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How Dozuki Streamlines Authoring Time
Traditional methods of updating and distributing process documentation can be incredibly time consuming. For one Fortune 100 heavy machinery manufacturer, the manual process...
Continue ReadingDozuki and TWI Institute Partner to Empower Frontline Workers
We’re excited to announce a powerful new partnership between Dozuki and the TWI Institute, combining our strengths to empower frontline workers with effective, hands-on...
Continue ReadingHow Dozuki Streamlines Knowledge Transfer
Dozuki is changing how companies operate by eliminating unnecessary steps from critical workflows. This article explores how to drive efficiency and highlights a real-world...
Continue ReadingRevolutionizing Worker Training with Quizzes in Dozuki
New Dozuki Feature Provides Structured Assessment Tools for Enhanced Comprehension and Skill Development Dozuki, the leading connected worker platform for manufacturers, is...
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How to Build a Custom Library of Digital Process Knowledge
You have probably seen evidence that employee engagement and productivity go hand in hand. But if you're like other manufacturers, you may believe that moving the needle on...
Continue ReadingWhy You Need a Custom Library of Digital Process Knowledge
No worker operates in a vacuum. Human output potential is a function of our tools, our training, and our mental engagement. Your facility has state of the art tools, a...
Continue ReadingCultivating Versatile Manufacturing Leaders
“If you're an operations manager, a lot of the problems that you solve start to rhyme.”In this episode of the Dozuki podcast, Andrew Dendis from RTX discusses his...
Continue ReadingInsights from a Decade of Manufacturing Workforce Trends
In this insightful podcast episode, join Thomas Davis, an experienced training manager, as he unravels the transformative shifts in the manufacturing workforce...
Continue ReadingMastering Value Stream Mapping
"I've never had a leadership team end a mapping activity and say, well, that was a big old waste of time. Never." A seasoned value stream mapping facilitator, Karen Martin,...
Continue ReadingDozuki Names Enterprise Software Veteran Jerry Dolinsky as CEO
Dear Dozuki Community, I am thrilled to reach out to you as the newly appointed CEO of Dozuki. The privilege of leading this exceptional team and community is an honor, and...
Continue Reading3 Mistakes to Avoid When Your Company is in Growth Mode
Our insightful discussion covers the dangers of insignificant improvements, the challenges posed by an overload of initiatives, and the drawbacks of rigid processes. Learn...
Continue ReadingHow 3 Leaders Tackled Key Workforce Challenges
A recent survey by the National Association of Manufacturers underscores a pressing concern for manufacturing executives. Nearly 75% identify attracting and retaining a...
Continue ReadingDecoding the Manufacturing Labor Market
"It's a very tight labor market. For every 1.5 job openings, there's only one unemployed worker.”Join Chad Moutray and Anjana Radhakrishnan from The Manufacturing Institute...
Continue ReadingBuilding A Culture Of Knowledge Capture
In digital manufacturing transformation, tablets are merely the artifacts. When you equip your operators and technicians with the right technology, not only do they document...
Continue ReadingA Paradigm Shift in Quality
"Do not create defects, do not pass defects and do not accept defects." This philosophy is critical for manufacturing digital transformation.In this episode, we sit down...
Continue ReadingA Playbook for Tech Success in Regulated Industries
"When I wake up in the morning to empower an operator and an engineer, and they're using software from four versions ago, then I'm failing them."A former director and manager...
Continue ReadingMaximizing ROI in Year End Budget Talks
The year-end budgeting season is a crucial time for manufacturing organizations to make strategic decisions. Not only about traditional tangible assets like equipment,...
Continue Reading5S and Beyond: Elevate Your Lean Journey
In this episode, we learn the importance of standards in your 5S program. From visual controls to supply procurement and accountability, standards play a pivotal role in...
Continue ReadingManufacturing 5.0 Balancing Human Expertise in the Digital Era
If you’re starting with technology, you’re starting wrong. Manufacturers that start with people, and then follow with technology, stay competitive in the changing...
Continue ReadingFrom Flame To Flourish: End Firefighting
"At a traditional manufacturing organization, your goal is to solve the problem as quickly as you can and get back to equilibrium. But at a lean organization, your goal is to...
Continue ReadingHow Connected Worker Solutions Reduce Onboarding Time
New employee onboarding is a crucial process that directly impacts a company's productivity and bottom line. On average, the cost of onboarding a new hire amounts to ...
Continue ReadingEquipping Your Frontline for a Digital Future
"Workers are more accepting when tools are not a solution that means more work for them." Wise words from Bill Tomlinson, a veteran Training & Development leader at...
Continue ReadingFrom DIY Solutions To Data Driven Breakthroughs
"Quality assurance is about transforming digital acquisition into information that you can leverage."This might be our most tactical and encouraging episode yet! Mark Gobessi
Continue ReadingConnected Workforce | What Is It & How Does It Benefit Companies?
One of the best ways businesses can get ahead and remain competitive is to embrace the available tools. And right now, that means implementing a connected workforce. Table...
Continue ReadingSkillsets + Mindsets = Frontline Employee Engagement
"I need to know I'm spending my time solving problems, not finding them."Wise words from Jonathan Keiper at MPP Innovation, who talks about the significance of engaging the...
Continue ReadingHow Connected Worker Solutions Combat Worker Shortages
The manufacturing sector has always played a crucial role in the economy. But our industry has been grappling with a notable shortage of labor in recent years. This...
Continue ReadingI Got 99 Problems, But Skills Ain’t One
How many of your frontline manufacturing workers are engaged, productive, and feel a sense of ownership in their process? Manufacturing Digital recently reported that...
Continue ReadingNavigating Industry 4.0: Insights from a Manufacturing Innovator
"We literally have to create the talent if we can't find it." These inspiring words (and more!) come from our Season 2 kickoff conversation with LaRuthie Mason, who works at...
Continue ReadingKnowledge vs. Skills: Why Manufacturers Must Train For Both
Two terms manufacturing leaders use a lot are knowledge and skills. You’ve probably read material and even participated in training programs around topics like tribal...
