InnoGlas · Industrial AR platform · 2023

Keep industrial work connected across devices.

I designed the mobile and web experiences around an industrial AR workflow: prepare a device, follow a procedure, and reach an expert. The product strategy was to preserve task context as work moves between the operator, the glasses, and remote support.

ROLE & OWNERSHIP

I owned research synthesis, cross-device information architecture, interaction design, and prototyping. I partnered with Roy and Mike on development and evaluated task flows with five industrial workers.

SCOPE

Cross-device prototype · June–September 2023

THE PRODUCT EXPERIENCE

The field task is the centre of the experience. This web view gives an expert live context when the operator needs help.

Remote assistance, with the task still in view: The expert can see the work and coordinate support without sending the operator to another tool.
Remote assistance, with the task still in viewThe expert can see the work and coordinate support without sending the operator to another tool.
THE CHALLENGE

Design the handoffs around the operator’s task.

The operator needs to know that the device is ready, follow a procedure at the machine and reach an expert if a step fails. If those moments live in disconnected interfaces, the operator loses context at the point where it matters most.

01 / Discover

Separate essential workflow needs from feature breadth

Market review, operator interviews and survey inputs

I synthesised competitor audits, regional survey input, and operator interviews around four points of friction: setup, task interruption, training, and access to expertise. This gave the team a basis for prioritisation around the operator’s work.

Design implication: I mapped preparation, guided work, support and follow-up as one sequence. The key product question became which device should own each decision, and what context must follow the operator between them.

Research archive · Scroll to review the evidence behind the workflow.

Competitor scan compares the positioning of three industrial AR platforms.
Competitor scan compares the positioning of three industrial AR platforms.
Feature inventory records how one competitor structures its product.
Feature inventory records how one competitor structures its product.
A second product audit captures device and assistance capabilities.
A second product audit captures device and assistance capabilities.
Competitive feature tree reveals the breadth of the first platform.
Competitive feature tree reveals the breadth of the first platform.
Additional feature trees compare setup and workflow patterns.
Additional feature trees compare setup and workflow patterns.
Screen inventory exposes the density of an existing AR platform.
Screen inventory exposes the density of an existing AR platform.
Task-flow notes trace how a user starts and completes device work.
Task-flow notes trace how a user starts and completes device work.
Competitor flow review follows setup and task entry.
Competitor flow review follows setup and task entry.
A second screen-flow audit shows where steps move between surfaces.
A second screen-flow audit shows where steps move between surfaces.
Existing interface inventory highlights reusable support patterns.
Existing interface inventory highlights reusable support patterns.
A contrasting platform reveals different setup and guidance choices.
A contrasting platform reveals different setup and guidance choices.
Additional screen inventory compares how information is grouped.
Additional screen inventory compares how information is grouped.
SWOT synthesis identifies product risks and openings for competitors.
SWOT synthesis identifies product risks and openings for competitors.
SWOT comparison continues across the remaining platforms.
SWOT comparison continues across the remaining platforms.
Survey breakdown examines connectivity and setup concerns.
Survey breakdown examines connectivity and setup concerns.
Research charts summarize another set of operator responses.
Research charts summarize another set of operator responses.
Further response breakdown captures preferences and friction.
Further response breakdown captures preferences and friction.
Interview notes record operator needs in their own working context.
Interview notes record operator needs in their own working context.
Interview synthesis organizes repeated task and support concerns.
Interview synthesis organizes repeated task and support concerns.
Operator profile summarizes a manufacturing supervisor’s context.
Operator profile summarizes a manufacturing supervisor’s context.
Field-service profile captures the needs of a different role.
Field-service profile captures the needs of a different role.
Journey map traces the supervisor’s task from preparation to follow-up.
Journey map traces the supervisor’s task from preparation to follow-up.
Second journey map tests the flow against field-service work.
Second journey map tests the flow against field-service work.
02 / Define

Give each surface a clear job

Journey mapping and information architecture

I assigned each surface a distinct responsibility. Mobile owns readiness and task entry; the glasses present guidance at the equipment; web supports remote assistance, recordings, and procedure management. This reduces the interaction burden on the wearer while keeping support and recovery available.

