Dozuki Blog
Why 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,...
Product
Cultivating Versatile Manufacturing Leaders
2 min read
“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...
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Podcast
Insights from a Decade of Manufacturing Workforce Trends
2 min read
In this insightful podcast episode, join Thomas Davis, an experienced training manager, as he unravels the transformative shifts in the manufacturing workforce...
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Podcast
Mastering Value Stream Mapping
2 min read
"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,...
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Podcast
3 Mistakes to Avoid When Your Company is in Growth Mode
2 min read
Our insightful discussion covers the dangers of insignificant improvements, the challenges posed by an overload of initiatives, and the drawbacks of rigid processes. Learn...
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Training
A Paradigm Shift in Quality
2 min read
"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...
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Podcast
A Playbook for Tech Success in Regulated Industries
2 min read
"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...
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Podcast
5S and Beyond: Elevate Your Lean Journey
2 min read
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...
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Frontline Digital Transformation
From Flame To Flourish: End Firefighting
2 min read
"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...
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Frontline Digital Transformation
Equipping Your Frontline for a Digital Future
2 min read
"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...
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Product
From DIY Solutions To Data Driven Breakthroughs
2 min read
"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?
20 min read
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...
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Training
Skillsets + Mindsets = Frontline Employee Engagement
3 min read
"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...
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Podcast
How a Small Machine Shop Became a Top 20 Supplier to NASA
2 min read
“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...
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Continuous Improvement
Streamlining Production: How Lean Manufacturing Can Revolutionize Your Business
23 min read
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...
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Podcast
How to Hold a Rattlesnake Hunt at Your Factory
2 min read
“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...
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Podcast
How Governments Play a Role in Supporting Manufacturing
2 min read
"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...
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Continuous Improvement
Maximizing Efficiency: A Guide to Total Productive Maintenance
26 min read
Maintenance is an essential requirement for any manufacturing company. Whenever machinery and equipment enter an equation, there will be a likelihood of that machinery...
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Podcast
How to Build a Thriving Machine Shop
2 min read
“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...
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Continuous Improvement
A Deeper Look Into Quality Assurance vs. Quality Control in Manufacturing
23 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
How To Go From Worst To First
3 min read
"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
24 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
How to Create a Daily Management System
3 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Why Do Value Stream Mapping? | Benefits & Examples
22 min read
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
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Training
Manufacturing Doesn’t Have A Hiring Problem, It Has A Retention Problem
10 min read
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
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Continuous Improvement
11 Essential Workplace Safety Tips for a Secure & Healthy Environment
29 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Firefighting In Manufacturing
12 min read
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...
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Training
How to Deliver People Centric Manufacturing Training
3 min read
“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...
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Training
A New Model For Manufacturing Hiring
14 min read
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...
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Frontline Digital Transformation
A Comprehensive Guide to Predictive Maintenance in Manufacturing | 2023
18 min read
Effective maintenance requires a well-rounded approach. Manufacturing companies use planned, reactive, and proactive systems to prevent breakdowns and address problems as...
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Podcast
How to Tackle Hiring By Recruiting Student Athletes To Man The Line
36 min read
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.
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Training
How To Accelerate Frontline Learning With TWI
38 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Overcoming Manufacturing Lead Time | What Is Lead Time & How To Reduce It?
22 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
The Most Common Manufacturing KPIs and Metrics to Track & Why | 2023
19 min read
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...
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Industry News
Impact of AI in Manufacturing | Benefits, Challenges & Use Cases
19 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Quality Assurance in Manufacturing: An In-Depth Guide to Achieve Customer Confidence
23 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Push vs. Pull System in Manufacturing: A Complete Overview for Optimizing Production
20 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Best Methods to Reduce Human Error in Manufacturing
27 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Continuous Manufacturing: Streamlining Production for A Competitive Edge
22 min read
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...
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Podcast
How To Hire the Best Employees for Manufacturing
26 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Understanding Corrective Action vs. Preventative Action in Manufacturing
20 min read
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...
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Podcast
Solving Modern Workforce Challenges in Food & Beverage Manufacturing
2 min read
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...
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Standard Work
11 Common Manufacturing Challenges & Solutions | 2023
25 min read
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...
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Podcast
How to Find Support Investing in Manufacturing Technology
4 min read
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...
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Podcast
How to Effectively Train New Employees at Factories
33 min read
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...
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Podcast
How to Manage Mobile Devices on the Factory Floor
5 min read
Tablets and smartphones can transform your industrial operations. This week we are joined by Jacob Rattray, Operational Technology Specialist from 3M. Jacob specializes in...
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Continuous Improvement
How To Increase Productivity in Manufacturing
19 min read
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....
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Continuous Improvement
Gemba Walk Template for Digital Transformation
7 min read
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...
