At Toyota, safety is their priority, especially in a manufacturing environment surrounded by large, heavy equipment. To support this safety initiative, Groove Jones developed a VR training experience that utilizes Role-Based Learning (RBL). Role-based training is crucial for employees to understand how to effectively incorporate safety protocols into their daily work, thereby reducing the risk of accidents.

The VR experience features various work environments, including a manufacturing plant, a parts distribution center, and administrative offices. The User confronts unsafe practices, allowing them to observe and interact with virtual coworkers engaging in dangerous practices, which can lead to accidents. The program helps users understand that their approach can make the situation safer.

Built for Desktop and HTC Focus 3

We designed the experience to work on the HTC Focus 3, a wireless VR headset, for a premium training experience. We also created a version that can run on desktop computers. Both versions have the duplicate content. However, by providing two different ways to access the program, we extended the reach for training to a larger audience.

Multiple Training Modules

The Toyota team had identified specific use case hazards in their work environment and different user personas. We then created these use cases in VR with various “choose your own adventure” responses to generate multiple outcomes.

Training Module 1: Manufacturing Plant – RBL Team Member to Manager

Module 1 allows the user to role-play a scenario in which they must interact with another team member who is a manager engaging in an unsafe practice, like using their phone within a manufacturing environment.

The choices you make cause the avatars in the experience to react.

Training Module 2: Warehouse Use Case – RBL Team Leader to Team Member

Module 2 puts the user in the position of a leader who observes a Team Member engaging in an unsafe practice – improper lifting techniques.

Here you see a Team Member improperly lifting a heavy box, which may have caused an injury.

Training Module 3: Manufacturing Plant Use Case – RBL Team Member to Team Member

Module 3 engages the user with a team member that has observed a potentially unsafe incident in the workplace.

A Team Member approaches you with a complaint. How would you handle the situation?

Training Module 4: Office – RBL Team Leader to Team Member

Module 4 highlights the importance of a safe work environment in an office environment and how to coach and correct team members who create unsafe environments for the rest of the team.

Different Work Environments

The Groove Jones team visited a Toyota manufacturing facility in San Antonio, Texas, to record audio and photograph and video the environments. We also captured 3D data for some models we incorporate into the VR training modules. You can see how we included details of the Toyota CARE materials that hang in the locations.

Gamification and Scoring

The Toyota Cares team uses the VR program to engage with Toyota team members, managers, and administrative staff. This allows team members to put themselves in different roles so they can see how the choices they make with others can create different results. Every choice you make is scored, then calculated at the end to give you an overall performance score.