A Spontaneous Adoption of AR Technology a manufacturing industrial context

Digital transformation is a process encompassing all organizations, requiring a proactive attitude and willingness to change. The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the relevance of digitization through an increased awareness and implementation of digital tools for working life. The next wave of successful innovation in industry demands high-pitched adoption of technologies for production and workplace learning systems. Organizations are trying to understand which technologies to invest in, based on usability measures, cost effectiveness, and sustainability. It can be hard to predict which technology is best suited for specific tasks. This implies a growing risk regarding investments in technology. This paper describes the spontaneous use of technology for augmented reality (AR, Microsoft HoloLens 2) in a Norwegian manufacturing company during Covid-19. The case illustrates how AR technology can be used in assembling, installation and acceptance testing of machinery for selective soldering in the production of circuit boards. Data were collected through case study research and a qualitative research design, through observation and interviews with the participants. The results show that Microsoft HoloLens 2 is easy to adopt and could contribute to immediate and real value creation in industrial production companies. We believe that the spontaneous usage of AR technology in such extraordinary circumstances as a pandemic could motivate and guide other businesses facing important decisions related to technology implementation. The original value of this article is a contribution to the discussion on the Technology Acceptance Model, which is chosen as a theoretical framework for the paper.