United Kingdom · Operations · Entry Level (0-2 years)

Process Technician

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, a real day, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

Experience bandEntry Level (0-2 years)
Direct reportsNo direct reports
Reports toProcess Engineer
UK framework levelUsually someone starting out, or keeping a process running

Also advertised as Junior Manufacturing Assistant · Production Support Technician · Process Improvement Assistant

Built on an analysis of 43,079 real UK job descriptions · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Start with a free Future Fluency check, tuned to Process Technician

Ten quick questions, one per Future Fluency, asked against this role rather than a generic one. About five minutes, and no card.

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1What this role really is

This role is all about getting stuck in on the factory floor. You'll be the eyes and ears for the Process Engineer, collecting crucial data, running basic tests, and making sure everyone's following the rules. Think of it as being the frontline detective for how things actually work. You're not just watching; you're learning the ins and outs of our manufacturing processes, spotting the little things that can make a big difference, and helping us make better products, day in, day out.

2What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

SAP S/4HANA (PP, QM, MM modules)Intermediate

Pulling up production orders, checking basic inventory levels (e.g., using MIGO or MB51), and confirming operations. You'll be navigating standard screens and reports to get information.

Rockwell FactoryTalk / Siemens Opcenter (MES)Intermediate

Monitoring line status, logging downtime events, entering scrap data, and pulling basic OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) reports for your assigned production line. You'll be interacting with the system regularly.

Minitab (SPC Software)Intermediate

Entering collected process data into pre-configured templates, generating basic control charts (like X-bar & R charts), and running simple capability analyses (Cpk, Ppk) under guidance. You'll be learning to interpret the outputs.

MasterControl / ETQ Reliance (QMS)Basic

Accessing and reading Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and work instructions. You'll also be logging non-conformance reports (NCRs) and completing your assigned training records within the system.

Microsoft Visio / Lucidchart (Process Mapping)Intermediate

Documenting existing processes using standard symbols (swimlanes, decision points) for your assigned area. You'll be updating existing process maps with minor changes or creating simple ones from scratch under guidance.

Microsoft Power BI / Tableau (Data Analytics)Basic

Viewing and interacting with pre-built dashboards to monitor daily Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for your line. You'll be able to filter data and understand the visualisations, but not build them.

3What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choice	Coming in	Where you are now	The step above
Process Parameter Adjustment	Identify potential need, escalate to Process Engineer.	Propose adjustments based on data, consult with Process Engineer for approval.	Approve minor adjustments within defined limits, recommend major changes to management.
Stopping Production Line (Non-Emergency)	Escalate immediate safety or major quality concerns to supervisor for decision.	Recommend stopping based on data, get approval from Production Supervisor/Manager.	Authorise stopping a line for process improvement or significant quality issues, informing Production leadership.
SOP Deviation	Report any observed deviations immediately to supervisor.	Investigate root cause of deviation, propose corrective action to Process Engineer.	Approve temporary deviations (with justification), lead permanent SOP revisions.
Tool/Equipment Selection (minor)	Suggest a better tool for a specific task to Process Engineer.	Research and recommend specific tools/equipment for process improvements (under £1K).	Approve purchase of minor tools/equipment (up to £5K), justify larger investments.

4How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, honestly: the hard targets, how often each one is actually looked at, and the quiet human signals that never make it onto a dashboard.

SPC Data Collection On-Time & Accuracy

How consistently and correctly you collect data for Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts.

Target · 100% on-time, <1% data entry errors

If you're meant to log 10 data points every hour, we'll check that all 80 points for your shift are there and within expected ranges, with no typos.

SOP Adherence Observations

The percentage of observed process steps where operators (and yourself) are following the Standard Operating Procedure.

Target · >95% adherence

During a line audit, you observe 20 steps and 19 are done exactly as the SOP says. That's 95%.

Basic Measurement System Repeatability

How consistently you get the same measurement when repeating it on the same part.

Target · ±5% variance on critical measurements

You measure the thickness of a part three times, and the readings are 10.0mm, 10.1mm, 9.9mm. That's a good, tight spread, showing you're consistent.

Learning & Development Engagement

Your proactive approach to learning new processes, tools, and methodologies.

Asking thoughtful questions, completing assigned training modules on time, seeking feedback from your Process Engineer, showing initiative to understand 'why' we do things a certain way, not just 'how'.

Effective Communication of Issues

How clearly and promptly you report anomalies, deviations, or potential problems on the line.

