Businesses need to train employees fast to keep up with the demands and expectations of their customers. However, traditional on-the-job training methods, such as job rotations, mentoring, apprenticeships and internships, can take years to build up the experience workers need now.
For example, an automotive technician can take two to five years to gain the knowledge that’s needed for success—and many more years to be an expert. Repetition is sometimes necessary when learning complex tasks, and new employees may have to wait for opportunities to experience specific tasks to perform them repeatedly. In addition, other employees will have to reserve time from their own workloads to oversee the trainee’s performance and progress.
Modern products, components, and assemblies that need specialized knowledge to install, maintain, or operate require a more efficient, accessible training tool than static manuals or videos. 3D instruction apps can help technicians reduce training time, increase efficiency and productivity, and do the tasks required—accurately and error-free every time.
How Do 3D Instruction Apps Work?
A 3D interactive instruction app can help trainees learn the techniques they need to know without sitting through boring lectures, carrying paper reference manuals to job sites, or watching videos that only show the process from one point of view. Modern training tools are particularly helpful in refreshing workers’ memories when carrying out methods, procedures, or skills that aren’t done frequently.
With a cloud-based app, skilled professionals can follow audio, text, and animated images on a mobile device. The immersive environment allows trainees to pinch, zoom, rotate, and maneuver entire images, specific parts, and individual steps.
These interactive features help the worker to better understand how to assemble, install, maintain, or operate the equipment from every possible angle. Tapping on a particular component will display the nomenclature. For example, tapping on a screw will display the size and the type of screw it is. Professionals can pause the animation for further scrutiny, press play to move on to the next step, and review processes as many times as needed.
Transitioning From 2D Manuals to 3D Instruction for Job Training
Large, hefty instruction manuals can be inconvenient and impractical to carry and difficult to reference when workers are on the job. Searching through indexes, tables of contents, and parts lists can be time-consuming and frustrating when trying to accomplish a task. The print can be challenging to see if the font is small or blurred or if the task is being done in an area with low lighting.
Related: Say Goodbye to Confusing Manuals: Embrace Interactive 3D Solutions
Today’s businesses are transforming these static manuals into intuitive 3D instructions that are easy to access on devices workers carry with them and easy to view, search, and follow. Instruction manuals, drawings, and schematics created with PDF or 3D CAD files can be assimilated into 3D instructions.
With an interactive app, these immersive instructions can be quickly updated when technological designs or industry standards change. This benefit helps the specialists stay informed of the changes rather than waiting for the instruction manual’s next revision to be amended and published.
Why a 3D Instruction App is a More Efficient Training Tool Than Other Training Methods
Technology has taken how employees are trained to a more efficient and effective level. The immersive features of 3D instruction apps capture the interest of trainees, promoting more productive learning. 3D instruction apps can train employees much faster than in-person apprenticeship programs and videos.
In-person apprenticeship training is time-consuming for the trainee and the employees who are providing the hands-on training. Another employee must be taken from a productive workload to show the trainee how to do the task and monitor how they are progressing. Depending on how complex the task is, this can take many man-hours.
Another disadvantage is the inconsistency that a trainee may be confronted with. One person may train them to perform the task one way, while another might suggest another way. With a 3D instruction app, every trainee views the same consistent training and sees, step by step, what action to take for a given task. This can improve both safety and productivity.
Training videos provide consistency but make it difficult to see the minute details that might be important when doing the task at hand. The viewer may have to rewind it several times to grasp these details. With a 3D instruction app, the specialist can pause the step in the process, view exactly where the parts go or how to proceed with the task, do the task, and proceed to the next step without the possibility of missing an important detail.
How Can 3D Instruction Help with Job Training?
3D instruction helps with job training because it gives workers an in-depth, hands-on look at whatever task is required of them. It also allows the trainee to interact with the app to perform repetitive actions at any time. A cloud-based app lets the new recruit start training on tasks immediately rather than having to wait for the opportunity to present itself to train on specific tasks.
Using interactive 3D instruction also allows the new recruit to train at any time without having to wait for a mentor, coach, or trainer to oversee their progress. If the new recruit is ambitious and wants to train on tasks or review the next day’s work outside of work hours, they can.
3D instruction can also help skilled employees keep up to date on design or process changes or additional procedures relevant to tasks they already know how to do. For example, recalls are continually being issued for cars that have been manufactured with unreasonable safety risks or that don’t meet minimum safety standards.
A skilled auto mechanic would have to know how to complete the procedure that will correct the issues. A 3D instruction app can have the required information incorporated almost immediately, and the auto mechanic can learn the process before the first car enters the garage.
3D instruction apps can also be useful as an on-site reference tool. Employees can look up part numbers, schematics, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), or any other documentation that’s relevant to the task. The app can also be referred to when confronted with a task that’s not done frequently and a memory refresher is needed.
Related: 7 Strategies for Effective Training with a 3D Work Instruction App
Immersive and interactive 3D training is not only convenient, effective, and essential for today’s workforce, but it also allows employees to practice complex or specialized tasks without compromising their safety or the safety of others, damaging property, or making mistakes. These immersive and interactive features are why 3D instruction contributes to error-free, cost-efficient, and orderly task completions.
Industries That Benefit From 3D Instructional Job Training
Many industries can benefit from this type of job training. It benefits the employees, business operation leaders, and product development companies in any industry. Employees will experience increased job performance ratings more quickly, giving them a sense of success. Businesses can benefit from lower costs, higher customer satisfaction rates, and well-trained employees. Here are three industry examples of how 3D instructional job training can help.
Manufacturing
Job training in the manufacturing sector can come with equipment damage, downtime, and product waste, adding up costs. 3D instruction can offer step-by-step interactive procedures for those training to precisely operate machinery, assemble components, or test products. Incorporating 3D instruction can alleviate expenses by having employees train on the 3D app and apply what they learn and see to the actual process.
U.S. Military
Military technical maintenance skills require versatility and the ability to work effectively under pressure. Engineers and their crews are responsible for maintaining everything the military needs to operate effectively, from tactical vehicles and military fleets to communications equipment. They may have to make on-the-spot repairs while in a chaotic environment.
To be sure that personnel are ready for this responsibility both before and during a task, continuous and persistent training must be conducted to ensure their levels of confidence, success, and safety. An interactive instruction app with secure access codes can provide the training to quickly diagnose and repair problems when confronted with them in unusual and unfamiliar situations while protecting classified and proprietary information.
The Trades Industry
These types of workers may have received classroom and hands-on instruction when they received a degree or certification in their particular field. However, this cannot replace years of experience with the real on-the-job scenarios they may encounter when performing required tasks. Apprentice or entry-level trainees who need quite a bit of real-world application experience to provide expert service include:
- Construction workers
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Locksmiths
- Carpenters
- Mechanics
- HVAC technicians
Employees of all levels in these trade industries can benefit from interactive 3D instruction because their training can still progress even without immediate experience in specific real-world scenarios. They can gain experience and skill through interactive 3D instruction to move from apprenticeship to journeyman in less time.
Revolutionalize Your Training Techniques for Better Product Branding
On-the-job, hands-on training is the most important part of creating experts in any industry. However, the time it takes to get someone to a level of self-sufficient competency doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out process. If you give them access to immersive and interactive training tools, you’ll find that they can skillfully accomplish any task required accurately and efficiently every time. When you help service providers become experts in effectively installing, maintaining, or operating your products at a quicker pace, this will differentiate your brand and gain consumer preference by increasing customer service ratings. Find out how BILT can take the installation and servicing of your products to the next level by requesting a demo.
