The single most dangerous trend in manufacturing isn’t inflation or the cost of raw materials.It’s the silent, systematic erosion of institutional knowledge on your shop floor.
We’re spending millions on AI and predictive maintenance, trying to find solutions for problems that walk out the door every time a veteran operator retires. The assumption is that technology will simply replace experience.
It won’t. It just digitizes the chaos.
If you are a Plant Manager, VP of Operations, or CEO, your biggest risk isn’t a machine breakdown—it’s the gap between generations.
Here are 3 ways we are successfully capturing decades of tacit knowledge into a repeatable process, not just a document:
The “Shadow Operator” Program: Every new hire spends a minimum of 4 weeks in a one-on-one mentorship with a veteran (65%+ of their workday). The veteran’s KPI becomes tied to the new hire’s competency, not just output. This mandates knowledge transfer.
Process Documentation via Native Video: Instead of writing a manual, the expert walks through the procedure while being recorded natively on their mobile device. This short, authentic video is uploaded directly (avoiding the external link penalty) and tagged to the specific machine or assembly step.
The 15-Minute Daily Debrief: Before shift change, the lead operator has a structured, 15-minute conversation with the next shift’s lead to discuss “unexpected problems” and the non-standard fixes used. This moves knowledge from anecdote to documented lesson.
Stop focusing solely on automating the known. Start focusing on capturing the irreplaceable wisdom of the experienced.
I need to know the reality of this challenge.
What is the single best system (not just technology) your factory uses to transfer mission-critical knowledge from your veteran staff to the new generation? Be specific—I want to know the process that truly works.
#Manufacturing #Operations #LeanManufacturing #SupplyChain