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Visual Work Instruction Template

A visual work instruction shows one task at one workstation as a short sequence of photos or sketches, each paired with a single action, the key point that makes it right, and the reason the key point matters. Use this template when an operator needs to do the job correctly from the page alone, without reading a procedure.

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Who this template is for

Manufacturing and process engineers writing instructions for a new or changed operation
Team leads and trainers who teach the task at the station
Quality engineers who need instructions that hold up to audit and match the control plan

When to use it

A task has steps where small differences in technique cause defects or injuries
New operators or temporary staff are joining the line
A text-heavy procedure is not being followed on the floor
A design or process change needs to be shown at the workstation

Standards it supports

ISO 9001:2015 7.5 — Documented information must be identified, reviewed and approved, kept current, and available where it is needed.
ISO 9001:2015 8.5.1 — Controlled production conditions include having documented information that describes the activities to perform and the results to achieve.
IATF 16949:2016 8.5.1.2 — Operator instructions and visual standards must be communicated to and understood by the people doing the work, and be accessible at the workstation.
AS9100D 8.5.1 — Adds aerospace expectations to controlled production, including evidence that planned production and inspection operations were completed.

How to use this template

Fill the header — record the WI number, revision, task, part and drawing revision, workstation and approvals.
List hazards and PPE — name the hazards of this task and the PPE required before anyone starts.
Write one action per step — for each step add a photo or sketch, the action, the key point that makes it right, and the reason.
State acceptance criteria — say what a good result looks like and how it is checked.
Validate and release — have an operator run the task from the draft, fix what confused them, then approve and record the revision.

What's inside the template

Header

WI number, Revision, Task title, Part number / drawing revision, Workstation, Effective date, Prepared by, Approved by

Safety and PPE

Hazards for this task, Required PPE

Tools and materials

Item, ID / part number, Qty, Notes

Steps

#, Photo / sketch, Action, Key point, Reason

Acceptance criteria

Characteristic, Requirement, How checked

Revision history

Rev, Date, Change, Approved by

Example: a completed template

Example Example Manufacturing Co., a fictional manufacturer, assembles a sheet-metal cover onto an electrical enclosure at a bench station. All values are illustrative and come from the Example drawing, not from any standard.

Header

WI number / revision	WI-ASM-014 / Rev B
Task	Fit and fasten enclosure cover
Part / assembly	ENC-200 cover assembly, drawing rev C
Workstation	Bench 3
Takes about	3 minutes per unit
Approved by	Process engineer and quality engineer (signatures on controlled copy)

Safety and PPE

Safety glasses on at the bench
Cut-resistant gloves when handling the cover — sheet-metal edges
Driver is set on the torque-limiting clutch; never bypass it

Steps

#	Photo shows	Action	Key point	Reason
1	Cover and gasket on fixture	Seat gasket in the cover groove	Gasket fully in groove all the way round, no twists	A twisted gasket breaks the seal
2	Cover aligned on enclosure	Place cover on enclosure	Hinge side to the left; locating pins in both holes	Pins set the hole alignment for the screws
3	Screw pattern with numbers	Run in 4 screws by hand	Start all 4 before tightening any	Prevents cross-threading and a cocked cover
4	Driver on screw 1	Tighten in the order 1-3-2-4	Diagonal order; driver clutches out at set torque	Even clamp load on the gasket
5	Paint mark on each screw head	Mark each tightened screw	One dot per screw after the clutch clicks	Shows at a glance that every screw was torqued

Acceptance criteria

Gasket visible evenly around the edge, no pinch or gap
All 4 screws marked
Torque audit (1 per shift): 1.8–2.2 N·m

The math in this Example

Nominal torque from the Example drawing: 2.0 N·m ± 10% = ±0.2 N·m
Lower limit: 2.0 − (2.0 × 0.10) = 1.8 N·m
Upper limit: 2.0 + (2.0 × 0.10) = 2.2 N·m

How to fill in each field

Field	What to enter
WI number and revision	The controlled document number and current revision letter. Match the number used in your document control list so auditors can trace it.
Task title	Verb + object, e.g. "Fit and fasten enclosure cover". One task per instruction; split anything longer than about a page of steps.
Part / drawing revision	Part number and drawing revision the steps were written against. When the drawing revs, this field tells you which WIs to review.
Workstation	Where the task is done. Post the instruction at that station so it is available at the point of use.
Safety and PPE	Hazards specific to this task and the PPE required. Use icons the site already uses; keep it to what applies here.
Tools and materials	Tools, fixtures, gauges and consumables with IDs. List gauge IDs that are under calibration control.
Photo / sketch	One image per step, showing the hands and the part from the operator’s view. Crop tightly and use an arrow or circle on the key detail.
Action	One action, starting with a verb. If the step needs "and", it is probably two steps.
Key point	What makes the step right: quality, safety or technique. Short and checkable — something a trainer can observe.
Reason	Why the key point matters. Operators follow key points more reliably when they know the reason.
Acceptance criteria	How the operator knows the result is good. Use the same limits as the drawing or control plan.
Revision history	Rev, date, what changed, who approved. Describe the change, not just "updated".

Common mistakes

Photos taken from the engineer’s angle, not the operator’s. Shoot from where the operator stands, with the part oriented the way it sits on the fixture.
Several actions crammed into one step. Keep one verb per step and move extra detail into the key point.
Key points that cannot be checked ("be careful"). State the observable condition, such as "gasket fully in groove, no twists".
Leaving out the reason column. Add a short reason so operators understand the consequence of skipping the key point.
Acceptance limits that differ from the drawing or control plan. Copy limits from the controlling document and reference it by number and revision.
Uncontrolled printouts left at the station after a revision. Pull old copies when a new revision is released and check the station during layered audits.
Written in language or jargon operators do not use. Test the draft with an operator who has not seen the task and fix every question they ask.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a visual work instruction and an SOP?

An SOP describes a process at the level of who does what and when, often across several roles. A visual work instruction zooms into one task at one station and shows how to do it, step by step, with images.

Does ISO 9001 require visual work instructions?

No. ISO 9001 asks for documented information to the extent needed to carry out processes as planned. Visual instructions are one way to meet that; IATF 16949 is more explicit about visual standards at the workstation.

How many steps should one instruction have?

Enough to cover one task and no more. If the sheet runs past one or two pages, split it into separate tasks so each stays usable at the station.

Should I use photos or drawings?

Use whichever shows the key point most clearly. Photos are quick and realistic; sketches or CAD views work better when a photo would be cluttered or the part is hard to light.

How do I keep visual instructions under revision control?

Treat the images as part of the controlled document. Change the revision when any photo changes, record what changed, and replace the posted copy.

Visual Work Instruction Template

Who this template is for

When to use it

Standards it supports

How to use this template

What's inside the template

Example: a completed template

Header

Safety and PPE

Steps

Acceptance criteria

The math in this Example

How to fill in each field

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

See also

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