Continue ReadingInside the Box: Unwrapping Trends and Tactics in CPG Manufacturing
The formula for CPG manufacturing has some new variables: Consumers reshaped consumption habits in the pandemic.Employees are hitting the factory floor with no skills or...
Continue ReadingDozuki's Secrets to Drastically Cut Scrap Waste
Snuffing out the waste in manufacturing is difficult, but not impossible.Facilities who are successful in their waste reduction efforts will gain benefits in terms of cost...
Continue ReadingCreating The Frontline Of The Future, Part 10
Does your facility have a suggestion box? Or is there a more formal framework for collecting and implementing process feedback from your frontline workers? Most...
Continue ReadingHow a Small Machine Shop Became a Top 20 Supplier to NASA
“Be careful with that silicon wafer. It's worth more than your house.” Rodney Babcock, President of Next Intent, learned this lesson as the quality assurance manager...
Continue ReadingWhat The Doc Ordered: Better Performance in Medical Manufacturing
The landscape of medical manufacturing has gotten more complex. Pandemic related shutdowns created global supply chain disruptions A batch of macroeconomic and regulatory...
Continue ReadingCreating The Frontline Of The Future, Part 9
Workforce Development You’ve probably heard the adage, the tool is as only as good or bad as the user. We believe this principle has broad applications in digital...
Continue ReadingStreamlining Production: How Lean Manufacturing Can Revolutionize Your Business
Manufacturing is a delicate process. So many moving parts must come together just right if the aim is to produce goods of the highest quality in the most cost-effective way...
Continue ReadingHow to Hold a Rattlesnake Hunt at Your Factory
“The experts are the people that do it every.” Mark “Southern Sensei” Preston has been driving change in manufacturing and front office environments for over thirty years...
Continue ReadingCreating The Frontline Of The Future, Part 8
Alignment Fosters ScalabilityIn the early stages of digital transformation, only a few stakeholders are involved Manufacturing companies typically begin their journey by...
Continue ReadingDozuki & TWI Institute Announce Strategic Partnership To Reimagine How Manufacturers Train The Frontline
Dozuki and the TWI Institute are thrilled to announce an exclusive strategic partnership that combines TWI’s industry-leading training methodology and best practices with...
Continue ReadingHow Governments Play a Role in Supporting Manufacturing
"Train the workforce first, and then introduce new technology. Otherwise that tech will be sitting in a corner with a tarp over it." Paul Lavoie first fell in love with...
Continue ReadingCreating The Frontline Of The Future, Part 7
Technology Enables Resilience Do you know what the first manufacturing technology was? Let’s go back to prehistoric times, over two million years ago. The Stone Age...
Continue ReadingMaximizing Efficiency: A Guide to Total Productive Maintenance
Maintenance is an essential requirement for any manufacturing company. Whenever machinery and equipment enter an equation, there will be a likelihood of that machinery...
Continue ReadingHow to Build a Thriving Machine Shop
“We make the components that make the magic happen. Everything else is just a sculpture.”That’s the economic value of precision manufacturing. All those machined parts...
Continue ReadingDriving Fear Off The Factory Floor
Did you know there are five fears that all human beings share? Below is the official list, according to the widely cited psychological research outlined in Karl Albrecht’s...
Continue ReadingA Deeper Look Into Quality Assurance vs. Quality Control in Manufacturing
Manufacturing is taking raw materials and turning them into a product people need. Our industry makes the world go around. But competition, which is in part responsible for...
Continue ReadingManufacturing The Heavy Way: Unlocking Productivity Gains
Disruption is the new status quo in heavy equipment.Supply chain challenges continue to impact production.Covid accelerated labor trends that impact every part of the...
Continue ReadingA Food Manufacturers Recipe for Quality
The status quo for food and beverage manufacturing has some new ingredients.Consider several of the social, economic, and cultural trends impacting the industry: ...
Continue ReadingFrontline Of The Future, Part 6
How To Staff Your Front Line Without ExcelOne of our customers, a plant manager at a chemical manufacturing company, made this observation:“Getting the time to train every...
Continue ReadingHow Auto Manufacturers Can Avoid Production Potholes
Automotive manufacturing has been a windy road. Here are a few of the social, economic and cultural trends currently impacting automotive manufacturing. But automotive...
Continue ReadingHow To Go From Worst To First
"We're paying them for their hands, but they're freely willing & able to give of their hearts, if you engage them and help them with this vision." Erik Richardson shared...
Continue ReadingIdentifying Defects: How Root Cause Analysis Will Save Manufacturing
Manufacturing companies work hard to build a lean culture. The never-ending march toward the ideal of perfection through the motto of continuous improvement requires constant...
Continue ReadingFrontline Of The Future, Part 5
In any type of manufacturing, lubrication is essential.It reduces wear, minimizes friction, dampens noise, dissipates heat, and absorbs shock on machine components. Human...
Continue ReadingOperational Resilience Explained
America was built on manufacturing.And manufacturing was built on resilience. Our country has proven to be a place where workers who are skilled with their hands (and have...
Continue ReadingWhat Manufacturing Leaders Need to Know About Workforce Empowerment
Empowered workers require enlightened leaders. Organizations can either act as an incentive (or an obstruction!) to the expression of a frontline worker's sense of ownership.
Continue ReadingHow to Create a Daily Management System
Do your frontline employees know if they’re winning or losing each day?The answer to that question is simple, but not easy.Michael Muilenburg spent 35+ years at 3M building a...
Continue ReadingFrontline Of The Future, Part 4
According to recent numbers from the Bureau of Labor, there are 12,559,000 manufacturing employees in the country. That’s eight percent of our nation’s employment. And yet,...
Continue ReadingWhy Do Value Stream Mapping? | Benefits & Examples
A successful business incorporates two critical factors, customers, and cost. The goal of any business is to provide the most outstanding value for the customer at the lowest
Continue ReadingManufacturing Doesn’t Have A Hiring Problem, It Has A Retention Problem
Consider two pieces of recent industry data: 75% of the workforce will be millennials by 2025. (Forbes) Thousands of experienced workers are retiring daily. The Silver Tsunami
Continue Reading11 Essential Workplace Safety Tips for a Secure & Healthy Environment
Workplace safety is a topic that businesses simply cannot overlook. For one thing, employers have an obligation to their employees to provide a safe work environment and to...
