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Dust Away One-Size-Fits-All Work Instructions

AI-powered technology may be the missing puzzle piece for today’s workforce crisis.

by Chris Kuntz - May 19, 2022

Are you still printing work instructions and operating manuals? If so, we need to have a serious chat! Maybe you invested in “going digital” a while back and think your work is done. You’re not alone. It was considered “groundbreaking” when PDF files made their way to the factory floor.

The first generation of digital work instructions were birthed after learning 46 percent of field technicians claimed paperwork and administrative tasks were the worst part of their day-to-day job. No argument here. Completing and filing paperwork is time-consuming and there is potential for lost information. There was an obvious upside to going digital, except for no longer being able to tell your supervisor that your dog ate your worker performance report.

But even now that technology is ready for the archives. An estimated $1.3 trillion (and counting!) has been spent on digital transformation initiatives as the online connected workplace and market continue to move at a rapid pace.

We are no fortune tellers, but studies show that 25 to 31 percent of 3.3. million business service jobs will be automated in the next decade. This doesn’t mean everyone is being replaced by robots. On the contrary. It means technology is improving to help workers do their jobs even better. Manufacturing companies need to be prepared to hop on this next-generation train if they aren’t already.

Move over one-size-fits-all training and work instructions

The individualized, real-time, connected worker platform is here. Let us emphasize individualized. Connected worker platforms are being implemented in myriad industries, from automotive to food processing. Any industry which is adapting daily to the constant shifts and pressures of the global economy. Regardless of the industry, standard digital work instructions are no longer effective. They do not reflect the real-time changes happening in the operation, such as order fulfilment and materials inventory, or equipment maintenance needs and the capabilities of the workers operating the machines. Imagine working on the manufacturing floor for five years and handed with the same standardized work instructions as the new hire.

Does this make sense? Not anymore. Not when AI-based technology is changing what’s possible. And what’s different about this latest wave of technology that makes it so special? It’s built around optimizing the performance of people (Gasp.)

Change is inevitable. Growth is optional. – John C. Maxwell

A marriage made in heaven–the next generation of workers is ready for a digitally connected workplace

Recruiting and retaining talented workers is one of the greatest challenges facing operations today. We get it. But there’s good news. As one generation of workers readies for retirement, another is stepping up to fill the gap. Gen Z is overflowing with talented innovators in the tech world having grown up surrounded by non-stop advancements and devices. Need one of them to look somebody up in the phone book? Forget it. But need assistance when your home computer suddenly “dies”? These are your people.

It’s more than video games. Their education has been largely based on a digital foundation. Nearly every function of their daily lives has an element of connectivity to the broader online world. You could say this generation is hardwired to respond best to customized digital learning platforms. It’s their love language. And so the potential to drastically improve productivity is real.

The beauty of the digitally connected worker–could they be “the One”?

The digitally connected worker has all the right stuff for a long-lasting relationship with your operation. The digital training and work instruction platform holds their unique inventory of skills, goals, and performance history, and works with them to become a better version of themselves on the floor. Workers whose individual needs are supported are better, more engaged employees. They have the self-confidence – as well as the tools and specific instructions – to address problems head on when they arise. An investment in AI-powered technology is an investment in a stable, adaptable, and reliable workforce.

Are you and your workforce ready to take this next step in digitization? Contact Augmentir to start the conversation. Together let’s step into the full potential that this generation has to offer to improve your operational efficiency.

The Future of Work in Manufacturing – 2022 Tour

Blog, Events, Latest News, Resources

Join Augmentir at the top manufacturing and industrial trade shows and conferences across the country, where we will be speaking, sponsoring, and providing live demos of our AI-powered connected worker software.

The time has finally come for live conferences and tradeshows to return! 2022 in person events are now in full swing and we couldn’t be more excited. After two years of mainly virtual events, we are hitting the road for what we like to call “The Future of Work In Manufacturing 2022 Tour.” We’re attending all of the latest and greatest manufacturing and industrial trade shows and conferences across the country, where we will be speaking, sponsoring and providing live demos of our AI-powered connected worker software. We can’t wait to see you all in person, so let us know where we can expect to see you along the tour!

MODEX: March 28-31, Atlanta, GA

MODEX 2022 is a free in-person event taking place March 28-31 in Atlanta, GA, and is ideal for anyone looking for ways to accelerate optimization and efficiency in their operations. You can expect to see RealWear and Augmentir at MODEX 2022.

