This project was a collaboration between Umeå Institute of Design and Komatsu Forest AB. The aim of the project was to design a product for specialised use, with a strong focus on mechanics for large scale forestry machines.
Introduction
The forestry sector in Sweden is a highly expertise-driven industry with significant economic influence. Companies like Komatsu Forest play a critical role through advanced machinery that powers mechanized harvesting. The maintenance and repair of this equipment require more than technical skills—field mechanics rely on tacit knowledge gained through experience.
How does it work?
CoAct is a cutting-edge tool designed to enhance the interaction between mechanics and customers, utilising sophisticated data integration and 3D simulations.
It proactively addresses the impending departure of seasoned mechanics by safeguarding against knowledge attrition and promoting efficient knowledge transfer, ensuring preparedness and expertise in every service encounter.
Home
Co-Act
If you think about it, the operator is like a caregiver, the machine is the patient and the mechanic is a doctor.
Machine Operator
Caregiver
Harvester or Forwarder
Patient
Mechanic
Doctor
Max/ Forestry Machine Operator
Harvester
Oscar/ Komatsu Senior Mechanic
This analogy helped us look at the problem area from a humanistic perspective. We opened up the idea of repair like a doctor would diagnose an illness. Which led us to the term "prognosis".
Prognosis generally refers to a forecast or prediction about the likely outcome or development of a situation, especially concerning the course and outcome of a disease in a patient. In a broader context outside of medicine, "prognosis" can be used to denote predictions about how situations or conditions will develop, based on current knowledge or evidence.
As we delved deeper into the process repair, we realised that it could be viewed as a dynamic process:
Before
Prognosis
During
Communication & Arrival
After
Fieldwork
The Crucial Role of Practical Knowledge
Field mechanics often engage in dynamic work environments where practical knowledge and human interaction are paramount. From workshops to on-site service work, the exchange of tacit knowledge through casual conversations and peer interactions is invaluable. Such environments not only enhance technical skills but also build a supportive network fostering innovative problem-solving.
Possible scenarios to explore
Environment: How can the product be adapted for personal use by mechanics in their home environments?
Second User is Fluid: How would the product function autonomously without any human operator?
More Function: In what ways can the product be enhanced to support use during and after investigations?
Stakeholder’s Demand: How can the software be expanded to meet the needs of additional users like workshop managers?
Device/Product Possibility: What are the possibilities for the product if it’s not limited to being a tablet?
Outcome
Project Information
Partner
Komatsu Ltd. & Komatsu Forest
Role
Critical Framing, Research through Design & UX
Team
Hanxiong Zhang, Lin Wang, Dide Sevincok
Research
George/ Komatsu Senior Mechanic
Pointability
Standardisation of
a problem
'…Customers try to pinpoint the problem.'
'…Different customers describe the problems differently.’
'…The crane is not moving, they see the physical problem
but not the possible solution or spare parts.'
George/ Komatsu Senior Mechanic
'…If you can see the current data that causes the problem to the specific item can be a great help.'
'…The error in the cabin comes very very slow, the operator doesn't recognise until it comes but it could have been changed much earlier.'
' …The mechanic took apart the saw motor and he understood that the problem was not there at all.'
Prognosis tools
Decreasing back-forth by
prognostic troubleshooting
George/ Komatsu Senior Mechanic
' …If we had a 3D model with all the information running in real-time then we could do a diagnosis from our computers.
Digital Twin