Flame Good

A friend of the TWI Blog, John Milan, sent this for your enjoyment:

"I was quite amused by studying a matchbook at a recent family birthday party. I know that simple minds are easily amused, but I wanted to share the instructions on the inside cover of the matchbook for lighting a match. It appears that detailed instructions for procedures and safety are deemed necessary in more than one industry."

From the inside cover of a matchbook Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company: Instructions on how to light a match.

"Firmly grasp individual match, keeping fingers away from the igniting tip. After liberating said match from its confinement, assure that your matchbook cover is closed. Briskly strike the tip across the provided strikeplate on the backside of your matchbook to facilitate ignition of said match. Repeat when necessary. Flame good. For more information, go to www.sfntc.com"

Thanks John!

A bit overdone, eh? Is it no wonder then, with examples like this in everyday life, why people in specialized industries create complicated work instructions? For you Job Instruction trainers out there, this is one of the first battles you will face: most managers will look at JI as a documentation program, rendering most of your documents useless, if not for entertainment purposes like the one provided here by Sante Fe Tobacco.

Have a great Sunday!