Stop by the RealWear booth for a hands-on demo of Augmentir’s AI-powered connected worker platform showcased on RealWear’s newest technology, Navigator 500. Augmentir’s platform is a suite of AI-powered connected worker tools that helps your workers perform at their best, providing opportunities for continuous improvement through workflow-based learning. When you combine that with RealWear’s Navigator 500, you allow your workers to perform tasks hands-free, providing safer and more efficient operations, ultimately achieving a 10-15% increase in productivity.

NADITA Conference: April 12-13, Las Vegas, NV

The North American Dealer Information Technology Association (NADITA) is Caterpillar’s annual conference for dealer IT leadership. NADITA provides invaluable aid in keeping Caterpillar dealers up-to-date on Caterpillar’s corporate IT strategy and trends within the industry. This year’s NADITA conference will focus on how leading CAT dealers are handling the biggest industry challenges today and how they plan to build a successful workforce for the future.

Join us at this year’s event to hear how CAT dealers like HOLT CAT use Augmentir’s suite of AI-powered connected worker tools to drive innovation and improve worker efficiency within its service and repair operations and help accelerate on-boarding of new technicians to close the skills gaps in real-time.

IME West Advanced Manufacturing: April 12-14, Anaheim, CA

IME West is the largest annual advanced manufacturing event in the United States, bringing together suppliers and buyers for every part of the product development cycle. Join design and manufacturing engineers, directors, and executives from thousands of companies walking the show floor, attending the conference, and looking for inspiration.

Among this year’s presenters will be Augmentir’s VP of Strategic Operations, Chris Kuntz, as he discusses building a modern connected manufacturing workforce with AI. In his session, Chris will discuss how AI is being used to shape today’s new workforce and address some of manufacturing’s biggest challenges.

Learning Solutions Conference and Expo: April 20-22, Orlando, FL

Learning Solutions Conference & Expo is where learning professionals from around the globe have gathered year after year to share and explore what works in L&D. The event consists of the full Conference and the free-to-attend Expo with 120+ practical sessions, invigorating keynotes, many opportunities for attendees to connect, and much more. The sessions are categorized under key L&D tracks including: Instructional Design, Management & Strategy, Emerging Tech, Tools, Learning Platforms, and more.

Stop by booth 410 to hear how companies like Bio-Chem Fluidics was able to improve learning and development by reducing training times of new hires by over 80% (from three months down to two weeks) using Augmentir’s AI-powered augmented worker platform while also driving continuous improvement across its entire manufacturing operation.

North American Manufacturing Excellence Summit (NAMES): April 25-27, Chicago, IL

The North American Manufacturing Excellence Summit (NAMES) is an annual gathering of more than 500 of the most senior Manufacturing professionals from North America’s largest organizations and is the must-attend event for manufacturing executives.

Attend the North American Manufacturing Excellence Summit to hear how Augmentir is helping companies like Colgate-Palmolive, Hunter Industries, Baker Hughes, and Bio-chem Fluidics accelerate digital transformation, reduce training and onboarding times, and drive continuous improvement across their manufacturing operation using AI-powered connected worker technology. Discover the necessary tools and knowledge needed to build a digital strategy that will boost productivity and promote quality improvements in your manufacturing organization.

The Connected Worker Summit: May 3-5, Houston, TX

Join us at this year’s Connected Worker Summit on May 3-5, 2022, and network with over 200 operations leaders at the Norris Conference Center in Houston, TX. Learn how to build a connected workforce to improve operational efficiency, training, asset management, quality, and safety.

At the Connected Worker Summit, discover how Augmentir’s AI-powered connected worker technology is being used to shape today’s new workforce and address some of manufacturing’s biggest challenges.

AWE USA: June 1-3, Santa Clara, CA

Join the most valuable community to connect, learn, and grow your business and personal life with Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. AWE focuses on Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), immersive technologies and enabling technologies (eg. Artificial Intelligence-AI, interaction, haptics, 5G, streaming and more).

Learn from those solving major technical challenges, bringing Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality into new sectors, considering ethical and legal issues, promoting diversity, and working on the cutting edge of AR/VR development. Explore AWE and discover your best way to get involved: global events, conferences and tradeshows, local and topical meetups and webinars from the AWE Nite community, classes and workshops in the AWE Academy, videos and reports: 365 days a year.

