ExpertAssist: An "On-the-Job" augmented reality toolkit for assistance in the construction industry

Renovation projects in construction play a critical role in improving existing buildings’ functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability but pose challenges like structural complexity and stakeholder coordination. This paper presents ExpertAssist, an Augmented Reality (AR) “On-the-Job” training and assistance toolkit designed to tackle these issues using advanced AR technology. ExpertAssist integrates applications for planning, monitoring, real-time communication, and workforce training. Key features include AR-based tutorials, real-time data sharing, and progress tracking, enhancing collaboration and efficiency in renovation projects. A pilot study indicated that participants using ExpertAssist completed tasks faster on average than those without AR, corresponding to a moderate effect size, although this difference did not reach statistical significance. User acceptance analysis, based on the UTAUT2 model, showed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and hedonic motivation were collectively associated with behavioral intention, accounting for 64% of the observed variance ( R 2 = 0 . 64 , adjusted R 2 = 0 . 59 ). These exploratory findings suggest the potential of ExpertAssist to support renovation practices through AR-enhanced training and collaboration.