What is Tribal Knowledge in Manufacturing?

Tribal knowledge refers to the informal, undocumented information and expertise that employees accumulate through experience. It is often passed down verbally and can create risks if not properly documented.

Converting tribal knowledge into standardized SOP documents ensures consistency, reduces errors and improves training by providing explicit guidance and detailed instructions accessible to all employees.

Relying on tribal knowledge can lead to inconsistent employee training and skills gaps. Documented SOPs and digital work instructions provide a step-by-step list of tasks that help train employees effectively.

Organizations that depend on tribal knowledge risk quality control issues, knowledge loss when employees leave, increased downtime and operational inefficiencies due to lack of explicit guidance.

Connected worker platforms like Poka digitize and centralize tribal knowledge into a single platform, enabling real-time access to up-to-date SOPs, improving communication and supporting continuous improvement.