ARC Industry Forum: June 6-9, Orlando, FL

Join us at the 26th Annual ARC Industry Forum to speed up your progress with strategies and stories from the digital front lines. Learn more about how transforming factories, supply chains, and infrastructure will benefit technology end users and suppliers alike. Discover what your peers and industry leaders are doing today and what steps they are taking to prepare for the future.

Digital leaders have now validated their strategies against the real-world challenges brought on by the pandemic, and are accelerating their innovation and transformation initiatives. Many companies supported ‘connected’ remote and frontline workers far earlier than they anticipated, and will now do more. Having seen the power of disruptive technologies to transform business operations and competitive strategies, improve resilience, reduce costs, and better serve customers, it’s full speed ahead.

Smart Manufacturing Experience: June 7-9, Pittsburgh, PA

With the U.S. occupying the 8th position in the top ten list of manufacturing innovation countries. The time is now for all U.S. manufacturers to embrace smart technologies to ensure the future of their business. Companies that are slow to implement these new technologies and processes could find themselves way behind their competitors.

The Smart Manufacturing Experience enables manufacturers to get inspired and educated about emerging technologies that upskill the workforce, improve quality and advance the future of manufacturing. Participants will be immersed in a world of interactive learning and technology demonstrations. Live presentations, numerous connecting points, and visionary keynotes will deliver unparalleled understanding and know-how. This is a great opportunity for all manufacturers to explore the latest transformative technologies and make valuable connections.

Cisco Live: June 12-16, Las Vegas, NV

Cisco Live is the place to meet, greet, learn, and share ways of solving some of the biggest challenges out there. Let’s get back together to build community, share experiences, and explore the future of work.

Cisco Live delivers education and inspiration to technology innovators worldwide through large-scale in-person and digital events, as well as on-demand education. It is the premier destination for Cisco customers and partners to gain knowledge and to build community. As the place where the best and the brightest minds in IT come to learn, Cisco Live will ignite creativity, deliver practical know-how, and accelerate the connections that fuel your digital future.

Manufacturing X.0 Midwest: June 21-22, Chicago, IL

Renowned for the quality of its speakers, regional support, informative solution partners, MxD Tour and networking, Manufacturing X.0 Midwest – formerly Internet of Manufacturing – is not to be missed. On stage, find Midwestern and national manufacturing leaders teaching peers, in detail, how to take advantage of the competitive edge that technology offers, and advance digital transformation journeys.

Manufacturing X.0 is the only place to hear case studies and form common consensus with peers on how best to increase efficiencies, revenues, and resilience by leveraging digital technologies. Knowledge and discussion centers around automation and smart operations, digital transformation, and attracting talent and investment to the region’s manufacturing sectors.

We couldn’t be more excited to get back out there and discuss the biggest trends and challenges of the manufacturing workforce today and how Augmentir’s AI-powered connected worker technology is being used to shape today’s new workforce and address these challenges. Check back soon as we announce the second half of 2022 events!

3 Ways Manufacturers are Using Technology to Train, Develop, and Retain Talent

Blog, Latest News, Resources

AI-powered technology may be the missing puzzle piece for today’s workforce crisis.

by Chris Kuntz - May 5, 2022

AI-powered technology may be the missing puzzle piece for today’s workforce crisis in manufacturing.

Is it just us or does recruiting, training, and retaining top talent today feel a lot like searching for that one elusive puzzle piece?

The seismic shift in the workforce is forcing us to get creative and be adaptable like never before. We can no longer try to force fit the old model of staffing and training into a space that looks drastically different. It’s not just about a labor shortage or the supply chain challenges created by the pandemic. Workers themselves are changing. What they want from work, and how they want to work.

It’s a new generation and if we want to remain competitive in hiring in this ultra-competitive environment, we need to embrace the variable nature of the labor market and meet workers where they are.

The solution to this head-scratching puzzle? AI-based technology. Digital work instructions and individualized training and on-the-job support can improve productivity, reliability, independence, and safety for every worker. It offers flexibility in scheduling for operations managers. It reduces downtime. All of which contribute to a more efficient – and profitable – operation.

Sound too good to be true? Brace yourselves. It’s not. Here are three ways that AI-powered technology can help.

