Operational Know-How
Practical knowledge needed for safe and reliable day-to-day operations.
What it means
Operational know-how relates to a specific piece of equipment, line, or network: how it behaves, what its limits are, and what precedes problems.
Why it matters
It's knowledge that can't be acquired anywhere but on-site — which is exactly why it's the most at risk.
A real-world example
A technician knows a specific compressor needs closer monitoring under a certain operating mode. It's nowhere in the documentation.
Experience gained from long-term work with a specific operation and its deviations.
Knowledge of how processes actually run and where their weak points lie.
Knowledge of technologies and equipment and how they really behave in operation.
The part of an organization's knowledge whose loss would directly threaten safety, quality, or continuity.
Systematically finding and eliminating the root cause of a problem.