In past blog posts we’ve talked about real-world uses for Augmented Reality (AR). The thing is, too many business people are still under the impression that AR use cases are some pie-in-the-sky fantasy and are something to think about in the future. The reality is that the “future” is already here.

Augmented Reality is being used on a daily basis to streamline and improve business processes that save time and money. According to a study done by International Data Corporation (IDC) in  May of 2018, worldwide, spending on AR Enterprise software, services and hardware will increase from $8 billion in 2018 to a projected $19.2 billion in 2019.

According to this same study, the biggest impact of AR is currently in companies with a service based component and companies with specific needs around knowledge transfer and training, sales and marketing, and manufacturing. Waiting to incorporate AR as part of company process is no longer an option if a business wants to remain competitive.

For the sake of brevity, let’s concentrate on knowledge transfer and training. AR is already changing the way work gets done. It’s changing how knowledge is transferred from veteran employees to new hires and how ongoing training is managed. Knowledge transfer and training are logical use cases for AR because they both require a connection with the physical world. Since augmented reality operates by overlaying digital information on top of a real-world physical environment, knowledge transfer and training both lend themselves to positive AR experiences.

In the IDC study, respondents were asked to list the top reasons their company was interested in AR to make them more competitive. Responses related to training and knowledge transfer included the following:

• Increased efficiency, including improved first-time fix rates
• Increased safety
• Improved training and knowledge transfer
• Enabling hands-free work and training
• Better collaboration among team members and teams
• Easier remote training
• Lower travel costs

Whether for current employees or new hires, there is a compelling case for using AR for training and knowledge transfer. Because content for AR is digital, it can be updated as needed without the expense of printing manuals. More importantly, trainees are displaying a faster learning curve with the use of AR.

If you haven’t already considered AR for your business, it’s probably time to think seriously about it. Depending on the scope of the project, it’s important to factor in a development time line for incorporating the technology into your business. From constructing a plan to incorporate AR or providing help with your 3D content, we're here to assist.

Whatever your use case call 800-803-1050 or Contact Us to see how easy it is to get your business AR ready. We are enabling digital transformation for everyday business.