1. Moving onboarding and training closer to the point of work

Imagine if we can teach someone in the context of doing their work. We could see an increase in productivity as they constantly evolve their learnings.

AI is allowing companies to understand a worker’s skillset and provides the ability for personalized digital work instructions to guide them in the context of work while they are doing their job, whether it’s a new worker or one with dozens of years of experience. With an AI-based onboarding approach, organizations are able to hire a wider range of individuals with varying skill sets and get those individuals productive faster.

2. Give support at the moment of need

Are you a people watcher? We are. Ever take notice of who is on the factory floor? Last time I checked, we got the “newbies” and “veterans”. The variability of the workforce, both skilled and young, proves that there’s not a one size fits all approach to troubleshooting and performance support.

Enter AI.

Give workers the support and guidance they need, at the moment of need, whether it’s immediate access to a digital troubleshooting guide, or connecting virtually with a subject matter expert. Delivering personalized work procedures for every worker allows for continuous learning and growth.

3. Improve engagement and retention

Workers that are connected and empowered with digital technology can discover and nurture diverse skills based on their unique competencies and experience. They can earn greater responsibility and independence. This increases confidence and job satisfaction. Which in turn can improve employee retention and slow the revolving door of continual recruiting and training.

The aftermath?

Workers are likely to stay and want to grow in the company when they feel included. Shortly, workers begin walking with poise and a “can-do” attitude to their next job task.

What else is possible with AI-powered connected worker technology?

AI-based technology is ideal for training workers in this variable environment. AI-based systems individualize information about workers based on previous training and data-driven performance insights. It offers step-by-step guidance at the moment of need for regularly scheduled maintenance as well as troubleshooting. It helps managers learn about workers’ existing skills and build a rationale for specific roles, resources, and certification support and then make clear recommendations based on demands.

Technology should fit into your business as simply as sliding that last puzzle piece into place. Workers are the heart of your business, and you should adapt techonogy to fit your business, not the other way around.

Technology should fit into your business as simply as sliding that last puzzle piece into place. That includes how you train your workers. But no two workers are exactly alike. Each will learn and approach problems differently. So why not use the technology that recognizes and adapts to those differences to your advantage?

To learn more about how Augmentir can help you embrace this opportunity, contact us for a personalized demo.

Webinar: Delivering Effective Performance Support through Workflow Learning

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Today’s industrial workforce is changing in real-time – who shows up, what their skills are, what jobs they need to do, is a constantly moving target. The traditional “one size fits all” approach to training, guidance, and performance support is fundamentally incapable of enabling today’s workers to function at their individual peak of safety, quality […]

by Chris Kuntz - March 2, 2022

Watch the recording of our recent virtual roundtable of industry leaders as they discussed proven approaches to delivering performance support and modern training approaches for today’s industrial workforce.

The Great Resignation in Manufacturing

Blog, Latest News, Resources

Recently, Augmentir completed a rigorous qualification audit as part of a Tier 1 Pharmaceutical Manufacturing company’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), and we are pleased to announce that our product successfully passed the audit.

by Chris Kuntz - February 17, 2022

A recent article published by The Washington Post shows some shocking numbers on the amount of Americans leaving their jobs over the past year. It’s no surprise that hotel and restaurant workers are resigning in high numbers due to the pandemic, but what is surprising is the fact that the manufacturing industry has been hit the hardest with “a nearly 60 percent jump” compared to pre-pandemic numbers. This “Great Resignation in Manufacturing” is the most of any industry, including hospitality, retail, and restaurants, which have seen about a 30% jump in resignations.

However, if you dig deeper, this trend isn’t new. This recent increase in job quitting in manufacturing has simply magnified a problem that had already been brewing for years, even prior to the start of the pandemic. In fact, in the four years prior to the pandemic (2015-2019), the average tenure rate in manufacture had decreased by 20% (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

This accelerating workforce crisis is placing increased pressure on manufacturers and creating significant operational problems. The sector that was already stressed with a tight labor market, rapidly retiring baby-boomer generation, and the growing skills gap is now facing an increasingly unpredictable and diverse workforce. The variability in the workforce is making it difficult, if not impossible to meet safety and quality standards, or productivity goals.

