Whitepaper · connected worker platform
Choosing a connected worker platform: a buyer's guide
What the platform must do, when AR earns its place, how to score vendors and why a measured pilot should make the final decision
Choosing a connected worker platform: a buyer's guide
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Key takeaways
- A connected worker platform connects knowledge to work, not just people to systems; judge it on five capabilities: content, guidance, data, remote support and skills.
- Mobile devices cover most tasks; AR and smart glasses earn their place for hands-on, spatial or rare tasks where looking away from the work causes errors.
- Use a weighted scorecard and ask vendors to demonstrate on your own procedures, not on their demo content.
- Integration (SAP, MES, CMMS, LMS, SSO) and authoring ease decide long-term success more than features do.
- Select through a pilot with a baseline measurement, clear success criteria and a go/no-go decision after 8 to 12 weeks.
Chapters
01 · Why does frontline knowledge break down?
Knowledge breaks down because it sits with a few experienced people and in documents that are hard to use at the workstation. Rising complexity, staff turnover and an ageing workforce make that gap wider every year.
02 · What must a connected worker platform do?
A connected worker platform must deliver five capabilities: structured content, contextual guidance, execution data, remote support and skills management. A tool that covers only one or two of these is a point solution, not a platform.
03 · Mobile-only or AR: which devices do you need?
Start with the devices your people can use today, usually tablets and smartphones. Add AR and smart glasses where tasks are hands-on, spatial or rare, and where looking away from the work is a real source of errors.
04 · Which use cases deliver value first?
The first use cases should be frequent, costly when they go wrong and measurable today. Changeovers, onboarding, preventive maintenance, quality-critical assembly and remote troubleshooting usually qualify.
05 · How do you evaluate vendors? A weighted scorecard
Score every vendor on the same weighted criteria and ask them to demonstrate on your own procedures. Weights should reflect your situation; the template below is a sound starting point for a manufacturing site.
06 · What should integration with SAP, MES, LMS and SSO look like?
Integration should let work orders start the right instruction and send execution data back to the system of record. Plan it in phases: SSO first, then the work order or asset link, then data back to quality and training systems.
07 · How do you make the final choice with a pilot?
Make the final decision on a short, measured pilot: one or two processes, a baseline measured before go-live, agreed success criteria and a go/no-go after 8 to 12 weeks. A pilot turns vendor claims into your own evidence.
Frequently asked questions
What is a connected worker platform?
Software that gives frontline workers digital access to instructions, contextual guidance, expert support and execution data at the point of work. It complements, but does not replace, ERP, MES and LMS systems.
Do we need smart glasses to start?
No. Most organisations start with tablets and smartphones. Choose a platform where the same content also runs on smart glasses, so AR can be added for hands-on or rare tasks later.
How is a connected worker platform different from an LMS?
An LMS manages courses and certificates. A connected worker platform supports the task itself, during execution, and can feed qualification data back to the LMS.
How long does a pilot take?
Typically 8 to 12 weeks for one or two processes, preceded by a baseline measurement of two to four weeks.
Which integrations are needed for a pilot?
Usually only single sign-on and QR codes per asset or workstation. SAP, MES or LMS integration follows when the roll-out is scaled.
Rather get a direct answer to your question? Talk to an expert.
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