Your Process Engineer says you're good at flagging issues before they become big problems, you provide enough detail for them to act, and you use the right channels (e.g., logging an NCR, not just a casual chat).

Teamwork & Support

How well you collaborate with Production, Quality, and Maintenance teams to support smooth operations.

Operators feel comfortable asking you for help with SOPs, Maintenance appreciates your clear descriptions of machine issues, and your Process Engineer sees you as a helpful pair of hands on the floor.

5Would you like it

The honest version. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy

Learning and Growth

You'll be constantly exposed to new machines, processes, and problem-solving techniques. Every day is a chance to learn something new about manufacturing, and your Process Engineer will be there to guide you.

You're excited to shadow a Maintenance Technician to understand how a machine works, or you're keen to learn how to interpret an SPC chart.

Making a Tangible Impact

Your work directly contributes to improving our products and processes. You'll see the results of your accurate data collection and adherence to procedures in real-time on the factory floor.

You've been meticulously collecting data on a specific defect, and a week later, a Kaizen event uses your data to fix the problem, reducing scrap by 10%.

Problem Solving (at a basic level)

While you won't be leading big projects, you'll be involved in identifying and reporting smaller issues. You'll help gather the facts that lead to solutions.

You notice a recurring issue with a specific part and meticulously document it, providing the key information for a Process Engineer to investigate further.

What frustrates people

The 'Tribal Knowledge' Barrier: You'll sometimes hear 'this is how we've always done it' when trying to get operators to follow a new or updated SOP, even when the data says otherwise. It's about earning trust.
Repetitive Tasks: Collecting data for SPC or checking parts can feel a bit like Groundhog Day. It's essential, but it won't always be exciting.
Waiting for Action: You'll identify issues and report them, but you won't always be the one to fix them. Sometimes, solutions take time, resources, and approvals.
Messy Data: Despite best efforts, some data you need might be incomplete or inaccurate, requiring extra effort to verify or clean up.
The 'Temporary' Fix: You might see workarounds that have become ingrained, even if they're not ideal. It's a challenge to get these properly addressed when you're just starting out.

What this role does not give you

High-level strategic decision-making – that comes later, with experience.
Leading big improvement projects on your own – you'll be a key part of them, though.
A purely desk-based role – you'll be on your feet on the shop floor a lot.
Instant gratification for every problem you identify – some fixes take time.

6Who you work with

Your daily work directly feeds into the data we use to make decisions about process improvements. Getting it right means our Process Engineers have accurate information to work with, which helps reduce scrap, improve efficiency, and ultimately saves the company money. Getting it wrong means we're making decisions based on bad data, which can lead to costly mistakes and wasted effort. Frankly, you're the foundation of our data-driven approach on the floor.

Inside the business

Production Operators and Supervisors
Maintenance Technicians
Quality Control Inspectors
Process Engineers (your direct manager)

7What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

A genuine interest in how things are made and a desire to improve processes.
Basic numeracy and literacy skills, enough to accurately record data and understand written instructions.
Comfortable working on a factory floor environment, which can be noisy and require standing for long periods.
A 'can-do' attitude and a willingness to learn from experienced colleagues.
Basic computer skills (e.g., using Microsoft Office, navigating software interfaces).

8What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Measurement & Calibration

As processes become tighter and quality demands increase, your ability to perform more complex measurements and understand basic calibration checks will be crucial for ensuring data integrity.

Understanding different types of gauges (e.g., go/ · Performing basic calibration checks on your measur · Understanding measurement uncertainty and its impa · Conducting basic Gage R&R studies under supervisio

This week: Ask a Quality Inspector to show you how they calibrate one of their common tools.
This month: Practice using a wider range of measurement tools on different parts, focusing on consistency.
Month 2: Read up on the basics of measurement uncertainty and how it applies to our products.
Month 3: Assist your Process Engineer in a simple Gage R&R study, focusing on data collection.

Quick win: Take initiative to check the calibration sticker on your regularly used measurement tools and report if any are overdue.

Process Visualisation & Mapping

Understanding the 'big picture' of how our processes flow will become more important. You'll move from just following a step to seeing how your step fits into the whole system. Being able to visualise this helps everyone.

Understanding process flow symbols (start/end, pro · Creating simple 'as-is' process maps for your area · Identifying obvious bottlenecks or waste points in · The concept of Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and its

This week: Draw out the process for one of your daily tasks on a piece of paper, step-by-step.
This month: Ask your Process Engineer for an existing process map and try to trace the flow on the shop floor.
Month 2: Use Lucidchart or Visio to create a simple process map for a task you're very familiar with.
Month 3: Identify one point of obvious waste in a process you've mapped and discuss it with your Process Engineer.

