Augmented reality (AR) is changing how industrial teams work. But many companies face avoidable pitfalls when starting with AR on the shop floor. Understanding these challenges—and knowing how to avoid them—can mean the difference between a stalled pilot and a measurable improvement in safety, productivity and skills transfer.
AR on the shop floor: context and urgency
Industrial operations face mounting pressure to improve safety, maintain compliance, and keep uptime high. At the same time, technical teams are aging and new hires often lack hands-on experience. According to McKinsey, AR is being adopted across manufacturing and maintenance to address these gaps by delivering real-time, digital work instructions directly in the field.
However, moving from a promising AR pilot to broad shop floor deployment is rarely straightforward. Early missteps can stall progress, frustrate teams, and undermine confidence in digital solutions. For operations managers, HSE leads, and training professionals, it’s critical to anticipate these pitfalls and address them head-on.
Why AR initiatives often struggle on the shop floor
Many AR projects do not deliver the expected value. The root causes are practical, not technical. The most common pitfalls include:
- Choosing AR hardware without operator input
- Underestimating the effort to digitise SOPs
- Ignoring change management and training needs
- Lacking clear metrics for success and ROI
- Failing to integrate AR with existing systems and workflows
- Treating AR as a one-off pilot rather than a scalable program
These issues are not unique to any one sector. Whether in process industries, discrete manufacturing, or field service, the same patterns emerge. Addressing them early is essential for a successful rollout.
Pitfall 1: choosing AR hardware without operator input
Selecting the right AR device is not just an IT decision. It’s about how technicians and operators actually work. Common mistakes include:
- Selecting devices that are too heavy or uncomfortable for all-day use
- Overlooking compatibility with safety gear (e.g., helmets, gloves, eye protection)
- Ignoring the environmental conditions (dust, moisture, lighting, noise)
- Choosing devices with short battery life or unreliable connectivity
Note: In a 2023 PWC study, 46% of industrial AR pilots failed due to poor hardware fit for the intended work environment.
How to avoid this pitfall
- Involve technicians and safety leads in hardware evaluation and field trials
- Test devices in real production scenarios, not just in the lab
- Prioritise hands-free, voice-controlled options where possible
- Document feedback and iterate before scaling up
Pitfall 2: underestimating the effort to digitise SOPs
A common misconception is that existing SOPs can be dropped straight into AR platforms. In reality, most SOPs are written for paper or PDF and need to be rethought for digital, step-by-step guidance.
Typical issues include:
- SOPs that are too generic or lack actionable detail
- Steps that assume prior knowledge or omit key safety checks
- Instructions that do not translate well to visual formats (images, 3D models, videos)
- Lack of standardisation across similar tasks
How to avoid this pitfall
- Conduct a content audit to identify which SOPs are ready for digitisation
- Work with experienced trainers and operators to break down procedures into granular, auditable steps
- Use AR platforms that make content creation and updates easy for non-IT staff
- Pilot digital work instructions on a high-impact, frequently repeated task before scaling
Pitfall 3: ignoring change management and skills transfer
AR is not just another tool—it changes how work gets done. Teams who feel left out of the process may resist adoption or revert to old habits.
Common signs of inadequate change management:
- Operators revert to paper instructions after initial enthusiasm fades
- Supervisors are not trained to coach or monitor digital work
- Training is a one-off event, not a continuous process
- Teams see AR as an “extra task” rather than a productivity aid
How to avoid this pitfall
- Involve operators, supervisors, and HSE early in the design and rollout
- Provide hands-on, scenario-based AR training (not just classroom sessions)
- Appoint AR champions in each team to support peers and gather feedback
- Build AR use into daily routines, audits, and shift handovers
Pitfall 4: lacking clear metrics for success and ROI
Without clear measures, it’s impossible to know if AR is delivering value. Many pilots fail because the goals are vague (“improve efficiency”) or not tracked at all.
