Could your factory tour become a CPD?
We’re fortunate enough to visit plenty of factories and production facilities as part of our work and we always come away feeling inspired and having learnt something.
Yet factory visits are an opportunity that many manufacturers overlook when it comes to CPD.
Of course, not every business has a manufacturing facility that lends itself to visitors. But if you do, turning your factory tour into an educational experience for architects and designers should definitely be on your radar.
Why seeing it matters
Seeing a product being manufactured gives you an understanding that’s difficult to replicate in a brochure or presentation. You see the raw materials, the processes, the quality checks and, importantly, the people and expertise behind it all.
A well-structured tour can showcase all of this to specifiers. It creates opportunities for valuable (and memorable) conversations and gives specifiers a much deeper understanding of your products and processes.
Build the learning into the tour
Factory tours are one of the formats recognised by RIBA for approved CPD, yet at the time of writing there are just 27 listed on RIBACPD.com.
As with any CPD, however, walking visitors around your production line and talking about your products isn't enough. You need clear learning aims and outcomes, a structured narrative and content that remains educational rather than becoming a sales pitch. Think about what a specifier should understand by the time they leave and plan your tour around that.
Plan the whole experience
Think about the experience from the moment visitors arrive. Reception areas, signage and introductions all contribute to that first impression, while well-placed information around the factory can reinforce key learning points as the tour progresses.
There are practicalities to consider too. Who will conduct the tour, and do they have the right knowledge and presentation skills? Who manages bookings and communication with attendees?
It takes some organisation, but you've already made a significant investment in your manufacturing facilities, processes and people. If you can open the doors to specifiers, it makes sense to show them what goes into the products they're specifying.
With relatively few approved factory tours currently available, there's an opportunity to do something a little different with your CPD programme.
If you'd like help turning your factory visit into a structured CPD, do get in touch.
Images are from our visits to clients Mumford & Wood and Samuel Heath.