Continue ReadingFirefighting In Manufacturing
Why It Happens, What It Costs, and How To Stop It Firefighting is a burning issue in manufacturing. Not only are facilities dealing with safety measures like flammable...
Continue ReadingHow to Deliver People Centric Manufacturing Training
“The supervisor is the customer of the training.” When Vitalii Potapenko of Solar Plastics first shared these words with us, we knew their company was doing something special...
Continue ReadingFrontline Of The Future, Part 3
Accessibility Creates Profitability Manufacturers that don’t provide broad access to essential knowledge are at a significant deficit. This form of content debt comes at a...
Continue ReadingThe Cardinal Rule of Process Documentation: Read the Comments
We’re told the cardinal rule of the internet is, “Never read the comments.” This catchphrase is used to warn users of the toxic parts of the internet. One minute you’re...
Continue ReadingFrontline of the Future, Part 2
Digitizing Your Processes Do you have a process for process? Or are disconnected paper systems preventing valuable efficiency gains? Most manufacturing companies would say...
Continue ReadingThe Cost of Losing Frontline Employees
Here's How To Avoid Paying It Employee retention is as important (if not more important) than hiring workers. At any given manufacturing organization, a single frontline...
Continue ReadingA New Model For Manufacturing Hiring
Constraint, Currency & Clarity What invention had the most profound impact on manufacturing hiring? Not the steam engine. Not the assembly line. Not lean practices. Not...
Continue ReadingFrontline of the Future: Part 1
Historical Forces Impacting Manufacturing At Dozuki, we have our finger on the pulse of manufacturing trends. We believe it’s part of our mission to formulate clear...
Continue ReadingA Comprehensive Guide to Predictive Maintenance in Manufacturing | 2023
Effective maintenance requires a well-rounded approach. Manufacturing companies use planned, reactive, and proactive systems to prevent breakdowns and address problems as...
Continue ReadingHow to Tackle Hiring By Recruiting Student Athletes To Man The Line
Factories are fighting to fill open roles. And a lack of standardization creates a bottleneck that makes it hard for frontline employees to hit the ground running on day one.
Continue ReadingHow To Accelerate Frontline Learning With TWI
Frontline supervisors are not educated as teachers or coaches. The good news is, they can learn that skill. Most training programs focus on training operators, and we have...
Continue Reading4 Ways Digital Tools Improve Quality
Twenty years ago, digital tools were “a thing.” Now they flow through all things. To some degree, every manufacturer is now a digital company. And with the right modern...
Continue ReadingOvercoming Manufacturing Lead Time | What Is Lead Time & How To Reduce It?
Manufacturing companies rely on their ability to get products to customers quickly and efficiently. If it’s one thing customers are not, it’s understanding when it comes to...
Continue ReadingThe Most Common Manufacturing KPIs and Metrics to Track & Why | 2023
Manufacturing is a highly competitive industry, and the road to success has been uphill for many businesses over the last several years. Table of Contents Criteria for...
Continue ReadingThe Myth of Augmented Reality in Manufacturing
Do you remember Glass? Not the epic 2019 finale to the superhero trilogy with evil genius Samuel Jackson. I’m referring to Google’s failed launch of their smart glasses. Back...
Continue ReadingThe Cost of Bad Work Instructions
Bad work instructions are the norm. Documentation is often created to check a box for audit or compliance purposes. But once completed, those work instructions get trapped...
Continue ReadingImpact of AI in Manufacturing: Benefits, Challenges & Use Cases
Artificial Intelligence has become a hot topic in society today. What once was a term relegated to science fiction novels is now commonplace among people from all walks of...
Continue ReadingQuality Assurance in Manufacturing: An In-Depth Guide to Achieve Customer Confidence
It’s time to talk about quality. In this industry, quality is everything, and competition between manufacturers is fierce. Table of Content 1. Key Principles of Quality...
Continue ReadingPush vs. Pull System in Manufacturing: A Complete Overview for Optimizing Production
Manufacturing companies must carefully balance expenditure and revenue to remain profitable. It might sound simple when put that way, but every manufacturer knows that the...
Continue ReadingBest Methods to Reduce Human Error in Manufacturing
In manufacturing, many factors need to be balanced and aligned for companies to be successful. And one of those factors includes the combination of humans and machines...
Continue ReadingBest Practices to Maximize Production Capacity in Manufacturing | 2023
According to the numbers, manufacturing makes up around 12% of the U.S. GDP and provides jobs for 12.984 million Americans, or about 9.6% of all U.S. workers. In other words,...
Continue ReadingBenefits of Procedures & Work Instructions in Manufacturing
Ah, the lingo of business. If there’s one thing that the world of business and industry loves, it’s terminology. Every industry has developed its own language, with specific...
Continue ReadingWhat Makes a Good Digital Work Instruction Software?
When Bob Dylan sang the lyrics, “the times they are a-changin’,” he probably never envisioned what the world would look like just six short decades later. The rise of digital...
Continue ReadingContinuous Manufacturing: Streamlining Production for A Competitive Edge
Continuous manufacturing (CM) is a production method that has gained a lot of attention in different industries due to its ability to streamline production, enhance profits...
Continue ReadingBest Practices of Food Manufacturing Hygiene Standards
Food manufacturing companies have a responsibility to their customers to maintain high-quality control measures and hygiene standards. These practices are necessary to ensure...
Continue Reading5 Ways to Fix the Skills Gap on the Factory Floor
Properly addressing the skills gap takes time. But before you start forming an internal task force or scheduling strategy meetings, consider what impact you can have on the...
Continue Reading5 Ways To Improve Quality Control in Manufacturing
In manufacturing, quality is everything. Businesses need to focus on creating products that are high quality enough to meet or exceed the customer's needs if they want to be...
Continue ReadingHow To Hire the Best Employees for Manufacturing
Employees are the backbone of any company. Nowhere is this more true than the manufacturing industry. Statistics show there are 15.7 million employees in the manufacturing...
