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New Workers or New Tasks: How Do Augmented Reality, Experience, and Task Switching Affect Worker Performance in Naval
James Fan1, Jelle de Vries2, Clay Greunke3
1RAND School of Public Policy, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
Summary
Augmented reality (AR) guidance speeds up maintenance tasks, particularly for new workers and those switching tasks. AR improves performance and task ease for less experienced personnel, aiding onboarding.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Occupational Ergonomics
- Industrial Engineering
Background:
- Traditional training methods may not adequately support complex or rapidly changing work environments.
- Onboarding new employees in skilled trades presents significant challenges in efficiency and competence.
- The integration of emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR) offers potential solutions for performance enhancement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of head-mounted optical see-through augmented reality (AR) guidance on the performance and perceived workload in maintenance tasks.
- To determine if AR guidance benefits workers with varying experience levels and task complexity.
- To provide insights for ergonomics and human factors practitioners on implementing AR in occupational settings.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted involving maintenance tasks with and without head-mounted optical see-through AR guidance.
- Performance metrics, including task completion time and perceived ease, were collected.
- Participants included workers with different levels of experience, and task variations were introduced.
Main Results:
- AR guidance significantly reduced task completion times, especially for less experienced workers.
- Workers experienced AR guidance as making tasks feel easier, particularly novices.
- The benefits of AR were more pronounced when workers had to switch between different types of tasks.
Conclusions:
- Augmented reality (AR) guidance is a valuable tool for enhancing performance and reducing learning curves in occupational maintenance.
- AR can improve efficiency and support workers in complex environments with high employee turnover.
- While AR aids immediate performance, traditional training remains crucial for independent, long-term competence without continuous AR support.
