How do we turn what people know into something your business can use?
Knowledge extraction is not about asking people to write down what they do. It's about structured conversation that surfaces the details, sequences, and judgment calls that experienced workers rarely articulate on their own.
Why do most documentation attempts fail?
The most common approach — asking employees to write their own procedures — produces incomplete, inconsistent, and often unusable documentation. People who are expert at doing something are rarely expert at explaining it. The tacit knowledge that makes them valuable is precisely the knowledge they've stopped thinking about consciously.
Our process is different. We use structured interview techniques developed specifically for knowledge elicitation — the same discipline used in fields that depend on capturing expert knowledge accurately. We ask the right questions, in the right order, to surface what a person knows but doesn't naturally describe.
The result is documentation that reflects how work actually happens — not an idealized version that nobody follows.
Four phases from first conversation to final delivery
Before any documentation begins, we map the terrain. We speak with business owners and key managers to identify which processes are undocumented, which people carry the most critical knowledge, and where the business is most exposed to disruption. This diagnostic produces a prioritized list of processes to document and an estimated scope for the work. The Initial Diagnosis is where every engagement starts.
We sit with the people who actually perform each process — not their managers, not HR, not anyone who describes the work from a distance. We use structured interview protocols that guide the conversation through the full sequence of a process: the normal flow, the exceptions, the judgment calls, the things that go wrong and how to handle them. Sessions are recorded (with consent) and notes are taken in real time. We typically conduct multiple sessions per process to ensure completeness.
Interview material is transformed into clear, structured documentation. For written manuals, we organize content into logical sections: overview, prerequisites, step-by-step procedure, exceptions, and reference information. For video guides, we film the process being performed with clear narration and structure the footage into a usable guide. For combined formats, written and video elements are designed to complement each other. We handle all formatting, layout, and production.
Draft documentation is reviewed with the person who was interviewed to verify accuracy. This step catches gaps, misunderstandings, and details that emerged after the interview. Once validated, documentation is delivered in the agreed formats. We provide a brief orientation on how to organize and maintain the documentation going forward. The final deliverable is yours to use, share, and update.
Which processes are candidates for documentation?
Any process where the absence of one person would cause problems is a candidate.
Production & Operations
Machine setup and operation sequences, quality control checkpoints, maintenance procedures, production scheduling logic, and the handling of common equipment issues.
Logistics & Fulfillment
Order processing workflows, inventory management practices, supplier communication protocols, shipment preparation procedures, and exception handling for common logistics problems.
Commercial & Supplier Relations
Pricing negotiation approaches, supplier relationship management practices, customer onboarding processes, and the institutional knowledge behind commercial decisions that aren't written anywhere.
Want to see how this applies to your specific situation?
The Initial Diagnosis is the right place to start. It's a focused conversation that maps your undocumented processes and identifies where to begin. There's no obligation beyond the conversation.
Or contact us at info@solvandoz.com