How PICO Supports Global Workforces Through Multilingual Work Instructions

Manufacturing operations are becoming more global—and more diverse—than ever. Today’s shop floors often include operators who speak different native languages, work across regions, or rotate between sites. Yet many shop floor systems still rely on single-language work instructions, creating friction where clarity matters most.

To address this gap, PICO now offers a multilingual work instructions feature that helps manufacturers deliver clear, consistent, and error-proofed guidance to every operator—regardless of language preference.

🎉 New Features Coming to PICO in 2026!

The multi-lingual work instructions feature is part of PICO's 2026 Product Roadmap.

👉 See the full list of features being released this year!

The Challenge: Language Barriers on the Shop Floor

For manufacturers with a multilingual workforce, language gaps can introduce serious operational risk. Common challenges include:

• Slower training and onboarding for non-native speakers
• Higher dependency on supervisors or peer translation
• Inconsistent process execution across shifts or regions
• Increased likelihood of errors due to misunderstood instructions

Many teams attempt to solve this by creating duplicate instruction sets, maintaining translated PDFs, or relying on informal verbal translation. These approaches are difficult to scale and nearly impossible to govern.

What manufacturers really need is a shop floor system that supports translated work instructions natively, without sacrificing standardization or error-proofing.

Multilingual Work Instructions in PICO

PICO’s multilingual work instructions feature is designed specifically for modern manufacturing environments where clarity, speed, and consistency are critical.

With this feature, manufacturers can deliver digital work instructions in multiple languages while maintaining a single, standardized process definition. Operators simply view instructions in their preferred language, while engineering and operations teams manage updates from a central source.

This makes PICO a strong fit for manufacturers looking for:
☑️ Multilingual operator guidance on the shop floor

☑️ Shop floor software for a global workforce

☑️ MES-style execution tools with built-in translation support

How It Works

AI-Powered Translations

PICO’s translation capability is powered by Marian and OPUS open-source models. This allows work instruction content to be translated quickly and consistently—without manual duplication or external tools.

Teams maintain instructions in a primary language (commonly English), then generate translated versions directly within PICO at the click of a button.

Supported Languages

At launch, multilingual work instructions in PICO will support the following languages (in addition to English):

• Spanish (MX /ES)
• French (FR/CA)
• German
• Italian
• Czech
• Vietnamese
• Portuguese
• Polish

More languages will be added to this list over time.

Fully Translated Operator Experience

Multilingual support in PICO goes beyond instruction text. Functional elements—such as buttons, prompts, and system messages—are also translated based on the operator’s language preference.

This ensures operators receive clear, end-to-end guidance, not a partially translated experience that can still cause confusion.

When updates are required, teams can switch back to the primary language, make changes to the work instructions, and re-translate—keeping all languages aligned as processes evolve.

Why Are Multilingual Work Instructions Important in Manufacturing?

Providing translated work instructions is just one of many ways a manufacturer can empower their operators. Alongside digital worker guidance, connected tools, and automated data collection, PICO's multilingual work instructions plays an important role in supporting the connected worker.

Here are the immediate benefits of deploying multilingual work instructions to the shop floor:

• Faster training and onboarding: Delivering instructions in an operator’s preferred language reduces learning curves and shortens time to productivity. New hires can follow standardized processes with confidence, without relying on shadowing or interpretation.
• Stronger error-proofing: Language clarity is a critical—but often overlooked—component of error-proofing. By removing ambiguity caused by translation gaps, multilingual work instructions help ensure operators execute each step correctly, improving quality and reducing rework.
• Consistent execution across sites: For manufacturers operating across regions, multilingual work instructions make it possible to deploy the same digital process globally—without compromising understanding or compliance.

Built for Real Shop Floors

The reality is that many factories rely on a diverse workforce, which means that access to multilingual work instructions is no longer a "nice to have". They’re a foundational requirement for scalable, high-quality operations.

By embedding AI-powered translation directly into the digital work instruction workflow, PICO helps manufacturers support a multilingual workforce, simplify training, and strengthen error-proofing—without increasing administrative burden.

Multilingual work instructions are another step toward making the shop floor more intuitive, inclusive, and resilient.

👉 Book a demo with our team to learn more about how PICO supports global workforces.

💡 Want to see more new features coming to PICO? Read about our 2026 Product Roadmap and watch the webinar.

FAQs About Multilingual Work Instructions

1. How are work instructions translated in PICO?
PICO uses Marian and Opus open-source models to translate work instruction content directly within the platform. Instructions are authored in a primary language and then translated into supported languages without duplicating or manually managing separate documents.

2. How accurate are the translations?

While we have rigorously tested the AI engines that power this multilingual work instructions feature, no automated translation is going to be 100% perfect. It is encouraged for users to verify translations—especially for technical language—with native speakers of the translated language for accuracy.

3. Can operators switch between languages on the shop floor?
Yes. Operators can view work instructions in their preferred language, and the PICO interface—including all productized text—is displayed in that language to ensure a clear, end-to-end operator experience.

4. What happens when work instructions are updated?
When changes are needed, teams can switch back to the primary language, update the work instructions, and re-translate them. This helps ensure all language versions stay aligned with the latest process changes and reduces the risk of outdated instructions on the shop floor.

5. Which languages are supported for translated work instructions?
At launch, PICO will support English (US/UK), French (FR/CA), Spanish (MX/ES), German, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Polish, and Vietnamese, enabling manufacturers to support multilingual workforces across key global production regions.