Typical oversights:
- No baseline data on task time, error rates, or safety incidents
- Success measured only by user satisfaction, not operational KPIs
- ROI assumptions based on vendor promises, not real data
How to avoid this pitfall
- Define concrete metrics at the pilot stage (e.g., time to complete task, number of errors, incident reports)
- Use AR platforms with built-in analytics to track usage and outcomes
- Compare before-and-after results on pilot tasks
- Report results to stakeholders and use them to refine the rollout
Pitfall 5: failing to integrate AR with existing systems and workflows
AR is most effective when it fits seamlessly into existing workflows. A standalone AR app that requires duplicate data entry or manual syncing creates friction and risk.
Common integration issues:
- AR instructions are not linked to asset management or maintenance systems
- Work performed in AR is not logged in the main ERP or CMMS
- Operators must switch between devices or apps to complete a task
How to avoid this pitfall
- Map out the end-to-end workflow before deploying AR
- Choose AR platforms with open APIs and proven integrations (e.g., SAP, Maximo, Infor EAM)
- Prioritise use cases where digital work instructions close a real gap (e.g., onboarding, compliance checks, maintenance rounds)
- Involve IT and process owners early to address integration and data governance
Pitfall 6: treating AR as a one-off pilot
Many organisations run a single AR pilot, then stall. This “pilot purgatory” happens when:
- There’s no plan for scaling successful pilots to other teams or sites
- Knowledge remains with a single project lead or vendor
- Lessons learned are not documented or shared
How to avoid this pitfall
- Develop a roadmap for scaling AR across sites and processes
- Build internal capability for AR content creation and support
- Share results, templates, and lessons learned across teams
- Treat AR as part of your digital transformation, not a standalone project
How AI and AR–guided work instructions address these pitfalls
AI and AR–guided work instructions bring structure and traceability to shop floor processes. By digitising SOPs and delivering them through AR devices, teams receive:
- Step-by-step digital instructions tailored to each task
- Visual cues (images, 3D models, videos) at the right moment
- Real-time data capture (e.g., photos, voice notes, checklists)
- Automated compliance checks and safety prompts
- Analytics on task completion, errors, and time spent
AI can further personalise instructions based on operator experience, flag anomalies, and suggest improvements.
Example: A global manufacturer reduced onboarding time for new maintenance technicians by 30% using AR SOPs, while also cutting error rates in critical tasks by 40%. (Internal case data, ActARion)
Practical use cases for AR SOPs on the shop floor
Companies are seeing measurable results from AI and AR–guided work instructions in:
- Equipment setup and changeovers (reducing downtime)
- Maintenance and inspection rounds (improving traceability)
- Quality checks and documentation (supporting compliance)
- Safety-critical procedures (ensuring all steps are followed)
- Onboarding and upskilling new technicians (speeding time-to-competence)
For each use case, the key is to start with a high-impact, repeatable process and expand based on feedback and results.
What ActARion brings to industrial AR deployments
ActARion works with operations, HSE, and training leaders to avoid these pitfalls from day one. Our approach includes:
- Joint workshops to select the right hardware for your environment
- Structured SOP digitisation sprints with your trainers and operators
- Proven change management frameworks tailored to industrial teams
- Integration with your existing asset management and ERP systems
- Transparent metrics and reporting to prove ROI
- A clear roadmap for scaling AR SOPs across sites and processes
We focus on measurable improvements in safety, productivity, and workforce readiness—not just technology adoption.
Explore what this looks like in your organisation
To see how AI and AR–guided work instructions can help your teams avoid the common pitfalls and deliver real results, schedule an exploratory discovery call with ActARion. There’s no commitment—just a practical look at what works in your context.
- AR onboarding for new technicians
- Digital work instructions in asset maintenance
- Learn more about AR in industry from McKinsey’s analysis
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Understand the typical pitfalls when starting with AR on the shop floor and learn how industrial leaders can avoid them for safer, smarter operations.
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