Part 2 on key scenarios to utilize Guides’ branching feature will cover on-the-job scenarios. While we have identified these scenarios as ideal for on-the-job, some may serve as a dual purpose for training scenarios as well. If you have not read part 1 on training scenarios, be sure to check that blog out here.

Prep and Safety

As cheesy as it sounds, safety is the top priority. A simple prep and safety branching step can be the difference between an employee stepping onto the frontline with or without their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This step serves as a nice reminder for users who might forget one minor thing during safety checks. If companies notice a frequently forgotten step employees forgot about, this is the perfect use case for this scenario. This can be a single step or a longer process serving as a refresher orientation checklist to follow.

Another way to utilize branching for prep and safety is spatial triggers. By combining branching with spatial triggers, warnings and safety precautions will have a greater effect. To add on to the example from above about PPE, companies can implement spatial triggers to warn employees of dangerous situations. In training environments where trainees are new to processes and procedures, they can easily forget about a safety check. This would be another valuable use of this scenario.

Error Messages/Code

The whole idea behind using branching for error messages and codes is that users can respond to real-time error messages with the correct troubleshooting steps. For example, when a machine on the factory line stops working and an error code alerts to the problem, users will be able to match the error code within the branching step within Guides and be guided through the correct workflow to identify the issue, troubleshoot, and implement the solution. The troubleshooting steps are the same as what subject matter experts (SMEs) would do, and this frees up SME time to solve more complex problems.

Completion/Validation

A completion/validation branching scenario can be utilized for both training and on-the-job purposes. We covered knowledge checks and diagnosis scenarios to help employees understand terms and processes. A completion/validation step or steps make sure employees have correctly completed the task at hand. They can validate a step or complete processes like whether a part has been installed correctly or the entire machine has been built successfully.

Remediation

After employees have identified potential issues, the next logical step is to resolve these issues. A remediation branching guide will handle what to do after a problem appears on the frontline and then how to fix the issue. If employees cannot fix the solution themselves, the guide can point them to what to do next, such as calling a subject matter expert or replacing the part.

Now that you have learned about the different ways you can utilize Guides’ branching feature, hopefully, you will implement these scenarios into your business operations. Remember that the listed potential use cases are only a few possibilities to show you how to utilize branching. You may develop your own different ways to utilize branching to best meet your needs.