University study shows that animated work instructions accelerate learning & improve quality

Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been conducing research into cognition using animated instructions based on Dassault Systemes CATIA and DELMIA DPM software and it plans to use 3DVIA to extend its work in this area.

Cognition is defined as the mental faculty or process of acquiring knowledge by the use of reasoning, intuition or perception, and at QueensUniversity the schools of Engineering and Psychology have been collaborating to understand more about learning in a bid to improve industrial productivity.

Gareth Watson, a PhD student at the University explained the work that he has been conducting. “We have been looking at the psychology behind learning and discerning the human factors that influence the use of work instructions. We ran a series of experiments where groups of people had to perform complex engineering assembly tasks using different kinds of instructions; written, static diagrams and animated 3D models.”

Gareth continued, “As expected animation teaches people fastest static images second and written instructions third. Animation is 37% quicker to learn by than written instruction and 16% quicker than static images. Quality is also improved.”

LESSONS LEARNED

The ease with which the 3D models were built and animated made experiments quick to set up using industry standard Dassault Systemes V5 PLM software. Since the University has strong contacts with UK industry, genuine aerospace and automotive assemblies were used so that the study’s CATIA based methodology can be brought to these industries as well as others that the depart-engineering staff alike, the ability to interact with complex instructions and perform high level work with increased productivity benefits. Further, by allowing access to CATIA models using this methodology, the intelligence that has been built into the model can be passed to others in the productivity chain. This also adds considerable value to a firms intellectual property by passing knowledge through the business in ways that immediately benefit productivity.”

MINDFUL OF CLARITY

Cathy Craig Senior Lecturer in Perception at Queen’s University’s School of Psychology has been involved with several industrial cognition in cognition and learning where we have helped them to apply Dassault Systemes software to training systems and documentation. This software produces better work instructions and adds real value to the academic work of the university.”

GOOD DEGREE OF IMPROVEMENT

“The need for language independent instructions for technical publications and methods is growing, particularly in aerospace where industry globalisation and the portable nature of aeroplanes means that engineers of various nationalities need to access complete and up to date work instructions.” Said Sue, “Dassault Systemes software offers engineers of any level, and non projects and commented, “Dassault Systemes software allows the benefits that have been developed by very skilled people to be understood by others and used to improve production and maintenance output.

“This work has implications not only in industry but in activities such as sport where trainers can observe situations from another person’s perspective using avatars. This work feeds back into industry and helps us to understand through visual feedback and mental models how production processes and their organization can be improved.”

GRADUATION DAY

Cathy concluded, “Applied has helped us to develop highly beneficial methodologies using Dassault Systemes industry standard software. This crosses language barriers by avoiding linguistic misunderstandings and delivers faster learning using better processes and ultimately a more controlled and productive industrial environment”.

Link to: 3dvia Composer Overview