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Podcast
How to Get Started with Automation in Manufacturing
4 min read
Automation can benefit all industrial operations, from large to small manufacturers, by streamlining repetitive or dangerous tasks while adding valuable skills to your...
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Training
Using Digital Tools as a Recruitment Tool in Manufacturing
7 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
How the Best Plant Managers Solve Production Challenges
6 min read
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...
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Frontline Digital Transformation
What is Frontline Digital Transformation?
6 min read
Manufacturing leaders agree that adopting digital technology is essential to future success. Despite this mindset, 84% of digital transformations fail to improve performance...
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Podcast
6 Shocking Stats for Manufacturing Leaders
7 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
How to Improve Performance with Preventative Maintenance
42 min read
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
19 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
How to Scale Technology Across Manufacturing Operations with 3M
39 min read
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...
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Frontline Digital Transformation
How to Communicate Change with the Frontline Workforce
9 min read
People are the most overlooked aspect of digital transformation — 97% of companies’ digital transformations fail when they don't include line managers and operators. ...
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Training
Career Progression in the Manufacturing Industry
52 min read
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...
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Frontline Digital Transformation
Top Challenges Impacting the Frontline Workforce
5 min read
Even with advancements in technology and automation, the frontline workforce remains essential to modern manufacturing operations. In fact, 72% of factory work is still...
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Training
Using Standards to Empower the Frontline Workforce
57 min read
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...
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Training
How to Manage Change on the Plant Floor
40 min read
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...
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Training
Digital Technology Trends in Manufacturing
41 min read
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...
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Training
ISO 9001 Certification is Easier Than You Think
51 min read
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...
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Training
Adapting Training to Meet the Needs of the Modern Manufacturer
47 min read
Manufacturers are faced with a much different workforce than they've traditionally dealt with. Previous generations had more foundational knowledge, incoming generations need...
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Continuous Improvement
Mastering Total Quality Management in Manufacturing (TQM) | Strategies and Insights
28 min read
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...
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Podcast
How to Attract and Retain a Qualified Manufacturing Workforce
36 min read
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...
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Frontline Digital Transformation
5 Ways to Get Wifi on the Factory Floor
6 min read
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
23 min read
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...
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Training
Why HR Shouldn't Manage Your Technical Skills Training
6 min read
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...
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Frontline Digital Transformation
Where is Your Implicit Knowledge Hiding?
5 min read
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...
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Industry News
Top Podcasts for Manufacturing Professionals
7 min read
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...
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Training
Why Sharepoint Fails at Knowledge Management
5 min read
Many industrial businesses rely on generic document management tools, like Microsoft Sharepoint, to store and share files. As a document management strategy, this makes...
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Training
Document Management Vs. Knowledge Management
4 min read
Understanding the distinction between document management and knowledge management is vital to operational excellence. While the terms can sometimes be used interchangeably,...
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Industry News
How Smart Factories are Impacting Productivity
5 min read
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
6 min read
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...
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Work Instructions
Why Your Work Instructions Need Quality Checklists
4 min read
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...
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Work Instructions
How to Get ISO 9001 Certified with Dozuki
6 min read
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...
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Training
How to Write Better Lockout/Tagout Procedures
7 min read
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures are some of the most common in industrial and manufacturing environments. Despite this, failure to adequately train employees on LOTO...
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Industry News
How Digital Tools Enable Rapid Communication for Manufacturing
6 min read
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...
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Training
How to Capture Expert Knowledge Before it's Lost
6 min read
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 ReadingTop Challenges for Food & Beverage Manufacturers
5 min read
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...
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Work Instructions
How to Get More Out of Your Work Instructions
6 min read
When leveraged properly, standardized work instructions can transform operational efficiency, quality management, employee performance, and more. All industrial businesses...
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Success Stories
How 3M Continues to Innovate During COVID
4 min read
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...
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Frontline Digital Transformation
OSHA's Recommended Strategies for Improving Safety Programs
5 min read
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...
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Product
How to Use Dozuki for Work Instructions
7 min read
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
1 min read
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...
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Training
How To Cross-Train Your Workforce
5 min read
Cross-training is an essential component of any successful manufacturing company. The flexibility it creates enables your operations to continue regardless of what operators...
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Industry News
Is the U.S. Headed for a Manufacturing Boom?
2 min read
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...
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Training
What is Tribal Knowledge?
5 min read
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...
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Industry News
Practical COVID-19 Tips for Manufacturing
5 min read
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...
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Training
Breaking Down the Skills Gap: Training
6 min read
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...
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Standard Work
How to Reduce Changeover Time with Standard Work Instructions
8 min read
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...
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Standard Work
What's Wrong with Standard Work?
8 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Lean Manufacturing Lessons From Wikipedia
5 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Free Standard Operating Procedure & Work Instruction Templates
4 min read
Standard operating procedure (SOP) and work instruction templates help standardize processes and present information consistently. We’ve seen thousands of examples of these...