Continue ReadingUnderstanding Corrective Action vs. Preventative Action in Manufacturing
One of the most important aspects of a successful manufacturing organization is the ability to solve complex problems as they arise. In keeping with the continuous...
Continue ReadingSolving Modern Workforce Challenges in Food & Beverage Manufacturing
In the midst of unprecedented market demands and supply chain issues, the most innovative food & beverage manufacturers are finding new, creative ways to support an efficient...
Continue ReadingHow To Reduce Defects in Manufacturing in 2022
Product defects are a pain at any manufacturing company. When all the time, energy, and money that is spent to produce a product is wasted due to defects in the final...
Continue ReadingBest Practices On How To Retain Factory Workers
Manufacturing companies rely on workers to be the frontline of production. And while companies across all sectors struggle to recover from a labor crisis perpetuated in part...
Continue Reading11 Common Manufacturing Challenges & Solutions | 2023
When it comes to industry, manufacturing might be one of the most challenging. Because of the high cost of doing business, the need for skilled workers, and an...
Continue ReadingEffective Ways To Reduce Employee Training Costs In Manufacturing
If you have a business that includes the use of employees, one of the first and most important tasks you must fund is training. This is true of all industries, but companies...
Continue ReadingHow to Find Support Investing in Manufacturing Technology
Manufacturing companies are all interested in improving technology on the factory floor but often lack the resources or know-how to get started. This week we speak with Ron...
Continue ReadingHow to Effectively Train New Employees at Factories
In the manufacturing industry, effectively training new and current employees is the backbone of production. However, simply training new employees on the basics is not...
Continue Reading6 Common Manufacturing Facility Hazards & Effective Solutions
Manufacturing facilities serve an important function in a country’s economy, as they create jobs, increase wealth through added value and taxes, promote trade, and support...
Continue ReadingHow to Manage Mobile Devices on the Factory Floor
Tablets and smartphones can transform your industrial operations. This week we are joined by Jacob Rattray, Operational Technology Specialist from 3M. Jacob specializes in...
Continue ReadingHow To Increase Productivity in Manufacturing
There are several ways to define productivity depending on the context. In terms of manufacturing, productivity relates to the speed at which quality work is performed....
Continue ReadingGemba Walk Template for Digital Transformation
Gemba Walks are an essential tool to understand the challenges of your manufacturing frontline. Each manufacturing facility is unique. The best way to solve your unique...
Continue Reading7 Best Practices in Manufacturing Training for Employees
Training employees is a surefire way to improve productivity and efficiency within manufacturing. As the company grows and expands, its employees must also grow with it,...
Continue ReadingHow to Get Started with Automation in Manufacturing
Automation can benefit all industrial operations, from large to small manufacturers, by streamlining repetitive or dangerous tasks while adding valuable skills to your...
Continue ReadingUsing Digital Tools as a Recruitment Tool in Manufacturing
Manufacturers are being squeezed in both directions these days. Demand for products is outpacing their ability to secure raw materials for production, and they don’t have...
Continue ReadingHow the Best Plant Managers Solve Production Challenges
As a manufacturing plant manager, meeting production targets, reducing downtime, and filling empty roles are all ongoing goals. The best plant managers know that these goals...
Continue ReadingWhat is Frontline Digital Transformation?
Manufacturing leaders agree that adopting digital technology is essential to future success. Despite this mindset, 84% of digital transformations fail to improve performance...
Continue Reading6 Shocking Stats for Manufacturing Leaders
After years of research, our show producer, Corey Brown, shares some fascinating statistics that will shock many leaders in the manufacturing industry. In this special...
Continue ReadingHow to Improve Performance with Preventative Maintenance
Equipment failure is a known evil in the manufacturing world. But unplanned downtime carries a significant cost and hurts overall performance. This week Brian sits down with...
Continue ReadingA Complete Guide to Visual Management in Manufacturing | 2023
Visual Management is a concept that can apply to everyday life - and life on the plant floor as well. As we go about our day, we encounter visual management cues in different...
Continue ReadingRecent Mobile App Updates
Dozuki is a frontline work training platform for industrial companies who depend on operators to meet production standards. Our mobile app is used by frontline operators to ...
Continue ReadingHow to Scale Technology Across Manufacturing Operations with 3M
Most manufacturing companies don't have people dedicated to evaluating and deploying modern tools. At best, IT or HR takes responsibility for new technology and doesn't have...
Continue ReadingHow to Communicate Change with the Frontline Workforce
People are the most overlooked aspect of digital transformation — 97% of companies’ digital transformations fail when they don't include line managers and operators. ...
Continue ReadingCareer Progression in the Manufacturing Industry
Today's manufacturing facilities are clean and modern workplaces that offer a variety of unique and exciting career opportunities. Join our conversation with Joe Renaud from...
Continue ReadingTop Challenges Impacting the Frontline Workforce
Even with advancements in technology and automation, the frontline workforce remains essential to modern manufacturing operations. In fact, 72% of factory work is still...
Continue ReadingUsing Standards to Empower the Frontline Workforce
Chad Nelson is a Lean Six-Sigma Operations Manager at 3M and has a wealth of knowledge about standardized work and engaging frontline workers with improvement efforts. Join...
Continue ReadingHow to Manage Change on the Plant Floor
Change management is a crucial part of any digital transformation or improvement efforts on the plant floor. But how do you deal with stubborn employees or older workers that...
Continue ReadingDozuki Secures Strategic Investment from Marlin Equity Partners
Demand-side challenges accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic are driving adoption of frontline-focused training platforms in manufacturing. --We are pleased to announce a...
Continue ReadingDigital Technology Trends in Manufacturing
In the past, manufacturing technology was focused on improving equipment and tools. Now, the industry is shifting its priorities towards workforce enablement. How will the...
Continue ReadingInsights from the Field: Training is More Than Onboarding
I was recently on a trip to visit a manufacturing facility for one of our clients. My connecting flight didn’t arrive on time, which delayed my arrival and put me on a tight...
