COVID-19 has shown that industries must adapt to sudden changes in new hire availability and the need for technological advances that allow workers to effectively communicate remotely. Connected Worker solutions have proven to help organizations overcome these changes, and in most cases, increase efficiencies during this uncertain time.

Automation and robotics in operations are on the rise and the biggest fear for workers is downsizing or being replaced. However, as organizations start to use these technologies, the need for more experts in operations has become even larger.

When considering digital transformation for your operation, one of your questions might be: “what is the right way to turn our paper content digital?” To make the most out of digital transformation, digital work instructions must be available to workers.

For years, organizations have used the tried-and-true way of using paper documents for procedures and training materials out in the field. Organizations are now realizing that with tougher restrictions and regulations, work must be more transparent, and more efficient.

What is a CCMS and why is it different?

A CCMS, or Component Content Management System, holds all operational knowledge and becomes the single source of truth for all operational content your workers need while in the field. A CCMS is different from a traditional Document Management System (DMS) like SharePoint or Google Drive in the way it manages content at a component level, instead of at the document level. This is an important distinction for organizations hoping to improve worker experience while creating efficiencies in authoring, reviewing, and publishing.

AcceleratorKMS is a purpose-built and industry-leading Knowledge Management System for critical operational content. The digital system includes “Procedure Life-cycle Management (PLCM),” a "Connected Worker Platform (CWP)," a "Learner Experience Platform (LXP)," a “Component Content Management System (CCMS),” and a “Quality Management System (QMS).”

Find out how the CCMS in AcceleratorKMS can be used to create efficiencies and make your operation safer for workers.

Learning in the flow of work is a powerful capability for organizations seeking to cut costs and make operations more efficient. However, more efficiencies can be discovered as learning in the flow of work is integrated with other systems like a Quality Management System (QMS) or systems used by Human Resources administration.

Digital transformation seems like a costly venture; however, the cost of not implementing digital transformation in operations is even larger due to how incidents happen and how they are prevented.

Modern leaners are entering a workforce where many organizations are still using antiquated technology and paper-based procedures, which are difficult to use and problematic for your existing field workers. Modern learners expect the technology and content they use at work to be like the technology and content they use at home, and your field workers are beginning to expect the same.

By digitally transforming operations for the modern learner, your entire workforce can benefit from efficiencies, better learning, and safer operations. But who exactly is the modern learner?

Who is the modern learner and what do they expect?

Millennials (and soon Generation Z) are entering the workforce after being accustomed to a world where learning is, and always has been, digital. These modern learners face culture shock when working in the process industries for the first time, possibly experiencing a workplace with outdated tools and frustrating processes.

As a new generation enters the workforce, organizations are finding it tougher to keep employees while reducing operational costs. Workers see their job as a risk due to lack of safety, or perhaps they find their work frustrating due to the antiquated equipment and content they use day-to-day.

We are pleased to announce that Innovatia Accelerator will be attending the IQPC Connected Worker 2021 Conference, which will be held virtually from Jan 26-27, 2020.

How You Can Cut Costs and Save Money with a QMS

In a large operation with several assets, procedures, and locations, managing operational content and keeping it updated is a time-sensitive and high-cost process which requires input from management and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Content and procedures are typically stored in binders, filing cabinets, and rarely receive feedback from those who are closest to high-risk tasks: field workers. 

The problem for field workers

Procedure-use-culture in most organizations is unhealthy, with many field workers finding procedures confusing or having no way to tell what content is up-to-date, relying instead on knowledge retained while on the job. This alone has the can cause both human error and millions in incident costs for an organization.

Why do organizations need content reuse?

Content Reuse allows organizations with hordes of procedures, manuals, and training manuals to organize and reuse the contents of these documents in a digital format. This content is typically stored in filing cabinets or binders, is rarely updated, and is unstandardized. By enabling content reuse in your organization, the overall amount of content needed for operations is reduced. Authoring effort is also reduced as authors can reuse the best sections of previously created content to create new content.

Field workers around the world are critical to the ongoing, efficient and safe operation of the cornerstone industrial processes that enable our modern lives. Refining, power generation, materials processing, and food production all rely on complex processes. Keeping operations efficient is important for organizations seeking to keep costs low while increasing productivity and reliability.

A digital transformation can drastically change how an organization operates and create major efficiencies over time, but how can an organization identify value early? Digital transformation initiatives can set your organization up for success and address many of the pain points or issues you may already face in operations. By taking a step toward access, adoption, accountability, adaption, and aggregation, you can ensure that your organization is taking full advantage of everything a digital knowledge management system has to offer.

Access

The production equation can be boiled down to two key elements: equipment and the people who operate it. Digital transformation of these two key elements has been underway for decades and the evolution for the equipment side of the equation has culminated in the development of the concept of the digital twin. Until now, the human side of the front-line work has typically been underserved as organizations have focused on automation, IIOT, and analytics. Today, some of the most important value realization in increasing safety, reliability, and efficiency comes from enhancements in the standardization and effectiveness of the human performed work within the production equation.  

Operating procedures are step-by-step explanations of how to perform a work task, such as starting up or shutting off a piece of equipment. They can also describe how to respond to an incident, perform maintenance, or complete a routine process function in a facility. Most energy companies have some form of operating procedures in place, but the procedures are not always effective.

What makes an effective operating procedure, and why are they important? 

Information architecture (IA) has been around since the 1970’s and yet it is still an often neglected or under-valued activity when developing, migrating or implementing a complex system involving a large body of data or content in a corporate environment. We’ve all seen the massive corporate intranets, asset management systems or document repositories that are difficult to navigate and find what we need. These systems lack an effective blueprint for structuring and organizing content – they lack a well thought out information architecture.

The Accelerator Knowledge Management System (AcceleratorKMS) is an industry-leading solution to many of the problems organizations face today in the oil & gas, chemical, power generation, agriculture, and forestry industries. Organizations save millions of dollars using knowledge management solutions to reduce incidents, save costs during onboarding, and create efficiencies. AcceleratorKMS is a feature-rich, easy-to-use solution which is designed to specifically address these issues, while keeping costs low.