Knowledge retention a huge project? Not this way
Many organizations know they need to do something about knowledge retention. The expert who has been working on the line for thirty years is about to retire. Yet the project keeps getting postponed, because where do you even start? And who has time for such a massive project? What many don’t realize is that it can actually be very simple. With a small first step and a predictable outcome. We’ll show you how.
The mindset that’s holding you back
There’s a persistent mindset in decision-making around knowledge management: you can only start once you have the full picture. Which experts do you need? Which departments are involved? Which workstations should be captured? How do you integrate it with your MES? Good questions, but far too complex in the early stage.
“Doing it properly” is not the same as “doing it big.” In fact, going big often leads to failure. It becomes too much, too time-consuming, too complex.
The good news is that it can be much simpler, with one small, focused step: a pilot project. With a pilot, you can focus on capturing the knowledge of one expert for one critical process. Within a few weeks, you’ll discover what works and what value it brings to your organization.
Going big doesn’t always mean doing it right. In fact, it often causes projects to fail.
A pilot with ELICIT: how it works
Most ELICIT projects start with a pilot. Here’s how it works: a knowledge analyst conducts an average of five structured interviews with your expert. Through around 110 questions, the analyst captures the expert’s experiential knowledge. The decision logic, the exceptions, the subtle signals—in short, the way of working that an experienced operator developed over the years but never documented.
This knowledge is translated into a digital knowledge system. A clear, searchable, and accessible model on a screen on the shop floor. Operators can find what they need within two clicks—even in the middle of the night, even when that one expert is on vacation. The time it takes? About twelve weeks. After that, you can immediately start measuring the impact.
What Van Merksteijn learned from one workstation
Van Merksteijn International, a producer of reinforcement products and fencing panels in Almelo, started with one knowledge system for the Schlatter welding line. After go-live, operators could independently check what was going on in case of deviations, without calling the most experienced colleague.
And that had an immediate impact. Project leader Bülent Simsek: “We notice in every way that things are improving. There is much less downtime.” Van Merksteijn now has knowledge files for almost all production processes. More than 150 employees are working with it. And it all started with one workstation.
“We can see in every way that production is improving. There is much less downtime. Ultimately, that’s what matters.”
Bülent Șimșek (left in the image), Project Leader Van Merksteijn
What it delivers for your organization
Organizations that start with a pilot almost always expand it. The results speak for themselves. Most importantly, you get a knowledge system that helps operators make decisions like an experienced expert every day. In addition, organizations quickly gain valuable insights:
- You discover which knowledge in your organization is most at risk
- You see how operators actually use the information and what they are still missing
- You gain a clear understanding of the time investment required from experts
- You build internal experience with an approach that can then be repeated across other machines, departments, and locations
Starting a pilot? Use these three criteria
If you are unsure which workstation or process to start with, use these three questions:
- Where is dependency on one or two people the highest?
That is where the risk is greatest and the impact is most immediately felt - Where is the onboarding time for new operators the longest?
If it takes twelve to eighteen months for someone to operate independently, there is significant potential for improvement - Where do you see the most variation between shifts?
Inconsistency is a sign that knowledge is not shared. That is where a knowledge system is needed most
There is only one real requirement
You don’t need a large budget, a major IT project, or a lengthy selection process. The only real requirement is that you have an expert in your organization who holds the knowledge you want to retain. The rest comes down to conversations, a structured approach, and the willingness to start.
Do you want to know which process or expert is the best place to begin?
Get in touch for an introductory conversation. Together, we will identify where the biggest risks are and how a pilot can address them directly.
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