Doing More with Less

I was inspired to create Poka through my experience working in a factory. I quickly recognized that we needed to document our internal processes and knowledge to achieve standardized and stable production. 

Doing Things the Old Way

Here’s what I noticed about the old way of documenting our internal knowledge:

• Microsoft Word is not a continuous open learning platform that fosters incremental editing: Employee performance is directly impacted by the lack of easy access to up-to-date instructions.
• Does not offer real, experiential data: Without video and audio instructions processes are not as easily understood.
• Extensive bureaucratic editing processes and usage: Time to create instructions, retrieving information, editing and publishing company-wide documents is too long and complex.
• The creation process is time consuming: The instruction writer must be shown how to operate the machine while writing all relevant information for the future write-up.

Knowledge Retention

The retention of key information that cannot be transferred by written means is lost when an experienced employee leaves. Not only does the company lose a skilled employee, but also the tips and insights gained over the years. For the new employee to reach a similar skill level, an extensive amount of time, as well as financial resources, will be needed.

Companies need a new approach when producing training material. They must allow employees to build instructions by recording videos and step by step images, rather than using text alone. This will provide users with better insight into what to do before each task. Video instruction provide more tacit knowledge which text cannot convey. Video takes key information in the context of real people and real experiences within a company. The video recording of an instruction will also significantly reduce the amount of time a written instruction currently takes.

The usage of videos will allow employees to learn at their own pace since they can pause and repeat the video if they have not fully comprehended the procedure.

"A key benefit of video is the access to an expert without time constraint and the pressure to understand the very first time"

By transitioning to video procedures companies will experience the following benefits:

• Help employees perform their jobs more efficiently while saving time through better decision making and problem-solving
• Diffuse best practices
• Cross-fertilize ideas and increase opportunities for innovation
• True continuous development culture
• Reduction of employee turnover
• Reduction of time required for an employee to become proficient at their job.
• Reduction in training costs
• Reduction in Quality, Safety and productivity issues

It has been proven; implementing a simple solution offering video training for employees creates a productive and engaged workforce.