Manufacturing leaders’ new normal consists of shorter tenures, an unpredictable workforce, and the struggle to fill an unprecedented number of jobs. These leaders in the manufacturing sector are facing this reality and looking for ways to adjust to their new normal of building a flexible, safe and appealing workforce. As a result, managers are being forced to rethink traditional onboarding and training processes. In fact, the entire “Hire to Retire” process needs to be re-imagined. It’s not the same workforce that our grandfather’s experienced, and it’s time for a change.

The Augmented, Flexible Workforce of the Future

The reality is that this problem is not going away. The Great Resignation in manufacturing has created a permanent shift, and manufacturers must begin to think about adapting their hiring, onboarding, and training processes to support the future workforce in manufacturing – an Augmented, Flexible Workforce.

What does this mean?

It means adopting new software tools to support a more efficient “hire to retire” process to enable companies to operate in a more flexible and resilient manner.
It means starting to understand your workforce at an individual level and using data to intelligently closes skills gaps at the moment of need and enables autonomous work.
And it means taking advantage of data. More specifically, real-time workforce intelligence that can provide insights into training, guidance, and support needs.

Investing in AI-powered connected worker technology is one way to boost this operational resiliency. Many manufacturing companies are using digital Connected Worker technology and AI to transform how they hire, onboard, train, and deliver on-the-job guidance and support. AI-based connected worker software provides a data-driven approach that helps train, guide, and support today’s dynamic workforces by combining digital work instructions, remote collaboration, and advanced on-the-job training capabilities.

As workers become more connected, manufacturers have access to a new rich source of activity, execution, and tribal data, and with proper AI tools can gain insights into areas where the largest improvement opportunities exist. Artificial Intelligence lays a data-driven foundation for continuous improvement in the areas of performance support, training, and workforce development, setting the stage to address the needs of today’s constantly changing workforce. Today’s workers embrace change and expect technology, support and modern tools to help them do their jobs.

To learn more about how AI is being used to digitize and modernize manufacturing operations, contact us for a personalized demo.

The Cost of Doing Nothing

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Prior to Augmentir, our founding team was involved in founding Wonderware Software in 1987, Lighthammer in 1997, and ThingWorx in 2008. In 2017, we recognized that the technology and market forces were aligned yet again, for a fourth industrial software revolution. A revolution that focused on increasing the productivity and quality of processes involving front-line workers.

by Chris Kuntz - January 19, 2022

Times have changed since 1985 when relying on tribal knowledge was the only option for frontline workers, and today we are lucky enough to have new technologies and resources that enable frontline workers to do their best work in a complex world.

Although taking the steps towards digital transformation can seem scary or overwhelming, the longer you wait and “do nothing”, the more difficult it becomes to modernize. Not having the proper resources or being unsure about the digital transformation process are common hesitations for most organizations. Beginning your digital transformation is like beginning your journey to the gym after a long day. You can come up with a million excuses for not wanting to get your workout and usually, the hardest part is actually taking the first step to get there. But once you’ve started, you never regret it! The truth is that most manufacturing companies have at least begun their digital transformation journey, and for those that have not, the hardest part is just taking the first step.

Here’s what doing nothing is costing you today.

“Doing nothing” is costing you $234,900 every year with 1 changeover

If you could reduce variability in the execution of one changeover you could save 15,660 hours each year.

If the variability in completing a changeover between 2 operators is 1 hour and a changeover is performed 1/day, you are losing 261 hours each year for 1 operator.

Now, let’s look at shifts – if the average variability between A-shift, and B-Shift is +1 hour and C-Shift is +2 hours – with a total of 20 employees on each shift and each operator performing 1 changeover /day the variability in hours relative to A-Shift is equal to 60 hours every day and 15,660 hours each year.

Multiply that time at the national average of $15/technician, over the course of 1 year, “doing nothing” for just 1 task is costing you $234,900 in employee time alone.

Quantify increased throughput, proficiency, productivity, and quality, and there is even more impact!

“Doing Nothing” for manual data entry is costing you $97,875 per year

If you could save 15 minutes per day for an operator by eliminating data entry, after 1 year you would save your employee 3,915 minutes!

Multiply that time across 100 employees at the national average of $15/technician, “doing nothing” is costing you $97,875 per year.