Continue ReadingISO 9001 Certification is Easier Than You Think
Is audit anxiety holding your company back from ISO 9001 compliance? While it may seem like a daunting task, many businesses are closer to certification (and...
Continue ReadingAdapting Training to Meet the Needs of the Modern Manufacturer
Manufacturers are faced with a much different workforce than they've traditionally dealt with. Previous generations had more foundational knowledge, incoming generations need...
Continue ReadingMastering Total Quality Management in Manufacturing (TQM) | Strategies and Insights
If there’s one consistent thread that unites every manufacturer worldwide, it’s quality. The need to produce a quality product that meets or exceeds the needs and...
Continue ReadingHow to Attract and Retain a Qualified Manufacturing Workforce
Welcome to the first episode of The Voices of Manufacturing! Join us in conversation with Jim Vinoski, a Forbes Author who specializes in all things manufacturing. As...
Continue Reading5 Ways to Get Wifi on the Factory Floor
Here’s the reality, many industrial environments lack wireless internet. It’s not for a lack of trying. However, there are real, pragmatic reasons that some companies can’t...
Continue ReadingThe Most Common 8 Wastes of Lean Manufacturing & How to Manage Resources
Manufacturing is all about making the highest quality products at the lowest cost. Reaching that goal means searching for and eliminating causes of wasted time, wasted...
Continue ReadingWhy HR Shouldn't Manage Your Technical Skills Training
Amid the Silver Tsunami, HR departments are hustling to onboard and fill personnel gaps, but they can’t predict the evolving demands of your operations. Manufacturing...
Continue ReadingWhere is Your Implicit Knowledge Hiding?
Implicit (tacit) knowledge is difficult to communicate and often remains isolated in the heads of employees. However, this accumulation of operational skills and insights has...
Continue ReadingTop Podcasts for Manufacturing Professionals
The podcast space is growing rapidly and the shows for manufacturing and industrial professionals are no exception. Podcasts in this genre can range from broad industry...
Continue ReadingWhy Sharepoint Fails at Knowledge Management
Many industrial businesses rely on generic document management tools, like Microsoft Sharepoint, to store and share files. As a document management strategy, this makes...
Continue ReadingDocument Management Vs. Knowledge Management
Understanding the distinction between document management and knowledge management is vital to operational excellence. While the terms can sometimes be used interchangeably,...
Continue ReadingThe Missing Piece of Your Digital Transformation Strategy
Unprecedented. There probably isn’t a better word to describe 2020 as a whole. 2020 saw accelerated change across almost all industries and aspects of our lives. In...
Continue ReadingHow Smart Factories are Impacting Productivity
Deloitte research suggests that "smart factory" initiatives have yielded an average of 10-12% increase in labor productivity gains. Despite this success, a majority of...
Continue ReadingPreparing Your Workforce for the Silver Tsunami
Manufacturing businesses need a succession plan. Not for people, but for knowledge. The industry is facing a wave of retirement unlike any other. Often referred to as the...
Continue ReadingWhy Your Work Instructions Need Quality Checklists
Quality checklists or inspections are a routine part of production. While they are a crucial part of quality management and control, checklists only catch errors, rather than...
Continue ReadingHow to Get ISO 9001 Certified with Dozuki
As the most commonly used standard for quality management systems (QMS), the ISO 9001:2015 standard implements a preventative, risk-based approach that puts documentation at...
Continue ReadingHow to Write Better Lockout/Tagout Procedures
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures are some of the most common in industrial and manufacturing environments. Despite this, failure to adequately train employees on LOTO...
Continue ReadingHow Digital Tools Enable Rapid Communication for Manufacturing
The ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies of all types to rapidly update policies and procedures governing how they share information in response to a world...
Continue ReadingHow to Capture Expert Knowledge Before it's Lost
It’s no secret. Manufacturers are coping with a massive wave of retirements. With over a quarter of the workforce over the age of 55, many workers are leaving their jobs with...
Continue Reading4 Indirect Ways to Improve Safety on the Plant Floor
Safety managers have a multitude of safety strategies to protect the health and safety of their workforce. From PPE guidelines, LOTO programs, fire exit signage, the list is...
Continue ReadingTop Challenges for Food & Beverage Manufacturers
Food and beverage companies are among the most resilient and adaptive businesses in the world. With inherent health and safety risks, volatility of perishables, and strict...
Continue ReadingHow to Get More Out of Your Work Instructions
When leveraged properly, standardized work instructions can transform operational efficiency, quality management, employee performance, and more. All industrial businesses...
Continue ReadingHow 3M Continues to Innovate During COVID
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, 3M has been integral in maintaining domestic and international supplies of essential PPE. These production and supply chain challenges required...
Continue ReadingOSHA's Recommended Strategies for Improving Safety Programs
Workforce safety is non-negotiable for any industrial business. When mistakes can cause serious harm or bring operations to a halt, companies can’t afford to take safety...
Continue ReadingHow to Use Dozuki for Work Instructions
Dozuki is the leading digital work instruction tool for industrial businesses all over the world. Our platform enables better employee performance by improving how you...
Continue ReadingHow To Choose Industrial Tablets for Manufacturing
Investing in technology is a key part of any company's digital transformation strategy. It's impossible to hit digital goals without the right hardware — and software — to...
Continue Reading6 Strategies to Maximize Worker Safety
In industrial companies, workplace safety is the #1 driver behind many key decisions. Not only is safety essential for protecting workers, it’s also essential for consistent...
Continue ReadingFree COVID-19 Workplace Signage
Whether your team is on site, or working remotely, we know that your time is taxed by demanding workloads and new safety procedures. In an effort to take one task off your...
Continue ReadingHow To Cross-Train Your Workforce
Cross-training is an essential component of any successful manufacturing company. The flexibility it creates enables your operations to continue regardless of what operators...
Continue ReadingIs the U.S. Headed for a Manufacturing Boom?
While many industrial businesses are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, good news for U.S. manufacturers may be on the horizon. In the recent April industry report by...
Continue ReadingWhat is Tribal Knowledge?
Many industrial businesses have heard of the dangers of relying on tribal knowledge. But what exactly does tribal knowledge mean? How does tribal knowledge impact my...
