You're faced with a client's unrealistic AR expectations. How can you meet their demands effectively?

Soooo guide the conversation toward feasible solutions by saying something like, "That's a bold idea! While some elements might require a bit more time or budget, we can definitely find creative alternatives that will achieve the same impact." This keeps the conversation positive while managing expectations. also always be ready to learn!

Sometimes clients know what they need, and the tech is available. And that's perfect. Other times, they want something that we (or anyone) can't deliver the way they want, and as fast as we can, we try to understand what are the end goals of the full experience or project. That way, understanding the real use that the AR solution will have, we generate options for the client to choose from, allowing realistic solutions that will have the same or similar impact that they were considering. And sometimes, we expand their initial approach, generating different versions and AR experiences for different devices, reaching more users with the experience that they wanted to create.

As far as I get, in addition to understanding the client's goals, assess the end user's needs as well. Also, consider the user experience (UX) when evaluating what is practical. Research how AR solutions are performing in similar industries, and suggest examples to the client to provide further clarity on what's achievable. I suggest mapping out the key performance indicators (KPIs) to help align the expectations with measurable outcomes.

Begin by thoroughly understanding the client's objectives and underlying needs. Engage in active listening to grasp what they hope to achieve with the AR project. Ask open-ended questions to uncover their motivations and the problems they aim to solve. This will help you identify the essential elements of their vision.

When faced with a client’s unrealistic AR expectations, I focus on open communication and collaboration: Understand Their Vision: I begin by asking questions to grasp their goals fully, helping clarify their needs and expectations. Educate and Suggest: I provide insights into what is feasible within their timeline and budget, offering alternative solutions that align with their vision. Sharing examples from similar projects can help illustrate what's achievable. Collaborative Problem-Solving: I present options that meet their objectives while being practical, encouraging teamwork to refine their expectations. By maintaining transparency and a positive approach, I guide the conversation towards effective solutions. ??

It is possible to incorporate case studies of successful AR implementations to show both the limitations and the possibilities of the technology. Present a comparative analysis of similar projects that demonstrate how their initial expectations were adjusted and highlight the long-term benefits of working within the current technological constraints, such as improved scalability and cost efficiency.

Once you understand their goals, gently educate the client about the current capabilities and limitations of AR technology. Use clear, jargon-free language to explain why certain expectations may not be feasible at this time. Provide examples of successful AR implementations to illustrate what is achievable.

Always showing what can be done, and explaining the results obtained is the best way to educate the clients. Their vision will not change, and helping them to achieve it with existing technologies, or with tech that is reachable with their budget, is key to not falling into problems that could lead to losing not only the project, but the client.

I would like to consider leveraging hybrid solutions, like combining AR with other technologies (e.g., Virtual Reality or Mixed Reality), to fulfill the client’s vision in a phased or complementary manner. You might also offer modular features that can be expanded in future phases, allowing the client to see immediate results while planning for future technological advances.

It is a good idea to enhance the prototyping process by integrating user testing early on. Involve real users in the evaluation of the prototype to provide actionable insights that can validate both the client’s and your expectations. This also demonstrates to the client how user feedback can refine the project and make the AR solution more effective. It will give the client a good motivation of feeling he is also part of the process.

When possible, we create prototypes that will showcase to the client and other stakeholders, what can be delivered. Sometimes it takes a few hours, other times more, based on the complexity, and sometimes it requires full days of research and development that will eventually prove that the tech can execute what they want or not. This approach is very effective but has a direct cost (time and resources) that must be clearly defined if it will be absorbed or not by us, or paid by the client.

I suggest considering setting up a collaborative project management tool that allows the client to see progress in real time, review milestones, and share feedback. Co-creation workshops can also be helpful, where both your team and the client brainstorm or review the AR features together. This ensures more buy-in and fosters a deeper partnership.