“Doing Nothing” for apprenticeship programs is costing you $5,742,00

The average time for a new unskilled hire in an apprenticeship program is 2 years. If you could reduce the time that the new hire spends in the apprenticeship by 25%, you would save 1,044 hours for each new worker you hire. Reducing apprenticeship time by 50% would save 2,088 hours for each new hire. Reducing apprenticeship by 50% for 50 unskilled new hires would save you 208,800 hours.

Multiplying that time at the national average of $15/hour across 50 new hires, “doing nothing” to reduce a 2 year apprenticeship program by 50% is costing you $1,566,000.

Quantifying the impact on the skilled workers giving their time to the apprenticeship program, at $40/hour across 50 new hires amounts to an additional $4,176,000.

Why not start today?

If increasing proficiency could start to pave the way towards digital transformation and save you the cost of doing nothing, why wouldn’t you start today?

If reducing variability could start to pave the way towards digital transformation and save you the cost of doing nothing, why wouldn’t you start today?

If one simple digital procedure could start to pave the way towards digital transformation and save you the cost of doing nothing, why wouldn’t you start today?

The business impacts of doing something are clear:

Accurate Data Entry
Job Visibility
Execution variability insight
Downstream impact
Decrease downtime
Increase throughput
Reduce/ Eliminate training
Easily accessible documentation

With the proper AI-powered Connected Worker tools, your workers become more integrated and you gain access to a new rich source of activity, execution, and tribal data that lead to valuable insights into areas where the largest improvement opportunities exist. AI lays a data-driven foundation for continuous improvement in the areas of performance support, training, and workforce development, setting the stage to address the needs of today’s constantly changing workforce.

If you don’t start now, there’s always going to be something that happens in the next 6 months that will also prevent you. This was a trend that was occurring before the pandemic, but the pandemic has accelerated it greatly. There is pressure to keep up with the new normal and the faster you start the better equipped you will be. You could continue to fight this fire with a firehose and keep it at bay, but the fire isn’t going away until you solve the root problem.

You have an opportunity, right now! Older workers are aging out, and you’re working hard to hire new, young, bright, excited workers. These younger workers expect tech. They’ll embrace change. If not now, when?

Why Manufacturers Should Be Thankful For AI This Year

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Being thankful for AI might not seem like one of the usual items to include on your “What I’m Thankful For” list, but, AI truly has laid the foundation for not only the Augmentir platform, but for transforming the manufacturing workforce in positive ways

by Chris Kuntz - November 24, 2021

Every year as Thanksgiving approaches in the United States, we take time to reflect on what we are thankful for in our personal lives, such as family, friends, and health to name a few. As we started thinking about what we’re thankful for from a work perspective here at Augmentir, many things came to mind: our wonderful clients, an awesome team, our incredible founders, but one item high on our list is something that has allowed us to stand out in the Connected Worker platform space and make our product what it is today – Artificial Intelligence.

Improved Safety in the Workplace

One of the most common use cases for adopting AI has been in workplace screening and safety primarily as a result of the pandemic. Manufacturers found use in AI to monitor interactions of employees that needed to be in person on the shop floor during the pandemic so that they could conduct contact tracing and facility sanitization if necessary. Seeing the value of AI in workplace safety, manufacturers have continued to implement AI strategies for long-term solutions to identify safety events before they happen or to speed up post-incident root cause analysis for accidents like trips and falls. Industrial companies that implement AI-powered connected worker solutions as part of their digital transformation strategy have seen up to an 80% decrease in reportable injuries.

Connecting the Frontline Worker

According to Cisco, there are over 3 billion workers across the globe, and nearly two-thirds of these workers are frontline or field workers, whose day-to-day duties require that they physically show up to their jobs. Over the years, the manufacturing industry has done a really good job of connecting machines in the fabric of the business and giving operators the necessary data to help run those machines better. Our frontline workers are the least connected set of workers in the company. Frontline workers should be fully integrated into the fabric of the business from a collaboration standpoint so that they have access to the data that they need, when they need it. AI-powered connected worker tools provide not only a path to connect workers, but also intelligently deliver the right level of performance support so they can perform at their best.