Continue ReadingPractical COVID-19 Tips for Manufacturing
We are hearing a lot of great advice from our audience and customers about how to keep manufacturing and industrial operations running smoothly in the midst of a global...
Continue ReadingBreaking Down the Skills Gap: Tribal Knowledge
As the skills gap widens and more employees retire, decades of experience and company investment is predicted to walk out the door. With nearly ten thousand people turning...
Continue ReadingBreaking Down the Skills Gap: Training
Manufacturing Institute estimated that 2.4 million job openings in manufacturing—accounting for half of all open positions—will go unfilled between 2018 and 2028 as a direct...
Continue ReadingBreaking Down the Skills Gap: Recruiting & Retirement
For those in the manufacturing and industrial sector, what’s commonly known as the skills gap is a well-documented issue. As a growing number of Americans retire, they take...
Continue ReadingHow to Reduce Changeover Time with Standard Work Instructions
Many manufacturers see reducing changeover time as a golden opportunity to improve operational efficiency and reduce waste. For good reason, a simple reduction in changeover...
Continue ReadingDozuki Collaborates with 3M to Connect Factory Workers and Digital Transformation Strategies
Today we are happy to announce our collaboration with 3M, through an investment by 3M Ventures, to bring our standard work and work instruction training software to...
Continue ReadingWhat's Wrong with Standard Work?
66% of companies fail in their attempts at Standard Work. This begs the question - what’s wrong with Standard Work? How can a seemingly simple methodology be so challenging...
Continue ReadingLean Manufacturing Lessons From Wikipedia
When Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, was interviewed on NPR’s “How I Built This,” he revealed a valuable insight — sharing and improving knowledge is hard work. The...
Continue ReadingFree Standard Operating Procedure & Work Instruction Templates
Standard operating procedure (SOP) and work instruction templates help standardize processes and present information consistently. We’ve seen thousands of examples of these...
Continue ReadingInsights from the Field: Can Tribal Knowledge Actually Work?
Recently, I had a chance to visit one of our larger manufacturing clients. Of the many insights gained on that trip, one stood above the rest — tribal knowledge used to...
Continue ReadingManage Workforce Training with Dozuki Courses
At Dozuki, we’ve made it our mission to make Standard Work an industry standard. We envision documented standards and worker knowledge continuously improving alongside one...
Continue ReadingHow On-the-Job Training is Hurting Manufacturing
While on-the-job training is practical for certain applications, manufacturers rely on it too heavily as a method for on-boarding and training employees. Companies looking...
Continue ReadingSoftware Support and Your Digital Transformation Strategy
After thousands of discussions with manufacturing companies, it’s clear to me that the industry is suffering. Due to outdated notions of the software industry, manufacturers...
Continue ReadingHow to Reduce Tribal Knowledge and Downtime with Dozuki Answers
The conveyor belt on line one stopped running and production came to a halt. It was the second time in a week that this happened. The maintenance team and engineers spend the...
Continue ReadingWhat is Standard Work?
Lean operations and manufacturers have used Standard Work for decades, yet many companies lack clarity when it comes to this fundamental lean methodology. How is Standard...
Continue ReadingA Lesson in Lean Manufacturing From the North Pole
If Santa Claus ran a toy company, he’d have the best lean manufacturing operations in the industry. A lean analysis shows that he delivers custom tailored products to every...
Continue ReadingLean Thinking vs. Cost Cutting with James Womack
When properly applied, lean manufacturing principles cut costs by reducing waste and focusing on value. But many companies make the vital mistake of confusing cost cutting...
Continue ReadingHow to Create a Culture of Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
If a proper culture of knowledge sharing is in place, the skills that experienced employees possess can be leveraged to improve your business and culture. Every manager knows...
Continue Reading4 Signs Your Work Instructions Need an Upgrade
Knowing when to make the transition to a better documentation tool is a tough question to answer. The short answer is that there is no short answer. In Industry 4.0, a...
Continue ReadingWhat Chipotle Taught Us About Training Standards
Chipotle, the Mexican food chain, has been in the spotlight recently for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, not all coverage has been “good press.” A string of food safety...
Continue ReadingVisit us at AME International 2018
Dozuki will be exhibiting at the AME San Diego International Conference. The event takes place from October 29 - November 1 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, CA. ...
Continue ReadingElectronic Work Instructions in Industry 4.0
How do electronic work instructions factor into Industry 4.0 and your digital transformation strategy? With advancements in technology, it’s time to reevaluate how these...
Continue Reading7 Stats in Celebration of Manufacturing Day
In the past, we put together a dream team of manufacturing icons and their contributions. In celebration of Manufacturing Day 2018, we’d like to share key statistics to...
Continue ReadingCatch us at the 2018 Assembly Show
Dozuki is back in Chicago for the 2018 Assembly Show. The event takes place from October 23 - 25 at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. This event is...
Continue ReadingHow to Establish a Lean Culture in 4 Steps
An effective lean culture aims to reduce waste and inefficiency while improving the value delivered to customers. The lean organization is a model that’s been historically...
Continue ReadingBook Club: "Leading Change"
"Leading Change" by John Kotter offers an eight-step process for managing change and has become the foundation for organizations around the world. By outlining the process...
Continue ReadingKaizen and Standardization with Dr. Robert Maurer
We spoke with Dr. Robert Maurer, author of “Spirit of Kaizen,” a leading expert in the field of psychology and organizational change, about Kaizen and the role of...
Continue ReadingVisit us at IMTS 2018
Dozuki will be exhibiting at the 2018 International Manufacturing & Technology Show (IMTS). The event takes place from September 10 - 15 at the McCormick Place in Chicago, IL.
Continue ReadingLean, Six Sigma, and Quality Management Systems
Six Sigma, Lean, and Quality Management are distinct approaches to reducing waste, defects, and providing value to the customer. With so many approaches to process...
Continue Reading11 Benefits of Standard Work
Taiichi Ohno, a founder of the Toyota Production System (TPS), had this to say about Standard Work, “without standards, there can be no Kaizen.” As the foundation for all...