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Success Stories
Insights from the Field: Can Tribal Knowledge Actually Work?
3 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Manage Workforce Training with Dozuki Courses
4 min read
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...
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Training
How On-the-Job Training is Hurting Manufacturing
4 min read
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...
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Product
How to Reduce Tribal Knowledge and Downtime with Dozuki Answers
6 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
What is Standard Work?
6 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
A Lesson in Lean Manufacturing From the North Pole
4 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Lean Thinking vs. Cost Cutting with James Womack
5 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
How to Create a Culture of Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
7 min read
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...
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Work Instructions
4 Signs Your Work Instructions Need an Upgrade
6 min read
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...
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Training
What Chipotle Taught Us About Training Standards
6 min read
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...
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Work Instructions
Electronic Work Instructions in Industry 4.0
5 min read
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...
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Industry News
7 Stats in Celebration of Manufacturing Day
2 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Book Club: "Leading Change"
10 min read
"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...
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Continuous Improvement
Kaizen and Standardization with Dr. Robert Maurer
7 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Lean, Six Sigma, and Quality Management Systems
4 min read
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...
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Standard Work
11 Benefits of Standard Work
5 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Understanding Value Streams with Karen Martin
6 min read
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...
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Work Instructions
10 Quality Quotes by W. Edwards Deming
1 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Book Club: “The Joy of Lean”
6 min read
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...
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Industry News
The Manufacturing Skills Gap is an Opportunity
4 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Inside the Mind of an ISO Auditor
5 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Embracing Waste in a Lean Culture
6 min read
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...
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Training
What to Look for in QMS Software
5 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Book Club: “The Machine That Changed the World”
7 min read
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...
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Standard Work
In Conversation with John Allwood
6 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Book Club: "Value Stream Mapping" (part 2)
6 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Vienna Sausage: A Story of Standards and Tribal Knowledge
4 min read
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 ...
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Standard Work
How to Perform a Time Observation
5 min read
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...
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Work Instructions
Key Differences Between ISO 9001:2015 and 2008
4 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Top 10 Shigeo Shingo Quotes on Lean Manufacturing
1 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Navigating Processes: Standard Work vs. Work Instructions
4 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Book Club: "Value Stream Mapping" (Part 1)
9 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Why Standard Work is a Contradiction
4 min read
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,...
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Continuous Improvement
Implementing Continuous Improvement with Dozuki
3 min read
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...
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Standard Work
What Caused the False Missile Alert in Hawaii
5 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Continuous Improvement Culture: How Software Can & Can't Help
6 min read
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...
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Product
Hidden Waste: The Unseen Inefficiency in Shop Travelers
4 min read
Travelers and build books are intimately related, however, with traditional methods they often function independently. This gap between the travelers and build books creates...
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Continuous Improvement
Top 10 Lean Manufacturing Quotes from Henry Ford
1 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
5 Reasons Continuous Improvement Teams Fail
4 min read
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,...
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Continuous Improvement
Book Club: "The Spirit of Kaizen"
12 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
The Ultimate Lean Glossary
5 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Top 10 Taiichi Ohno Quotes
1 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Got Standards? The Million Dollar Grammar Mistake
6 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Skip the Busy Work and Focus on Improving
3 min read
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. ...
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Training
Deadly Instructions: Using Visuals to Train Safely
7 min read
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,...
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Work Instructions
An Idiom a Day Keeps Good Work Instructions at Bay
4 min read
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...
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Training
5 Technical Writing Mistakes to Avoid
7 min read
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...
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Work Instructions
How Dover Artificial Lift Achieved ISO Certification
1 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Millennials, Vinyls, and Documentation
5 min read
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...
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Success Stories
Patagonia's Journey to Train Their Customers
5 min read
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...
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Standard Work
Lean Startups Need to Start Documenting to Scale
8 min read
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...
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Standard Work
How Sloppy Revision Control Cost WIPP Half a Billion Dollars
5 min read
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...
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Product
APIs: Making Your Software Work For You
5 min read
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,
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Product
Feature Spotlight: Prerequisite Guides
3 min read
Lean Document Creation & Revision At Dozuki we view creating work instructions like any other manufacturing procedure, implementing lean principles throughout the authoring...
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Product
FDA Compliance: Why Paper-Based Documents Won't Work for Long
6 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Upgrading Processes with Continuous Improvement
7 min read
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...
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Work Instructions
5 Instant Benefits of Digital Work Instructions
5 min read
Unlike other digital transformation projects, making the simple switch from paper-based work instructions, SOPs, and other documentation to digital work instructions provides...
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Product
Feature Spotlight: Photo Markup and Special Bullets
3 min read
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...
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Continuous Improvement
Continuous Improvement for Writing: How Better Technical Writing Increases Efficiency
3 min read
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...
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