Making Sense of Valuable Data

As workers become more connected, companies have access to a new rich source of activity, execution, and tribal data, and with proper AI tools can gain insights into areas where the largest improvement opportunities exist. Artificial Intelligence lays a data-driven foundation for continuous improvement in the areas of productivity, quality, and workforce development, setting the stage to address the needs of a constantly changing workforce. AI algorithms are ideal for analyzing large amounts of data collected from a connected workforce. AI can detect patterns, find outliers, cleanse data and find correlations and patterns that can be used to identify opportunities for improvement and create a data-driven environment that supports continuous learning and performance support. Using AI insights derived from Augmentir’s Connected Worker Platform, Colgate-Palmolive was able to save 10-30 minutes saved per shift and as much as 120 minutes reduced between Maintenance Notification and Maintenance Order Closure (Maintenance Execution Time).

Continuous Learning & Development

The new workforce dynamics and the nature of hybrid work are also now forcing manufacturers to re-think employee onboarding and training. The historic methods of onboarding and training taught workers everything they could “possibly” do which resulted in overtraining. The data-driven era we’re entering into is one of continuous learning and development powered by AI. Training shifts from the things frontline workers are possibly going to do to what they are probably going to do. Implementing AI into training results in reduced training times, continuous learning and development, and the ability to upskill at any point as needed. Learning is always available, training content is available on-demand to the worker on the shop floor at the time of need. Reducing the initial onboarding training and allowing training to occur at the moment of need, coupled with AI for scoring, provides insights into the most effective training modules as well as what needs to improve based on demonstrated execution.

At Augmentir we believe that the purpose of a Connected Worker platform isn’t simply to deliver digital work instructions and remote support to a frontline worker, but rather to continually optimize the performance of the connected worker ecosystem. AI is uniquely able to address the fundamental macrotrends of skills variability and the loss of tribal knowledge in the workforce. With an ecosystem of content authors, frontline workers, subject matter experts, operations managers, continuous improvement engineers, and quality specialists, there are dozens of opportunities to improve performance – and that’s something to be thankful for.

To learn more about how AI is being used to digitize and modernize manufacturing operations, check out our latest eBook – Build a Modern, Connected Workforce with AI.

AI Manufacturing 2021 – Event Recap

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After more than a year of virtual conferences, we were finally able to participate in person at the AI Manufacturing conference in Dallas early this November and discuss how AI is shaping the future of the manufacturing workforce.

by Chris Kuntz - November 17, 2021

After more than a year of virtual conferences, we were finally able to participate in person at the AI Manufacturing conference in Dallas early this November. This year’s event was hybrid, face-to-face on November 3 and 4th, and virtually on November 5th. While it was refreshing to be able to network face to face with leaders in the Manufacturing industry, it was great to have the opportunity to also network virtually on November 5th. If you aren’t familiar with the AI Manufacturing conference, this conference is the leading Artificial Intelligence event for Manufacturing Industries. This year’s event focused on:

The use of AI to Improve Quality, Reduce Defects, and Increase Profits
Developing a Digital Twin to Optimize Plant Operations
Using Building Blocks to Modernize Manufacturing Activities and Facilitate Growth
Designing Products Enabled by Additive and Hybrid Manufacturing Techniques
Exploring the Use of AI in Industrial Attacks and Defense

Using AI to Unlock the True Potential of Today’s Modern, Connected Workforce

Dave Landreth, Augmentir’s Head of Customer Strategy had the opportunity to present on “Using AI to Unlock to the True Potential of Today’s Connected Workforce”. In this session, he discussed the variability of the workforce with generations, how they need to be trained differently, and how AI can assist in worker proficiency. Dave also discussed Bob Mosher’s 5 moments of need and how AI can be applied at the time of learning.

The Misunderstood Fear of AI

Our founders saw that the humanistic approach was missing with traditional connected worker platforms and realized that AI was the key to saving the manufacturing world and unlocking worker potential. However, companies are reluctant to adopt AI in fear that automation will take over and eventually replace human workers in manufacturing. Others fear that AI would be used negatively to track workers, in a “big brother” type of way.

As we’ve seen with our customers, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. When AI is leveraged ethically with the workforce in mind, it can be used to help improve and ultimately grow the talent of your workers. Assessing workers on their performance has been done for years through subjective performance reviews. Using AI allows the assessments to be based on data and can provide a path forward for worker improvement and continued growth.

Understanding Today’s Struggles Within Manufacturing

The struggles that manufacturers face today aren’t the same struggles that were present 40 years ago. One of the number one issues in manufacturing is hiring. Today, most manufacturers believe that hiring is a risk, with a limited pool of candidates. They are struggling with employees who don’t have the needed skill set and are questioning how they can train them and evaluate their performance.