Continue ReadingUnderstanding Value Streams with Karen Martin
Employee on-boarding is often overlooked in the business world. We spoke with Karen Martin, author of "Value Stream Mapping" about why all supportive processes are equally...
Continue Reading10 Quality Quotes by W. Edwards Deming
Implementing and sustaining quality in your organization is no small feat. However, as the U.S. discovered when Japanese companies like Toyota used Deming's lessons to...
Continue ReadingBook Club: “The Joy of Lean”
The Dozuki book club is your go-to place for industry books and resources. Our team curates knowledge from industry experts, letting you identify key takeaways and start...
Continue ReadingThe Manufacturing Skills Gap is an Opportunity
There is a pending manufacturing skills gap impacting the United States workforce. Millions of positions are expected to go unfilled in the coming years, with reports...
Continue ReadingInside the Mind of an ISO Auditor
Getting inside the mind of an ISO 9001 auditor is crucial to a successful ISO audit. Think of it like a gift — even the best of presents can be unappealing when wrapped in...
Continue ReadingEmbracing Waste in a Lean Culture
These days, waste gets a bad rap. ‘Eliminating waste’ is such a common phrase among lean and six sigma practitioners, the two words are practically inseparable. The problem...
Continue ReadingWhat to Look for in QMS Software
Traditional quality management system (QMS) software does exactly what it’s supposed to do. Like file cabinets for the digital world, they organize and control your company...
Continue ReadingBook Club: “The Machine That Changed the World”
The Dozuki book club is your go-to place for industry books and resources. Our team curates knowledge from industry experts, letting you identify key takeaways and start...
Continue ReadingIn Conversation with John Allwood
Standard Work is a concept that’s widely accepted among lean practitioners, yet doesn’t have a large body of text detailing its application. When used properly, Standard...
Continue ReadingManufacturing & Technology Show
Dozuki will be exhibiting at the 2018 Manufacturing & Technology Show, presented by IndustryWeek. The event takes place from May 8 - 10 at the Raleigh Convention Center in...
Continue ReadingCatch Us at the Food Safety Summit
The Dozuki team will be at the 20th annual Food Safety Summit, May 7 - 10 at the Donald Stephens Convention in Rosemont, IL. You'll find us alongside other companies leading...
Continue ReadingWorld Conference on Quality and Improvement
We'll be at the ASQ World Conference on Quality and Improvement, April 29 - May 2 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. Along with other innovators and...
Continue ReadingMeet Us at Hannover Messe 2018
Dozuki is proud to be an exhibitor at this year's Hannover Messe, the world’s leading trade show for Industrial technology. You can find us in the Digital Factory hall....
Continue ReadingBook Club: "Value Stream Mapping" (part 2)
The Dozuki book club is your go-to place for industry books and resources. Our team curates knowledge from industry experts, letting you identify key takeaways and start...
Continue ReadingVienna Sausage: A Story of Standards and Tribal Knowledge
Imagine that you lost the ability to make your key product. What if your core revenue driver was suddenly different... And you didn't know why. We recently came across a ...
Continue ReadingHow to Perform a Time Observation
Without Standard Work, documented processes are often not used, or so out of date, that following them could become problematic. Standard Work is the foundation for any...
Continue ReadingKey Differences Between ISO 9001:2015 and 2008
ISO 9001 is the world’s most commonly used standard for quality management systems (QMS). About every 7 years, ISO updates their standard to reflect the changes in global...
Continue ReadingTop 10 Shigeo Shingo Quotes on Lean Manufacturing
Shigeo Singo: The Ambassador of Lean Shigeo Shingo was an industry leader of Lean manufacturing principles and philosophies. Originally brought on by Toyota to update their...
Continue ReadingNavigating Processes: Standard Work vs. Work Instructions
The manufacturing industry is a professional arena with an overwhelming variety of industry terms and acronyms. We’ve tried to make a list of the most common Lean terms...
Continue ReadingBook Club: "Value Stream Mapping" (Part 1)
The Dozuki book club is your go-to place for industry books and resources. Our team curates knowledge from industry experts, letting you identify key takeaways and start...
Continue ReadingWhy Standard Work is a Contradiction
We recently wrote a popular article about a major mistake at a nuclear waste facility. In short, we cited poor standard revision processes as the root cause of the mistake,...
Continue ReadingImplementing Continuous Improvement with Dozuki
Is your company interested in reaping the benefits of continuous improvement (transparency, efficiency, cost reductions, etc.) but aren't sure where to begin? Dozuki has you...
Continue ReadingWhat Caused the False Missile Alert in Hawaii
Apparently, it was a simple mistake that caused the false missile alert to be sent to phones across the state of Hawaii. And while citizens were still recovering from the...
Continue ReadingContinuous Improvement Culture: How Software Can & Can't Help
Fostering a culture of continuous improvement is a complex challenge that varies across industries. In the digital age, software solutions are starting to have a real impact...
Continue ReadingHidden Waste: The Unseen Inefficiency in Shop Travelers
Travelers and build books are intimately related, however, with traditional methods they often function independently. This gap between the travelers and build books creates...
Continue ReadingTop 10 Lean Manufacturing Quotes from Henry Ford
Henry Ford was a very quotable man. His timeless insights range from practical business tips to clairvoyant-esque predictions about the dairy industry. While some of his...
Continue Reading5 Reasons Continuous Improvement Teams Fail
In identifying what makes a continuous improvement team successful, it’s most helpful to look at where they fail. Anyone can retroactively attribute key factors to success,...
Continue ReadingBook Club: "The Spirit of Kaizen"
About the Dozuki Book Club: Your go-to place for industry books and resources. Our team works hard to curate knowledge from industry experts, letting you quickly identify key...
Continue ReadingThe Ultimate Lean Glossary
The world of Lean Manufacturing is full of acronyms and industry buzzwords. No glossary could encompass the full breadth of terminology, but it’s always helpful to have a...
Continue ReadingTop 10 Taiichi Ohno Quotes
Wise quotes can inspire. Insightful sayings have the power to spark change and foster a culture of creativity and quality. Whether it’s on a sticky note clinging desperately...