Decision artifacts · Scroll to review how the cross-device scope was defined.

Opportunity map groups user needs before assigning them to a device.
Opportunity map groups user needs before assigning them to a device.
Job and use-case notes make cross-device responsibilities explicit.
Job and use-case notes make cross-device responsibilities explicit.
Feature prioritization weighs value and implementation effort.
Feature prioritization weighs value and implementation effort.
Architecture draft structures setup, task guidance and assistance.
Architecture draft structures setup, task guidance and assistance.
First flow shows a route from device pairing to task support.
First flow shows a route from device pairing to task support.
Refined flow compares paths across mobile, web and glasses.
Refined flow compares paths across mobile, web and glasses.
03 / DEVELOP

Design the transition before the task.

Connection states and recovery paths

I made readiness explicit through disconnected, connecting, and ready states. The operator can understand the system before entering a procedure, while the support route remains visible when setup fails. These states also give implementation and QA clear behaviours to check.

Connection interrupted: The companion makes device status explicit before a procedure begins.
Connection interruptedThe companion makes device status explicit before a procedure begins.
Connection in progress: A transitional state prevents the user from mistaking setup for readiness.
Connection in progressA transitional state prevents the user from mistaking setup for readiness.
Device ready: The companion confirms connection while keeping task entry and expert help accessible.
Device readyThe companion confirms connection while keeping task entry and expert help accessible.

Design rationale: surface readiness before task entry, and leave the support path visible if setup fails.

04 / EXPERIENCE

Keep the task connected across surfaces.

On-site guidance and remote expert support

The operator starts a procedure on mobile, follows a step at the machine and can call an expert from the same task path. On web, the expert sees the session, reviews recordings and maintains the guidance that supports the next task.

01 / IN THE FIELD

Choose a procedure → inspect the step → reach an expert when needed.

Choose a procedure: Step titles are available before the operator enters the task.
Choose a procedureStep titles are available before the operator enters the task.
Guided procedure: A task step combines equipment imagery, instruction and an in-context checkpoint.
Guided procedureA task step combines equipment imagery, instruction and an in-context checkpoint.
Instruction in context: A highlighted equipment area anchors the step to what the operator is seeing.
Instruction in contextA highlighted equipment area anchors the step to what the operator is seeing.
Call for remote assistance: An expert can be reached from the task path when guidance alone is insufficient.
Call for remote assistanceAn expert can be reached from the task path when guidance alone is insufficient.
02 / AT THE EXPERT'S DESK

Locate a colleague, review the session, maintain the procedure and follow up.

Support overview: The web workspace brings contact and location context together.
Support overviewThe web workspace brings contact and location context together.
Review a session: Recordings give remote teams a path back to what happened.
Review a sessionRecordings give remote teams a path back to what happened.
Create a guided flow: A structured editor provides a way to build and revise a procedure.
Create a guided flowA structured editor provides a way to build and revise a procedure.
Audit procedure activity: The log makes recent task activity visible for follow-up.
Audit procedure activityThe log makes recent task activity visible for follow-up.
05 / Validate

Test the workflow in the operator’s context

Five-person formative comparison

Five industrial workers compared tasks with and without AR guidance. I reviewed time and error records alongside observation and follow-up feedback to prioritise clearer connection states and more dependable overlays. The evaluation informed the next iteration; operational impact still requires a live pilot.

Operator tries the prototype during an evaluation session.
Operator tries the prototype during an evaluation session.
Through-glasses view checks whether guidance remains legible in context.
Through-glasses view checks whether guidance remains legible in context.
Operator evaluation video shows how the cross-device concept was tested in context. Watch on YouTube ↗
SOURCE MATERIAL

A shared visual language for the AR platform

I documented reusable components and interface states in the InnoGlas UI guideline, giving the companion experience a shared language for design, implementation, and review.

View complete PDF
WHAT THIS WORK ESTABLISHED

Reliability is part of the interaction design.

The work established a cross-device architecture, reusable UI guidance, and an evaluated prototype. A live pilot should prioritise connection recovery and remote-help handoffs alongside task completion and operator confidence.