Haptic Virtual Experiences That Elevate The Test Driving Experience.
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Overview
As part of a collaborative SCADpro project, our team worked with JCB to address a significant market opportunity in North America for their Teleskid—a revolutionary skid steer loader with a telescopic boom. JCB aimed to increase brand awareness, demonstrate the Teleskid's capabilities, and generate leads in a saturated market with dominant domestic competitors. Our mission was to design separate virtual and augmented reality experiences that showcased the machine's innovative features, including its extended reach, height, and visibility. The final deliverables were an immersive VR experience and an engaging AR app tailored for trade show implementation and broader customer outreach.
Roles
Client / Creative Collective
JCB North America
Collaborators
Featured Photos
Research
Our research combined primary and secondary methods to inform our design solutions. A visit to JCB's headquarters provided first-hand experience operating the Teleskid, which is critical for understanding its unique functionalities and emulating the driving experience. Surveys and interviews gathered insights on AR/VR familiarity, user preferences, and social media behavior, while competitive analysis identified market positioning strategies from in-person interviews of market leaders such as John Deere, Caterpillar, Bobcat, and Komatsu. We tested multiple hardware and software platforms, including Oculus Rift, Unreal Engine, and Unity, to select optimal tools for development. User testing of early prototypes highlighted areas for improvement, such as UI simplification and motion sickness mitigation, ensuring a polished and intuitive final product.
User Experience
The VR experience placed users in the Teleskid's cab, where they completed realistic tasks on a construction site, such as loading materials into hard-to-reach locations. This interactive scenario demonstrated the Teleskid's unmatched capabilities compared to competitors. A guided voiceover provided instructions, fostering engagement and reducing onboarding time at trade shows. Meanwhile, the AR app used interactive 3D models, life-size visualizations, and a drawing game mode to provide an entertaining and informative experience. Both interfaces prioritized ease of use, leveraging JCB's branding to ensure accessibility and appeal across user demographics.
User Journey and Sales Strategy
The user journey was designed to accommodate different customer interactions, whether at trade shows or via remote engagement. At trade shows, attendees experienced the VR simulation in a booth, followed by direct salesperson interaction. Alternatively, the AR app offered a mobile-first journey where users could scan posters, explore Teleskid features in 3D, and share custom artwork online. This dual-path approach increased lead capture points and brand awareness while aligning with JCB's sales strategies. Iterative feedback from JCB representatives ensured the user journey aligned with the company's marketing and operational goals.