Approaching Virtual Reality Implementation: Finding the Right Application and Use-Cases for Your Business Strategy.

Virtual Reality (VR) technology has been around for quite some time, but it has only recently started to gain popularity in the corporate world, with some companies starting to explore how VR could improve their business processes and create new learning experiences for their employees.?

I recently attended a VR Adoption webinar hosted by Meta Reality Labs’ Dan Nieves . Nine minutes in, Jeremy Dalton , Head of Metaverse Technologies at PWC, raised a really important point: VR is not the solution for everything.?

Jeremy’s statement resonated with me because it highlights how important it is to take a practical approach when implementing new technology. It reminded me of the early days of Cloud Computing when there was a rush to push every application into the cloud. Most people reading this will remember difficult conversations they had as an application owner trying to keep corporate IT away from locally hosted applications or as a project manager with an unrealistic scope trying to convince the application owner to let their application go. The current buzz around VR is starting to feel like that.?

Rather than blindly adopting new technologies, or worse, trying too hard to use technology?for something it’s not made for, we have to ask how we adopt this new technology to fulfil our business strategy.?

And while this approach applies to any new technology, I have made some observations suggesting we ought to approach VR with some differences in our mindset.

Warning: This will require an initial investment in education and some out-of-the-box thinking, and it might look like you are moving slowly. But when you look back, you will know it was a?worthwhile investment.

1. I think there is yet to be a groundbreaking VR application for business that stands out as the ultimate solution, aka the ‘killer app’. It could be your or your business application that will be it. Rather than restricting ourselves to existing solutions or approaches, encourage everyone involved to think outside the box and explore innovative possibilities. Let's unleash our creativity and open new doors.
2. We all know that VR demands a firsthand experience to be fully comprehended. [A point well made 30 minutes into the webinar]. And I couldn’t agree more! This is very different from what we are used to. What has traditionally worked when designing your tech deployment and adoption may not work here. This we have to embrace and embed in our approach at every step.

With all that in mind, where do we start?

Evaluate Capabilities

Let's start by looking at VR capabilities through research, hands-on experience and demos. I call this the XR Orientation stage.?

In this stage, you won’t focus or jump straight into defining actual use cases. You’re instead learning the capabilities of VR and envisioning what can be achieved. It’s essential to keep an open mind while making notes of capabilities that businesses can leverage to drive benefits. And by capabilities, I mean characteristics like:

• VR lets you create immersive experiences that engage users emotionally.
• VR provides an environment that is as realistic as possible, giving an experience that is as close to being in the real world as possible.
• VR provides haptic feedback, allowing the user to physically feel the environment or objects within it.

Identify Use Cases

Once you better understand the capabilities of VR, you can start to identify use cases where VR can be leveraged. And you can do that by asking questions like:?

1. What pain points and challenges do we face in our business that could VR could solve? E.g. reducing costs associated with traditional training methods or creating immersive customer experiences to drive engagement.
2. What business opportunities could VR unlock for us? E.g. new revenue streams or business models, such as creating virtual showrooms or developing VR-based products.

Review real-world examples

Looking at real-world examples of how VR has worked for other organisations will provide valuable insights into the benefits and potential drawbacks of the technology. Customer stories can be a great source of inspiration for businesses looking to leverage VR in innovative ways. It’s also through these stories and case studies you will find service and solution providers whom you may want to work with.

Only now are you ready to get started with analysis and prioritisation.

And there’s a reason I have put these approaches in that order. Start with case studies, and you might miss the opportunity to innovate. Start with future opportunities, and you may not get leadership support and business sponsorship at the same level you would if you could address a specific pain point. Imagine the ease of tapping into your risk/issue management budget to get started instead of having to justify and secure new funds.?

Here’s all that summarised into four key milestones below. What do you think? Have I missed anything? I would love your feedback and to be challenged on these thoughts, as it will help us all to build a solid framework from which we can embark on the XR journey together.?