Manufacturing companies also struggle with retaining employees. We are all aware of the workforce retention issues right now. Employees are feeling like they aren’t heard and that they can’t contribute to the company, which causes them to look for a new career. There is also the struggle of thoughtful upskilling, meaning that formal training programs only recognize one type of worker. The average manufacturing plant sees 4 generations of workers, ranging from those fresh out of high school to the ones that have worked on a plant floor for 40+ years. Different generations learn differently and require different levels of support. There isn’t a one size fits all approach for teaching different generations.

Another challenge with the workforce that isn’t as obvious, is with mergers and acquisitions. An acquisition means that companies now consist of two workforces doing things differently and needing to understand what part of procedures from the newly acquired company is worth incorporating into the existing procedures.

Leveraging AI to Help Build and Grow a Top Performing Workforce

AI is uniquely suited to solve these challenges, and we recognized that early on at Augmentir. We started looking at how AI could help build and grow a top performing workforce. One way AI can help is the ability to hire for potential by increasing the hiring of candidates to those not as skilled. AI allows companies to understand a worker’s skillset and provides the ability for personalized workflows to guide them in the context of work while they are doing their job, whether it’s a new worker or one with dozens of years of experience. AI can also help with the “Right person – Right Job – Right Time” approach – always ensuring that the correct person is performing the task at the most efficient time.

The use of AI allows all workers to contribute by allowing inline feedback to optimize work procedures. In addition, AI can be used to ensure personalized career job competency allows workers to be hired even if they do not have the optimal set of skills and experience. Measuring a worker’s proficiency when they are completing the work allows the worker to focus on each specific step and guides them at the time of need, instead of during classroom training. AI provides workers with predictive and stable data to help them grow in their roles. Having a data-driven way to measure success and provide advancement opportunities helps establish career paths as well as opportunities to grow.

With an AI-based onboarding approach, organizations are able to hire a wider range of individuals with varying skill sets. If we can teach someone in the context of doing their work, onboarding time is reduced due to being able to train them in the field. We also see an increase in productivity and are constantly evolving their learnings. When workers feel included and confident about their careers, they are also more likely to want to stay and grow with the company. The ability to train workers in the field while doing their jobs with AI personalization allows you to clearly and quickly assess how a worker is doing, where you focus the help to them, and driving those 1:1 work procedures is a game-changer.

AI in Manufacturing will solve many of the challenges that we are seeing.

Learning & Development and the 5 Moments of Need

The Five Moments of Need methodology was created by Bob Mosher, a thought leader in learning and development with over 30 years of experience. He realized that after 20 years, classroom teaching was the wrong approach since it rarely teaches you things that you do in your job on the shop floor. Classroom learning allows an individual to gain a certain level of confidence, but quickly falls off when it’s time to apply it within context to a given workflow.

According to Bob’s methodology, the 5 moments when our workforce needs knowledge and information consists of:

When people are learning how to do something for the first time (New).
When people are expanding the breadth and depth of what they have learned (More).
When they need to act upon what they have learned, which includes planning what they will do, remembering what they may have forgotten, or adapting their performance to a unique situation (Apply).
When problems arise, or things break or don’t work the way they were intended (Solve).
When people need to learn a new way of doing something, which requires them to change skills that are deeply ingrained in their performance practices (Change).

The approach that Bob and his team adopted in the last 10 years is to think more about performance support. The variability of the workforce, both skilled and young, proves that there’s not a one size fits all approach. This is where AI comes in: being able to deliver personalized work procedures for every worker, allowing for continuous learning and growth. Based on proficiency, there may be a more guided set of work instructions, a session with a remote expert, or a supervisor sign-off required in order to complete the job on quality and on schedule. AI can also be used to continuously measure and assess how the workers are doing. This is where organizations can start seeing growth within their workforce.

Looking Ahead

We had a blast at this year’s AI Manufacturing conference and are already looking forward to another successful event next year! If you’re interested in learning more about why AI is an essential tool in digital transformation, from reducing costs and downtime to improving over quality and productivity, we’d highly suggest considering attending next year. In the meantime, if you’re looking for information surrounding AI, digital transformation, and building a connected workforce, check out our eBook: “Building a Modern, Connected Workforce with AI”.