You're navigating a VR project with diverse clients. How do you handle their varied expectations?

Having clear requirements is crucial in VR projects. However, it's a field where clients can test and iterate on the product quickly, enabling rapid adjustments in response to feedback and changing opinions. This iterative process ensures that the end product is aligned with the client's vision and expectations, hence making the development more efficient and outcome more successful.

Help clients understand what VR is good at and what it's not. Often people conceptualize their idea and apply it to VR without a deep understanding of the medium. Will experiencing the concept in an immersive space (rather in a 2D screen) provide the user more insight? Will it teach them something new that only spatial computing can enable? Will it give them a superpower? Will it bring deep value? VR development is one of the most costly and difficult to do. It best to understand the medium before diving in too deeply.

Fun tips to try: - Use variations in your repetition. When you’re confirming the storyline or concept, speak of the same scenario with differently phrased sentences - helps catch potential gaps early on. - Adapt to them, not them to jargon. Use little VR technical terms, none if you can avoid completely. Clients may have their own technical terms, in context to the simulation, learn those as you talk, and use those. - Precaution is better than damage repair. If something isn’t technically feasible, or you suggest else wise, let the client know asap. It’s best to keep them informed in the event you do need to pivot, even if the odds of are low. - Don’t over promise to impress and then underdeliver - know your stuff and stay in scope.

VR headsets are extremely powerful tools. However, clients aren't always aware of the extent of the technology. Some projet ideas may not be possible due to software and hardware limitations, but there are always alternatives that could appeal to the client if communicated effectively. Being the expert, you have the technical know-how to walk the clients through the planning process to guarantee their requirements are known and the expectations are realistic.

Help their teams develop a spatial mindset. Start with smaller, internal events before moving to public or customer-focused VR events. This helps understand user needs and improve the experience.

Sometimes if the clients are rigid in their ways and your research shows otherwise - let data take the podium and speak for itself. Remind them who the experience is being built for ultimately and try to help them get onboard the ultimate solution, not just accept them. Identify their pain points early on and help them understand the end user’s pain points as well. Help them help you - usually clients know a lot about the TA they’re building solutions for, ask for their insights and observations, and then research to compare that with the rest of the market. This will reassure the client of the fact that you have a common goal and you’re on the same team.