Skip to main content
This page is for anyone deciding how they’ll work with procedures — or wondering why the app did (or didn’t) ask them to pick a mode. In a couple of minutes you’ll know what Author Mode and Operator Mode each do, and who sees which.

​
Two roles, two modes

Procedures have two complementary modes on the device, each with its own flow and interface.

​
Author Mode — build procedures in the real space

Author Mode is for content creators — subject-matter experts, training teams, supervisors — who build and configure procedures where they’ll actually be used. In Author Mode you can:
  • Create and organize tasks and steps
  • Place and position 3D models in the physical space
  • Set anchor gems for spatial alignment
  • Configure choice steps and completion criteria
  • Preview how procedures will appear to operators

​
Operator Mode — run procedures in the field

Operator Mode is for field workers executing a published procedure. Everything is optimized for hands-free use and minimum cognitive load. In Operator Mode you can:
  • Browse and select available procedures
  • Follow step-by-step guidance with AR overlays
  • View 3D models, media, and annotations anchored in your environment
  • Navigate through tasks using the procedure panel
  • Complete steps and mark tasks as done
Operator Mode is deliberately execution-only: editing capabilities, model configuration, and structural controls are not available, so procedures are followed consistently and without modification — exactly as authored.

​
The mode selection dialog

Select-a-role dialog for the chosen procedure with Author (Edit a procedure), Operator (Use a procedure), and Cancel options
After you choose a procedure on your device, a mode selection dialog can appear, asking how you want to enter it:
  • Author — edit the procedure
  • Operator — use the procedure
The mode selection option is available only to users with Author access. If your account doesn’t have it, you won’t be asked — you open procedures as an operator.
This keeps the choice out of the way for the majority of users: operators go straight into guided execution, while authors decide per session whether they’re editing or verifying the run experience. Whichever mode you pick, the next thing you do is anchor the procedure to the physical space — see Anchoring & QR Codes.

​
What each role sees at a glance

​
Where to go next by role

Next: both roles scan the same QR code to line content up with the real world — see Anchoring & QR Codes.