steps. The prototype became a model approach that was applied to design and develop performance support for other client programs.
Industry: Manufacturing
- Curation
- Workflow Learning
- Managed Learning Services
- Vendor Sourcing
The challenge
A major manufacturer of jet engine structural components was hiring manufacturing technicians to meet the increasing production-rates demands. The incoming new hires needed simplified, standardized work instructions. To sustain growth and provide for workforce training, a lean manufacturing process with standard work was needed. As these structural components involved advanced composites, the existing work instructions were not adequate and needed significant refinement. Experienced technicians were knowledgeable and skilled in these processes, but their know-how was not documented.
The solution
Conduent supported a pilot project, with a rapid prototyping approach, to design and develop simplified, standardized work instructions to meet Lean program requirements. The new approach added critical requirements, reasoning, and experienced technician’s knack/technique to the documentation. This ensured technicians would perform the same operations the same way and have the knowledge of why critical steps are important. An instructional designer was assigned to work on-site with client subject matter experts and managers to provide the short feedback loop required by the rapid prototyping approach.
The results
Conduent and the client selected a typical composite structure process operation to use as a benchmark for the pilot development project. A standard work instruction template was designed, developed, implemented, and tested at the manufacturing site. The new model became an example for further evaluation of the work involved and the benefits realized. The approach documented through the pilot was rolled out on the engine structures program and applied to other existing/new programs.
