Work instructions are critical for ensuring consistency, quality, and efficiency across teams, especially in industries where safety, compliance, or system accuracy matter. But too often, businesses rely on outdated methods—paper instructions, scattered PDFs, or overly complex documentation systems that slow teams down. That’s where digital work instruction templates come in, offering a structured, repeatable, and scalable way to transfer knowledge.
A work instruction template is a standardised document format designed to guide team members through specific tasks or procedures. It provides step-by-step directions in a clear and concise layout that helps reduce mistakes and streamline training. It also helps ensure that tasks are performed consistently across the organisation.
Work instruction templates are especially useful in:
The goal of creating a work instruction (what we call a knowby) is to deliver clear, visual, and easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions that empower any user—regardless of experience level—to complete a task safely, independently, and efficiently.
Your knowby should serve as a live, current work instruction: visual and complete with the necessary tools to complete the task at hand. Each step should be intuitive and actionable, ideally supported by visuals or video using the Knowby platform to guide users through each phase of the task. In the setting of a manufacturing task, for example, it should include all the required PPE, tools, and hazard warnings.
To provide a clear example of an effective work instruction template, let’s create one that is useful in a manufacturing environment:
Before beginning any instructions, highlight known hazards. This includes physical, chemical, electrical, ergonomic, or procedural hazards.
Best practices:
Examples:
Use Knowby’s visual markup features or icons to reinforce the warnings.
Clearly state what PPE is required before starting the task. This section should be visible early in the instruction flow.
Examples include:
Tip: Use images or icons for each PPE item. This visual cue reinforces compliance and helps users identify what they need at a glance.
List all the tools, machinery, or materials necessary to complete the job.
Break this into categories if helpful:
Best practices:
This is the core of your work instruction. Each instruction should be a clear, single action that guides the user confidently through the task. You have two main ways to build your step-by-step guide in Knowby:
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Option 1: Build steps manually |
Option 2: Use Knowby’s video or document intelligence |
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This method allows you to build instructions using materials that you have to hand. Use this when you're working from scratch, transcribing from a paper SOP, or outlining a new task based on SME (Subject Matter Expert) input.
How to build manually:
You can you this knowby as a guide when you start the process or you can view the steps now on how you go about creating a knowby from scratch.
Knowby also allows you to convert narrated videos or PDFs into step-by-step guides, saving significant time in the SOP creation process.
⚠️ Note: The AI does not create new instructional content from scratch—it helps extract structure and segment the task using existing video footage and voiceover.
What it does:
How to use:
By combining manual creation with Knowby's Video Intelligence, you get the best of both worlds: speed and structure from AI, plus the accuracy and customisation your task demands.
Here’s what a step-by-step work instruction looks like in Knowby.
Knowby transforms traditional, static instruction templates into dynamic, mobile-friendly guides called knowbys. These interactive guides break down any task into simple, visual instructions that are easy to create, follow, and update. With Knowby, teams can embed videos, annotated images, or screen recordings directly within each step to enhance clarity and reduce misinterpretation—especially for complex or technical processes.
Because Knowby is cloud-based, updates can be made in real time, eliminating version control issues and ensuring everyone is working from the most current instructions. Sharing is also seamless: instructions can be distributed instantly via direct links or QR codes. This makes them accessible at the point of need, even on the factory floor, in the field, or at a computer terminal.
In addition, Knowby enables teams to track usage, gather feedback, and identify opportunities for improvement through built-in analytics.
✅ All hazards identified and documented
✅ PPE listed with icons and images
✅ Tools/equipment clearly described and illustrated
✅ Steps are concise, actionable, and visual
✅ Visual aids used in every step
✅ Critical actions verified
✅ Hazards called out again in specific steps
✅ SOP tested by a first-time user for clarity
Creating the perfect SOP with Knowby isn’t about writing paragraphs—it’s about guiding action. When each instruction is simple, visual, and safe, your team will work more confidently, reduce errors, and improve productivity.
Use this guide as a standard when creating your work instructions, and continually refine them as tasks evolve. Your work instructions and SOPs should work for the user, so keep this in mind.