Impact of AR Delivery in Human-Supported Operational Risk Mitigation

Why is this Important?

Automation introduces new workforce compositions and behaviors. In order to adapt, organizations will need to deploy AR for humans in the workforce that encourages higher-level cognitive processes and decision making, in partnership with automated technology and data at the worksite.
As data analysis and technological literacy varies greatly among operational workforces globally, some degree of intervention and support will be necessary to ensure that productivity and safety targets are achieved in a new age of work.
AR is uniquely positioned to deliver guidance and to develop workforce skills in the “flow of work”, as it does not require hand-held or mounted displays that compromise safety and efficiency by directing human hands and eyes away from the production cycle itself.+

Whilst automation continues to bring efficiency to operational processes and practices and IoT data capabilities increase exponentially, a crucial element around human intervention remains unaddressed. Specifically, as incoming data indicates that an operational process is trending upward or downward and is approaching deviation from set thresholds, are the humans in proximity to this equipment aware, and can they proactively make decisions around appropriate actions, consulting additional support human support and/or schematics, flow charts, or other assets, where necessary? In 2018, McKinsey published an informative report on skill shifts, automation, and the future of the workforce, indicating that, while hours spent performing physical, manual, and basic cognitive skills would decrease by 14-15% between the years 2016 and 2030, higher cognitive skills, social and emotional skills, and technological skills would increase by 8, 24, and 55% respectively. This indicates a sharp departure from manual physical intervention and a transition to interaction between environmental data, people, and equipment in nuanced ways that involve rational analysis and resulting action.

Increasingly, industries are collecting mass amounts of operational data and parameters via IoT dashboards, though there is little guidance that enables the operator of the future to interpret this data and take appropriate action proactively. Deloitte’s 2020 Global Human Capital Trends report indicated that high-performance organizations are “evolving from a focus on automating work to replace workers, to augmenting workers with technology to create superjobs, to collaborating with technology to form superteams”. AR is specifically and ideally positioned to play a large role in this transition process for organizations across the globe.

This study would aim to specifically measure the tangible operational processes proactively improved by human intervention to a process prompted by a connected AR headset, providing data insights, as well as promoting appropriate proactive human behavior to maintain operational parameters/limits.

Stakeholders

Operational excellence professionals, chief operating officers, board of directors, safety and risk professionals

Possible Methodologies

The proposed research would need to identify operational processes for which operational parameters/thresholds have been defined and IoT data is available. Research would include current % of time operational process performs outside of appropriate limits/thresholds and introduction of AR data presentation, analysis, and intervention via A/B trial scenarios, potentially with a few different levels of AR intervention. Observe post-intervention data. Post-study operational process optimization time could be calculated and recommendations developed for future implementation.

Research Program

This study could be combined with existing research programs associated with metals and mining, oil and gas, aerospace, manufacturing, and operational excellence in general.

Miscellaneous Notes

There are valuable references related to automation and necessary upskilling contained in this report published by McKinsey. This report published by Deloitte focuses on guidance and learning “in the flow of work.”

Keywords

Automation, reskilling, skill development, augmentation, superjobs, superteams, operational excellence, IoT, process improvement, augmented reality, augmented reality, failure, indicators, just in time, mixed realities, optimization

Research Agenda Categories

Business, End User and User Experience, Use Cases, Displays

Expected Impact Timeframe

Near

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Author

Jennifer Rogers

Last Published (yyyy-mm-dd)

2021-08-31

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