Quick win: Offer to update a minor detail on an existing process map for your area, using the correct symbols.

9Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up

Shadowing experienced operators, technicians, and engineers across different shifts and lines to broaden your understanding of our entire operation.
Taking advantage of internal training modules on specific machinery, quality systems, and safety protocols.
Participating in 'Kaizen blitz' events or smaller improvement workshops, even if it's just to observe and learn.
Reading industry publications or online resources about Lean Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and process improvement.

10How the AI economy is changing work like this

Before we ask anything of you, here's what we can already say about AI and work of this kind:

The new skill this role is being asked for: Digital Literacy & Data Storytelling (Basic)

More and more data is being generated on the shop floor, and we're moving away from just collecting numbers to actually understanding what they're telling us. Being able to look at a simple dashboard and explain what's happening will become key.

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Digital Literacy & Data Storytelling (Basic)

More and more data is being generated on the shop floor, and we're moving away from just collecting numbers to actually understanding what they're telling us. Being able to look at a simple dashboard and explain what's happening will become key.

Basic dashboard interpretation (what do the colour
Identifying simple trends in data (is it going up
Connecting data points to real-world observations
Using simple visuals (like charts) to explain a po

Basic AI Interaction & Prompting

AI tools are becoming more common, even for simple tasks. Knowing how to ask an AI for help (prompting) to draft a summary or find information will save you time and make you more efficient.

What is a 'prompt' and how to write a clear one
Asking AI for summaries of documents or data
Using AI to help structure your notes or observati
Understanding that AI can make mistakes (hallucina

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

Basic Lean Manufacturing Principles
Introduction to Statistical Process Control (SPC)
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Support
Quality Measurement Techniques

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

1
Production Operator / Assembly Technician
1-3 years
Skills to master
- Deep understanding of specific machine operation, adherence to production schedules, basic troubleshooting, strong safety awareness, practical experience with quality checks.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently hitting production targets with good quality.
- Proactively identifying and reporting machine issues.
- Demonstrating a keen interest in *why* processes work the way they do.
- Being a go-to person for new operators learning a specific machine.
2
Quality Control Inspector / Technician
1-2 years
Skills to master
- Mastery of measurement tools, understanding of quality standards (e.g., ISO), meticulous record-keeping, experience with non-conformance reporting, attention to detail.
You're ready to move on when
- Excellent track record in identifying and documenting product defects.
- Strong understanding of product specifications and tolerances.
- Ability to clearly communicate quality issues to production teams.
- Proactive in suggesting improvements to inspection methods.
3
Apprenticeship in Engineering / Manufacturing
3-4 years (during apprenticeship)
Skills to master
- Theoretical and practical knowledge of engineering principles, machine maintenance, process control systems, project work, problem-solving methodologies.
You're ready to move on when
- Successful completion of all apprenticeship modules and qualifications.
- Strong performance in practical assignments and workplace projects.
- Demonstrating initiative to apply learned theories to real-world factory problems.
- Positive feedback from mentors and supervisors on technical aptitude.

11Where this role leads

The long view:Your journey starts here, learning the fundamentals. But with curiosity, hard work, and a commitment to continuous improvement, the opportunities in Operations are vast. We're excited to see where you'll go!

Pay & demand

Pay and demand for this role will appear here, each figure traced to a named authoritative source (e.g. the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, under the Open Government Licence). We don’t show numbers we can’t attribute.

ONS's coding index maps “Process Technician” to more than one occupation, so there is no one median to quote. Rather than pick, here is each one it could be, with its own figure:

Planning, process and production technicians£36,895 a year
Chemical and related process operatives£33,959 a year

ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, from the April 2025 survey — about six months old when published, as ASHE always is, under the Open Government Licence.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Process Technician is actually changing. In about two minutes, the free confidence check asks where you stand on each of the ten. That's the whole check, and it's what makes the plan yours rather than generic.

12The team that's yours

No two people are taught the same way. This is one-to-one, not one-to-many.

Zavmo is a hyper-personalised AI learning platform. Twelve virtual tutors, each with a different way of teaching, and one orchestration agent that picks the right one for the moment. So every single lesson is shaped around you, your role, and the way you learn. Not a course everyone sits through. A conversation built for you, and no one else.

