No abstract

Worker guidance systems are digital assistance systems in production, which provide work‐related information and, thus, guide employees through production processes. This article describes the user‐centered development of such a worker guidance system for a flexible production line in a metrology company. Usage context analysis and requirements analysis illustrate the need for a simple and independent system that can be used voluntarily by employees. After two iterations of the human‐centered design process, an interactive software prototype was created and implemented on a tablet personal computer. In this prototype, all essential process and assembly information in the flexible production line is available to the employees in the form of text descriptions and pictures as step‐by‐step instructions, which can be selected via two‐step navigation. The final evaluation was conducted as a user study with N = 10 assembly workers in the flexible production line under realistic conditions and was also intended to find out at which level of detail the information should be displayed in the system. The system scored well on the system usability scale (between 65.8 and 70.8) and concerning acceptance. Using the worker guidance system, no assembly faults occurred during the user study. Due to the significantly shorter assembly time, but no further significant differences, it was decided to set up the less detailed assembly information as a standard in the system. However, employees can call up more detailed information, if necessary. This system will be used by the company in the future.

Wellbeing at work can be achieved through different strategies; designing for a positive user experience (UX) is one way. However, the relationship between wellbeing and professionally used technology is rather unexplored, especially in work areas that are far from desktop work such as worker guidance systems (WGSs) used in assembly processes. In this paper, we first described a qualitative evaluation (using the valence method) of a prototype WGS designed for a positive UX. The evaluation showed that it elicited far more positive than negative feelings. Based on the results, we improved and redesigned the prototype. We then implemented it in a realistic setting and quantitatively compared it with an established WGS. It was shown that the prototype elicited more positive feelings than the established system, whereas there were no differences in the number of negative markers. Thus, one can assume that the improvement of UX in the redesigned system was due to the positive UX design concepts. However, there were no significant differences in the mood questionnaires. The paper showed that positive experiences at work can be achieved when the design of professional technology is focused on a positive UX. Long-term studies should further investigate whether these experiences lead to a generally elevated mood.

The diversification of products increases the complexity of production, which intensifies the demands placed on employees. Digital assistance is expected to improve employee performance and flexibility. This paper examines the impact of digital assistance on labor productivity (hourly output) and experience of use in dependence on process complexity and employee competence. Within the framework of an empirical study in the process learning factory CiP of the TU Darmstadt, the effect was quantified using the example of a typical assembly process. This paper presents the concept and the results of the study. After the classification of an assembly task, these results can be used to support the selection decision for a digital assistance system according to cost–benefit aspects.

Although the introduction of the locking pin in the management of upper thigh fractures has widened the range of possible indications for intramedullary fixation, there are still cases where the DCP technique is applied. When using DCP, it is essential that the graft chosen has the appropriate length and that great attention is given to correct technique, because plating is still associated with a higher complication rate than intramedullary fixation.