TribalScale Team Presents an AR-Solution to KPMG Global in Amsterdam
By Tahsim Ahmed
Current and former TribalScale coops, Tahsim Ahmed, Kanika Dutta, Jenny Jin, Tanvir Pathan, Sean Siow, and Zara Zhang represented TribalScale, and Canada, in the finals of the KPMG Augmented-Reality (AR) Competition with a solution around workplace training and disabilities. They came in 2nd place — check out a video of the KPMG Ideation Challenge.
The Solution: TrainAR
TrainAR is focused on creating improvements in workplace training, specifically in the manufacturing & labour-intensive industries, with targeted & interactive augmented reality training modules. Most importantly, TrainAR ensures specific accessibility training is available to those that suffer from conditions that may limit work, such as colour-blindness and dyslexia. The solution is giving employees with disabilities equal opportunity to be safe and successful in the fast-paced workplace environment of today.
The Solution Meets a NEED
Workplace onboarding and training has certain gaps, especially in environments where safety is of utmost importance. When employees are in training and when there is a large number of new hires, all too often not enough attention is given to each individual employee. This can result in negative consequences, such as accidents and incidents due to poor retainment of training information. This is further amplified if individuals have trouble retaining or perceiving information, and the workplace does not have programs in place to cater to those unique needs. The team identified this situation as a major opportunity to save costs on the business-side: more empowered employees results in fewer incidents, and creates an opportunity for positive change in the workplace.
The Future of the TrainAR
TrainAR has the potential to scale to different industries, and more importantly tackle different conditions, such as learning disabilities, safety, complex procedures, and integral combinations. Further, an increasing number of studies uncover how AR can help enhance workplace training so that employees are safe, informed, and proactive in the workplace.
The solution could be implemented in many industries, but the most prevalent ones are in skilled labour, manufacturing, and engineering jobs. TrainAR’s workplace modules will augment training through AR, creating equal work and learning opportunities for all human beings.
The solution will aid with disabilities beyond the team’s initial use-cases (dyslexia and colour blindness). TrainAR can help train individuals with auditory processing disorders, language, memory, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and many more, but it will also cater to different contexts beyond workplace training.
The delivery of the solution will change as technologies advance, and as the solution becomes more sophisticated. Then, the level of realism of the objects, modules, and TrainAR’s user interface can be enhanced.
When a lot of people think of AR, they think of gimmicks on the Hololens, video games (Pokémon Go), or social media (Snapchat). AR’s potential goes beyond that and can transcend environments to augment experiences. These technologies can be tailored to enhance and complement the lifestyles of all individuals.
Tips on Approaching Competitions and Ideation Challenges
Spend a lot of time on ideation, and do it well. Initially, the team spent a long time ideating and going through hundreds of ideas, it felt like minimal progress was being made. Spending the right amount of time on this step, ensures the strategic and technological lens are taken into account. A lot of people get excited about the first few ideas they come up with, and might then ignore any flaws in them. So really focus on fleshing your idea out, and consider a ton of ideas first.
Put together a team that will cover each other’s blind spots. The best part of the TrainAR team is that it’s cross-functional and covers a range of expertise and knowledge. While one might not be strong with numbers, another does numbers for a living. Conversely, if one is an out-of-the-box innovative thinker, another channels this thinking and leverages it into practicality. That was an enormous driver to success.
How to Standout
A lot of folks shy away from great ideas due to the assumption that it their innovation has already been done. Chances are, it already has, but that’s ok. The key to standing out is adding an unrealized value and solving a monumental problem.
Another tip, ensure that a cohesive narrative and story is told. Lots of great ideas are lost in translation due to poor delivery. Build a business case, build a story with evidence and weave things together. Then, you’ll connect with your end-audience.
TribalScale coops — Tahsim Ahmed, Kanika Dutta, Jenny Jin, Tanvir Pathan, Sean Siow, and Zara Zhang — and 2nd place winners of the KPMG Ideation Challenge.
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