What do you do if you want to become the go-to virtual reality expert in your organization?

While a VR enthusiast might eagerly discuss the latest headsets, applications and software, a true expert delves deeper, understanding the industry's nuances, the behavioral shifts prompted by this emerging tech and its potential impact on your org. To become the go-to VR expert, consider these steps: 1. Lay the Groundwork: Educate your team on key concepts, such as VR, AR, Spatial Computing and Digital Twins, to create a shared understanding. 2. Facilitate Hands-on Experiences: Create opportunities for others to engage directly. Experiencing VR firsthand can inspire in a way that theoretical discussions cannot. 3. Provide Real-world examples: Highlight how other companies have successfully integrated VR/AR into their operations.

My dad always told me that 'life is a people game... and business is no different.' So build rapport with your colleagues to understand their priorities/problems/aspirations and if VR is a good fit to help with any of those things, offer it up as a solution. If your organisation services a particular industry, write thought leadership about the valuable use cases VR offers to that sector e.g. VR in manufacturing for hard skills training, remote collaboration, data visualisation etc. Always tailor your messaging to the audience you're speaking to whether you're one on one or publishing content online. And remember to be authentic to yourself. Your passion and knowledge of VR will speak for itself!

Having started from zero myself back in 2019, the first step is to get one’s hands on a relatively inexpensive and ubiquitous unit such as the quest and start familiarizing oneself with the different types of experiences possible. Then consider how use cases naturally fit within one’s own area and then showcase the thought process for others with design thinking, and how they can adopt it in theirs.

Critical thinking is essential when considering the application of VR. Personally, I view VR not just as a tool, but as a powerful medium capable of conveying complex user narratives and experiences at various levels. To effectively utilise this technology, one must go beyond just learning about the hardware and technical jargons, like 6DoF or inside-out tracking or whatever. Understanding both the capabilities and limitations of this medium is crucial. This knowledge equips us to discern precisely what problems VR technologies can address and, just as importantly, what they cannot. We should ensure that we leverage VR technologies to its fullest potential without overselling their applicability.

A resource I found very useful and updated is Reddit. Before anything reaches any other social media these 3 subreddits have already covered the topic in some way: r/virtualreality, r/OculusQuest and r/VisionPro

If there are no running VR projects in your organization it is possible to find off-the-shelf apps that are somehow related to your vertical. You can look on the Apps section of the Meta store or even search os sidequest to find some less known and free apps that you can use to showcase the potential value that this technology can have on your business.

Start a webinar, podcast, or vlog series interviewing others about what they’re doing in the space. One of the ways I maintain and expand my personal knowledge base is through constantly asking questions. Be curious.

Give it all away! Teach people how to do what you’re doing. I know that sounds crazy but it works. If you’re trying to be an expert, then you’re likely improving the processes daily anyways. My good friend @Hugh Hou did just this and now he is one of the most well known 360 video experts in the space. Next keep giving. Join projects that are interesting even if the money isn’t quite there. I often tell my students they have to understand the difference between money and value. If you have the bandwidth, do equity gigs. This helps keep you relevant and once people keep seeing you pop up on their social media, they will become curious. Lastly, always be a student. Try to learn something new everyday. Then tell people what you have learned.

Keep learning from others. Create regular documentation or media with highlights of your efforts that can be discoverable and accessible by those in your organization.

Once you've got a baseline understanding of VR and 'good' applications for it, identify some people in your business who are more receptive to the idea of VR, and start offering to run workshops with groups across the business. In said workshops, open the conversation to any work challenges they are experiencing, or any transformative opportunities they can envision with VR. Listen to any ideas, asks questions to drill into more detail, then... BE HONEST! If your experience in VR is telling you that it wont be the right solution, then absolutely express that! If you don't and you just dogmatically push VR as a solution, you'll quickly lose any reputation as an 'expert' and gain the reputation of a 'pushy salesperson' Be better ??

Just be yourself! Be curious, try, fail, try again, fail again, get up, get ready to fail again, try and succeed.. But most of al, just be yourself..

If you want to be 'that person' who is a go-to virtual reality expert, it's actually very simple: + Do not roadblock other people: It doesn't matter if you feel threatened, they make you feel insecure due to the competition scenario in your head, just do not be 'that person' who tries to ruin someone else's career path because in the end of the day, you're going to be the one, who shoots themselves on their own foot with that kind of a toxic behaviour. + Do not act like you 'know it all': It doesn't matter if you have one year or ten years of experience in VR/XR industry when people ask you a 'how to...' question, just don't ignore their question by replying with your years of expertise and 'how hard' it is to do. Stay kind and curious.

To become a go-to VR expert in an organization, start by mastering the basics of VR technology, then gain hands-on experience by working on VR projects. Specialize in a specific area of VR, stay updated on industry trends, network with professionals, consider obtaining certifications, and actively contribute to the VR community. Commit to continuous learning to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving field.

To become the go-to virtual reality expert in your organization, immerse yourself in the latest VR technologies and trends. Actively apply VR solutions to projects, demonstrating your expertise and value. Share your knowledge through presentations and workshops, positioning yourself as a thought leader. Collaborate with teams to integrate VR into different departments, showcasing its potential impact. Continuously seek feedback and refine your skills to solidify your reputation as the go-to resource for anything VR-related within your organization.