…and nine more, matched to you after your first chat. Meet all twelve

Start free and meet yours

13What it feels like

A conversation, not a course

Because your tutor knows your role, your projects and your last session, learning sounds like this. And it's different for every single person:

Produce process outcomes using manual operationsLevel 2

Applied to your work in Process Technician

This unit aims to equip learners with the knowledge and skills to safely prepare equipment and materials, operate equipment, control outcomes, and address problems during manual process operations.

How the thinking builds

Remember
Understand
Apply
Analyse
Evaluate
Create

An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

One to one, not one to many

No two people run this the same way

A course is written once and handed to everyone. This is assembled around you, and keeps changing as it learns you. Five things it reads, and what each one changes.

Your actual work Every lesson is taught against a live piece of your own work, not a worked example from a textbook.
What you already know The first conversation finds your starting point, so you skip what you can already do and spend the time on what you cannot.
The conditions you learn under Not a learning-styles quiz. The evidence does not support those. The dimensions the research does back, read once and used to shape the plan.
How far you got last time It picks up mid-thought. The tutor knows what you said, what you struggled with, and what it asked you to try.
Which tutor suits the moment Twelve of them, each for a different kind of thinking. The one who walks you through a first idea is not the one who stress-tests it.

See how you learn, free. Eight questions, no sign-up. A directional taster; the diagnostic inside Zavmo goes deeper and keeps adapting.

DemonstrateIllustration

Evidenced on your work in Process Technician

You do not finish by watching something. You finish by showing it on the work you already do, against the measures this job is judged on.

SPC Data Collection On-Time & AccuracyHow consistently and correctly you collect data for Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts.If you're meant to log 10 data points every hour, we'll check that all 80 points for your shift are there and within expected ranges, with no typos.100% on-time, <1% data entry errors
SOP Adherence ObservationsThe percentage of observed process steps where operators (and yourself) are following the Standard Operating Procedure.During a line audit, you observe 20 steps and 19 are done exactly as the SOP says. That's 95%.>95% adherence
Basic Measurement System RepeatabilityHow consistently you get the same measurement when repeating it on the same part.You measure the thickness of a part three times, and the readings are 10.0mm, 10.1mm, 9.9mm. That's a good, tight spread, showing you're consistent.±5% variance on critical measurements

These are this job's own measures, with its own targets. Nothing is marked evidenced, because nobody has started this yet. Yours would fill in from the work you bring.

Your passport

This isn't a certificate you file away. It's a passport to the life you're designing.

Every credit you earn and every fluency you build adds up: evidence where it counts, carried with you. Zavmo keeps the map: where you are, where you're heading, and the next step, at your pace, around your life. From Process Technician to Process Engineer, and whatever you decide comes after.

Level 2 · in progressAI Fluency→ Process Engineer→ your design

Where this takes you

Your journey starts here, learning the fundamentals. But with curiosity, hard work, and a commitment to continuous improvement, the opportunities in Operations are vast. We're excited to see where you'll go!

See Your Progress GrowIllustration

Process Technician

Basic Lean Manufacturing Principles
Introduction to Statistical Process Control (SPC)
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Support
Quality Measurement Techniques

This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

14The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Process Technician is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

Process Engineer
2-4 years from Process Technician
Level 2 (Mid-Level)
- Advanced SPC: Designing control charts, interpreting complex trends, performing Gage R&R studies.
- Lean Tools: Leading Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping, implementing Kanban systems.
- MES Configuration: Setting up new products, designing dashboards, troubleshooting system issues.
- Data Visualisation: Building custom dashboards in Power BI/Tableau to track KPIs.

Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, some parts of being a Process Technician can feel a bit repetitive. But what if you could cut down on the tedious bits and spend more time on the interesting stuff? That's where AI comes in. We're not talking about robots taking over your job; we're talking about smart tools that help you do your job better, faster, and with less hassle.

As a Process Technician, you're constantly collecting data, checking quality, and making sure things run smoothly. Imagine having an assistant that could help you make sense of that data quicker, draft your reports, or even help you spot potential issues before they become big problems. Our AI Productivity Hub is packed with tools designed specifically for Operations, helping you reclaim your time and focus on what truly matters.

Smart Data Entry & Validation

Use AI-powered forms and systems that can flag unusual readings as you enter them, reducing errors and ensuring your data is always top-notch. It's like having a second pair of eyes on every number you type in.

Automated Visual Inspection Support

Learn how AI-powered cameras can assist with basic visual quality checks, highlighting potential defects for your review. This helps you focus your attention on critical areas and reduces eye strain from repetitive inspections.