Continue ReadingGot Standards? The Million Dollar Grammar Mistake
Maine based Oakhurst Dairy was recently sued by a handful of truck drivers seeking more than four years worth of overtime pay—but the suit wasn’t about milk distribution at...
Continue ReadingSkip the Busy Work and Focus on Improving
Whether you’re implementing new software or a new machine on the factory floor, continuous improvement projects take time to get set up before they, well…improve things. ...
Continue ReadingDeadly Instructions: Using Visuals to Train Safely
In 2016 OSHA reported 2.8 million workplace injuries, with 440,000 of them occurring in the manufacturing industry alone. For manufacturers, that means for every 100 workers,...
Continue ReadingAn Idiom a Day Keeps Good Work Instructions at Bay
Many of us know Amelia Bedelia from our childhood (or parenthood) as the goofy maid who is constantly misunderstanding directions. For those who aren’t familiar, Amelia is a...
Continue Reading5 Technical Writing Mistakes to Avoid
Here at Dozuki, we see a lot of technical documents. In all of this written work, we inevitably come across some mistakes. But hey, pobody’s nerfect. That said, when you see...
Continue ReadingHow Dover Artificial Lift Achieved ISO Certification
As part of our mission to bring manufacturing excellence and standards to our audience, we are proud to announce our educational webinar highlighting the journey to ISO...
Continue ReadingMillennials, Vinyls, and Documentation
Vinyl is in the midst of a comeback. Perhaps it’s due to the unpredictable whims of Millennial trends. Or, perhaps it’s the byproduct of a digital backlash from consumers...
Continue Reading18 Books for Better Employee Training
Books are a great way to learn new techniques to train and connect with your employees. Topics can range from practical business practices, to more subjective insights into...
Continue ReadingPatagonia's Journey to Train Their Customers
For years, Patagonia has set a high standard for product lifespan with their Ironclad Guarantee and unparalleled customer service. They’ve been providing free repair services...
Continue ReadingLean Startups Need to Start Documenting to Scale
For startups that have begun to establish themselves as a sustainable business, growing pains are only a matter of time. Any experienced entrepreneur will tell you that...
Continue ReadingHow Sloppy Revision Control Cost WIPP Half a Billion Dollars
In 2014 a nuclear Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, NM was the victim of poor revision control practices that lead to a half-billion dollar mistake; shutting...
Continue ReadingAPI: Making Your Software Work For You
What is an API? For those of us outside the world of programming, the term “API” may seem like an arbitrary acronym that your IT department likes to throw around. However,...
Continue ReadingFeature Spotlight: Prerequisite Guides
Lean Document Creation & Revision At Dozuki we view creating work instructions like any other manufacturing procedure, implementing lean principles throughout the authoring...
Continue ReadingFDA Compliance: Why Paper-Based Documents Won't Work for Long
Modern documentation practices are becoming increasingly essential to achieving FDA compliance with the recent updates in the FDA’s approach to safety. While the importance...
Continue ReadingUpgrading Processes with Continuous Improvement
Many companies implement formal versions of Lean or Agile methods, but others have grown with the flexibility that continuous improvement provides, giving them the freedom to...
Continue Reading5 Instant Benefits of Digital Work Instructions
Unlike other digital transformation projects, making the simple switch from paper-based work instructions, SOPs, and other documentation to digital work instructions provides...
Continue ReadingFeature Spotlight: Photo Markup and Special Bullets
Here at Dozuki, we emphasize the importance of creating visual work instructions, because we believe visual is always better. However, visual documentation doesn’t stop with...
Continue ReadingIndustry 4.0 Is Here, Are You Ready?
Historically, internal systems for work instructions have been used solely for distributing procedures, with entirely separate systems for data collection and reporting....
Continue ReadingContinuous Improvement for Writing: How Better Technical Writing Increases Efficiency
When you regard continuous improvement as a mindset, rather than just a procedural practice, you realize it has a much wider set of applications. For most of us, it’s clear...
Continue ReadingHow to Write a Great User Manual in 12 Steps
A great user manual educates people about a product, while also teaching them how to use product features effectively. As an author, your ultimate goal is comprehension—you...
Continue ReadingWhat McDonald’s Can Teach Us About Training
Many years ago while managing the final inspection, packaging and shipping areas of a production plant, I was looking for a person to promote to line leader. I was having a...
Continue ReadingThe Manufacturing Dream Team
As we were plotting our celebration for 2016's Manufacturing Day, the Dozuki team got into a few squabbles about who the 'best manufacturing mind of all time' would be. (...
Continue ReadingThe True Cost of Paper-Based Documentation
Paper is viewed as a necessity in the workplace. It is used for a variety of reasons, from travel documents to field service or product manuals to employee on-boarding and...
Continue ReadingA Quick 5 Step Guide to Lean Product Development
In the fast-paced world of product research and development, lean methodology can help reduce waste and shorten delivery times. This guide outlines five quick steps to bring...
Continue ReadingMicrosoft to Drop IE 9 & 10 Support
Microsoft has decided to drop support for their older web browsers: Internet Explorer 9 and 10. What does this mean for Dozuki clients? If you and your associates use...
Continue ReadingGive Your Manufacturing Company a Boost
Whether you’re in aerospace or automotive, medical device or dairy—it’s important that your manufacturing company grows while keeping up with the latest innovations. In honor...
Continue ReadingClear Guides for Complex Procedures
Who is Improve International? Founded in 1998, Improve International recognizes that education—even for the most accomplished, professional veterinarians—doesn’t end when...
Continue ReadingElectronic Work Instructions for Field Technicians
Who is Sterling Bank Services? Sterling Bank Services is a consultative solution, based in Montana and designed for the maintenance and security of bank equipment...
Continue ReadingVisual Instructions for Better Communication
A technician is asked to write instructions for his company’s most frequently performed processes. Pulling out his laptop, he starts to document a procedure as he does it. He...
Continue ReadingDozuki is Unaffected by Heartbleed
You may have heard of the recently discovered computer security issue—“Heartbleed”—that has affected many sites across the Internet. Rest assured, Dozuki has not been...
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