Laura Kinkle
2026 Speaker

Laura Kinkle

Immersive Technologies Lead

Daimler Truck

About

As an Innovation and Emerging Technologies Lead, Laura Kinkle specializes in Virtual and Augmented Reality technology integration and development. She is passionate about advancing the use of virtual and augmented reality technology for business enterprise solutions and identifying areas of the business that emerging technology can serve the greatest impact. Throughout her career she has enabled businesses to leverage immersive technology for product visualization, customer collaboration, marketing experiences, manufacturing optimization, and global collaboration. She is highly experienced in integrating this exciting technology into applicable product development processes while also strongly passionate for the unbridled creativity and unique experiences that the virtual world offers.

2026 Sessions

Oct 134:20 PM5:05 PM
Main StagePanel

(Panel) Return on Technology: Measuring the Success of AI, XR & Digital Twins

Atrium Ballroom A

While many organizations have validated AI, XR, and digital twin use cases, translating early success into sustained investment – especially amid economic uncertainty and workforce upheaval – requires clear, defensible ROI. In this session, enterprise leaders share best practices for defining, measuring, and communicating the business value of emerging technologies. Topics include prioritizing measurable use cases, capturing both quantitative and qualitative impact, managing stakeholder expectations, and more: Success criteria : Establishing baselines; aligning technical metrics with business KPIs (productivity, revenue, cost) Use case selection : Prioritizing use cases with measurable outcomes, accessible data, and low integration overhead  Data capture & KPIs : Capturing reliable data, connecting to analytics systems, and tracking outcomes like time-to-proficiency, error reduction, and downtime avoidance Cost modeling : Evaluating total cost of ownership vs. projected savings and revenue  Indirect value : Incorporating qualitative factors like employee experience, safety, and engagement  Benchmarking : Comparing results against legacy processes, alternatives, and industry benchmarks  Communicating the business case : Translating results into financial terms (ROI, payback period, NPV) Managing expectations : Setting realistic timelines for early results vs. scaled impact Organizational enablers : Role of executive sponsorship, internal champions, and cross-functional alignment