SOP & Training Draft Assistant

Need to document a process observation or help draft a simple training note? Use an AI writing tool to get a first draft done in minutes. Just give it your bullet points, and it'll format them into a clear, concise document, ready for your Process Engineer's review.

Basic Report Generation

Instead of manually compiling daily logs, use AI to summarise your collected data and observations into a structured report. This frees you up to spend more time on the floor, rather than at a desk.

Common questions

How do you become a Process Technician?

Common routes in include Production Operator / Assembly Technician (1-3 years), Quality Control Inspector / Technician (1-2 years) and Apprenticeship in Engineering / Manufacturing (3-4 years (during apprenticeship)). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Process Technician progress to?

This role can lead on to Process Engineer (2-4 years from Process Technician), depending on the skills you build.

What level is a Process Technician in the UK?

This role aligns to RQF Level 2 on the UK framework, a guide to the depth of qualification it maps to, not a hard entry bar.

What new skills matter most for a Process Technician?

Increasingly, Digital Literacy & Data Storytelling (Basic) and Basic AI Interaction & Prompting. These are the areas where the higher-paid, future-proof work is heading.

The honest bit

You’ve started things before

Most of them were built for a room full of people who aren’t you. A cohort moves on whether or not your week allowed it, and by the third week the thing you’re behind on becomes the reason you stop opening it.

There’s no cohort here, and no timetable to fall behind. Before anything starts, Zavmo asks when you’re sharpest and how long you can realistically sit down for, then builds the sessions around those answers. A bad fortnight changes your pace. It doesn’t put you behind.

And you only pay once you start learning. Searching and planning are free, and you can cancel any time — so the cost of finding out is an afternoon, not a year.

What it costs

Less than one coaching session. Every month.

A single career-coaching hour costs more than a month of this, and it ends when the hour does. Zavmo doesn't. It's £70 a month, about £2.30 a day, for a companion that knows a Process Technician, works on the job you actually do, and keeps going at your pace rather than a timetable's.

Searching and planning stay free. You only pay when you start learning.
Your credits are yours. Regulated, and they don't vanish when a subscription ends.
Cancel any time and billing stops. No notice period, no minimum term.

Your path, personalised

You have the map. Walking it is the part we do together.

This route runs to 10 national skill standards. That is a real journey.

Zavmo shapes a learning experience as unique as you are. It fits how you learn, your pace and the work you already do. Every step stays benchmarked to recognised national standards. That’s the plan for becoming a Process Technician: personal to you, and it still counts. The first steps are free.

Independent research finds well-designed intelligent tutoring performs nearly as well as one-to-one human tutoring: VanLehn (2011), Educational Psychologist.

A private tutor in the UK averages £35–40 an hour . Zavmo is £70/month.

A Zavmo curriculum screen: a three-month plan built for a customer support lead, five Ofqual-regulated units and a hundred and ninety-six credits. — A real plan on learn.zavmo.ai: Ofqual-regulated units, credits, and a three-month run at your own pace.

Start free No commitment. See your first steps free.

15Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 2

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

Other roles in Operations

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.

If you leave this industry

The skills you'll gain in Operations, especially around process improvement, data analysis, and problem-solving, are highly transferable. You could move into roles in Supply Chain, Quality Management, or even Project Management in other industries like logistics, pharmaceuticals, or automotive. The core principles of making things better are universal.

Not sure this is the right direction?

Work out what you actually want from work first, then come back and see which roles fit it. Takes about ten minutes.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Build my plan, free Here's the first ten minutes: a 2-minute confidence check → your personalised roadmap → meet the tutors matched to you. No card, cancel any time. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.

Process Technician

What's rising in its place

Digital Literacy & Data Storytelling (Basic)

Basic AI Interaction & Prompting

Skills this role draws on

Technical

How you actually get there, here

Production Operator / Assembly Technician

Quality Control Inspector / Technician

Apprenticeship in Engineering / Manufacturing

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

Roles this leads to

No two people are taught the same way. This is one-to-one, not one-to-many.

A conversation, not a course

No two people run this the same way

This isn't a certificate you file away. It's a passport to the life you're designing.

Your journey starts here, learning the fundamentals. But with curiosity, hard work, and a commitment to continuous improvement, the opportunities in Operations are vast. We're excited to see where you'll go!

Everything else the record holds

The career path, and where it branches

Process Engineer

Where AI is starting to help

Smart Data Entry & Validation

Automated Visual Inspection Support

SOP & Training Draft Assistant

Basic Report Generation

Common questions

You’ve started things before

Less than one coaching session. Every month.

You have the map. Walking it is the part we do together.