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With a growing labor shortage and access to new technologies and processes, businesses are adopting mixed reality to improve how employees learn, work, and understand the world around them. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Guides is driving workforce transformation with hands-on training and step-by-step holographic instructions that are seamless, intuitive, and embedded into everyday workflows, equipping employees with the tools they need to access critical information and receive on-the-job guidance.

Today marks the release of two new features in Dynamics 365 Guides:

  • Touch activity menuprovides users with an updated UI experience that introduces a touch-enabled main menu, while maintaining hands-free gaze UX for navigation.
  • 1:1 calling (in preview)gives users the ability to make an outgoing call to seamlessly collaborate, knowledge share, and problem solve with a remote expert through task, demo, or inspection scenarios.

With these new features, users can streamline tasks within one application, improve the flow of work, and adapt in real-time, making frontline jobs easier, safer, and more efficient.

Calling (in preview): Solve problems in real-time with expertise and ease

With the new 1:1 calling (in preview) feature, any operator can remotely connect with experts, managers, and colleagues to get real-time support. For customers who already use Microsoft Teams, you can call your favorite contacts and easily share your view with a single click to get the help you need while staying hands-free and in-context.

Here are some common ways you might use the new 1:1 calling feature:

  • Support callsmake a 1:1 call to a remote author or expert for discussion and additional guidance.
  • Dynamics 365Guides demonstrationmake a 1:1 call to demonstrate product experience or a procedure in a guide.
  • Remote inspectionsmake a 1:1 call to get approval from a remote inspector.
  • Collaborative authoringmake a 1:1 call to an expert to discuss creating or updating steps within a guide.

A user's mixed reality view from their HoloLens, showing work instructions on a vehicle with a holographic video call window for real-time discussion with a remote colleague.

Additionally, minimizing exposure and increasing workplace safety for frontline workers has become increasingly important due to the ongoing effects of COVID-19. Remote calling will make it easier to avoid travel, minimize carbon footprint from unnecessary travel, and reduce the risk of possible delays with remote audits and inspections in real-time.

Quickly navigate and access information at your fingertips

There are many ways to move through workflows using Dynamics 365 Guides, whether it be automatically anchoring digital content with physical objects using Azure Object Anchors or advancing to the next step in your guide using spatial triggers. We’re excited to introduce the latest feature to enhance navigation capabilities: a central menu with advanced touch and gaze functionality.

Using the new touch activity menu, you can efficiently switch between work activities, find the content and contacts you need to get your work done, and quickly launch and complete guides, making it faster, more reliable, and easier than ever. Summon and minimize the call window from anywhere at any time, ensuring your worldview remains focused with only the most important information displayed. While the new main menu is always at your fingertips, the work instruction can still be operated completely hands-free using gaze functionality, true to the original value of HoloLens and Dynamics 365 Guides.

A user's mixed reality view from their HoloLens, showing their hand using touch controls for starting a holographic video call with a remote colleague.

New features spotlight: Toyota Motors North America uses 1:1 calling to author and adapt in real-time

Watch the video below to learn how operators at Toyota Motors North America collaborate with experts and make improvements to step-by-step instructions in real-time using the new calling feature in Dynamics 365 Guides.

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Transform your workforce, build a more agile factory, unlock innovation, and deliver new services using HoloLens 2 and Dynamics 365 Guides. Ready to empower your frontline employees?

The post Announcing new activity menu and 1:1 calling for Dynamics 365 Guides appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

Brought to you by Dr. Ware, Microsoft Office 365 Silver Partner, Charleston SC.