InnoGlas · Industrial AR platform · 2023

Give each device the job it does best.

Operators were losing task context as work moved between mobile, AR glasses and web.

My role: I owned research synthesis, cross-device information architecture, interaction design and prototyping. I partnered with Roy and Mike on development.

Key decision: Assign readiness and recovery to mobile, in-equipment guidance to the glasses, and remote assistance, recordings and procedure management to the web.

What happened: A comparison with five industrial workers informed priorities for clearer connection states and more dependable overlays.

ROLE & OWNERSHIP

I owned research synthesis, cross-device information architecture, interaction design and prototyping. I partnered with Roy and Mike on development.

SCOPE

Cross-device prototype · June to 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

Define the workflow before dividing it across devices.

Market review, operator interviews and survey inputs

I synthesised competitor audits, regional survey input and operator interviews around setup, task interruption, training and access to expertise. I mapped preparation, guided work, support and follow-up as a connected sequence. The product question was which device should own each task, and what context needed to follow the operator.

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

Make each surface’s responsibility explicit.

Journey mapping and information architecture

Mobile confirms readiness, supports task entry and provides recovery when setup fails. AR glasses present guidance where the operator is working, close to the equipment. Web coordinates remote assistance, recordings and procedure management. The aim was to reduce the burden on the wearer while keeping recovery and expert support accessible.

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.
03 / DEVELOP

Make connection states part of the experience.

Connection states and recovery paths

I designed disconnected, connecting and ready states so the operator could understand the system before entering a procedure. The companion keeps task entry and support visible. When setup is interrupted, the interface needs to explain the state and provide a recovery path.

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

Carry the task into guidance and support.

On-site guidance and remote expert support

The operator selects a procedure on mobile, follows guidance at the equipment and can reach an expert from the same task path. The web workspace gives the expert session context, access to recordings and tools for maintaining procedures. The handoff preserves the work in progress rather than starting a separate support 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

Compare 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. The findings shaped priorities for clearer connection states and more dependable overlays.

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

Design the handoffs as carefully as the screens.

The work established a cross-device architecture, an evaluated prototype and reusable UI guidance. The design addressed the handoffs between devices as carefully as the interactions within each one.

What I would test next: task completion time and error rate in a live pilot.

Not yet measured: operational impact, which still requires a live pilot.