Dive Brief:
- In its second incarnation, Google Glass Enterprise Edition is quietly taking the niche training market by storm, reports ELearningInside News. Originally introduced in 2013, Google Glass fell flat in the marketplace. The Enterprise version, however, is focused on workplace training.
- A Minnesota company using Glass has seen a dramatic reduction in machinery production time, according to ELearningInside News. The tech allows workers to spend less time accessing checklists, checking instruction manuals and sending photos during the assembly process. The gain: 25% less time to assemble machines.
- Glass Enterprise Edition is being used by companies like Boeing to solve a significant training issue: access to information on demand, so workers can use it while on the job. The tech gives workers real-time guidance on tasks as they execute them.
Dive Insight:
While the initial promise of Glass was never fully realized, the new application of the tech has been gaining traction in the workplace. Augmented reality (AR) has found new life in employee training programs thanks to its ability to provide a hands-on learning experience. The construction industry, in particular, has seized AR-enabled training with vigor. Food service has also begun to investigate AR training for their own purposes.
In addition to training new employees, Glass can be used to monitor workers and provide support as they learn new skills. With improvements such as faster and more reliable WiFi, extended battery life and better camera systems, employers may soon find even more applications for Glass in the workplace.
As the benefits of just-in-time training continue to be seen, both improvements to Glass and new, similar tools may continue to crop up to expand workplace learning options.
