The Metaverse Rush – Take a Pause

A buzzword that has been the talk of the town in the current times at every given opportunity is ‘Metaverse’. There is significant interest, curiosity, and anticipation in how this shared 3-dimensional virtual space will pan out in future. Having spoken to a few leaders it is evident that there is constructive tension amongst the community to explore the art of the possible in this emerging parallel universe. What is interesting is the sense of urgency shown by business leaders in envisioning new experiences for their employees and consumers. The question is, are we are riding the ‘Hype’ cycle?

Few reflections from my little research and the need for the ecosystem to take a pause and consider reimagining ‘Experiences’ for the PRESENT, instead of getting carried away by the HYPE.

I would look at this space under two specific categories of users:

B2C: This is the trail where one needs to wait and watch. The experiences are dominantly through a ‘Head Mounted Device’ and this is the trail where innovations are still underway. There are endless scenarios and possibilities, but one needs to consider the reality of consumers being equipped with AR/VR headgears. I would draw parity with the mobile revolution we all witnessed in 2000’s and how the form factor got better with time. On the same lines, the AR/VR form factors needs to evolve, and the head mounted devices should be on the lines of a wearable spectacle/glasses.

Aspiration: Wouldn't it be cool if mixed reality experiences enabled via HoloLens 2 is available in a form factor like Ray-Ban Stories Smart Glasses.

B2B: This is the trail where businesses needs to move fast and get into building MVPs with the sole intent to reimagine experiences for their employees. Truly a time to empower teams and front-line workers to stay agile and productive. With ‘Location Independence (Hybrid)’ being extended to many employees across industries, it is imperative to create an environment where modern experiences are lit up. And yes, this is a great tarmac for businesses to experiment and look at how key personas can be brought into the Metaverse and elevate their productivity.

Aspiration: Wouldn't it be cool if an individual is empowered by modern experiences which will elevate productivity exponentially.

Under the umbrella of B2B, Imagine a world where personas like

• Doctors (Cleveland Clinic) can connect in the 3D space, visualize a case as a team with superior 3D visualization for better inferences and treatment plans
• A shop floor engineer (Mercedes Benz) can be connected to a remote specialist to provide the much-needed support/help
• A surgeon (Accenture Augment Surgical Success) is assisted by modern and state of the art visualization during an important surgery that maximizes patient outcomes
• A plant manager (PTC & Howden) is enabled with a digital twin of the manufacturing setup/plant and help connect with key stakeholders to make important decisions
• Architects (Visual Live) can come together to make critical structural and design decisions at the site
• Students (Holo-Anatomy App) immerse themselves in experiential learning in the 3D Virtual space leading to better learning outcomes

B2C can wait and this is where I strongly advocate businesses to invest in re-defining experiences for B2B (here and now). It goes without saying that it is important to keep an eye on emerging experiences under the realm of ‘Metaverse’.

The possibilities are endless and so are the opportunities. ‘Metaverse’ is not a bubble, but a reality in the making. It is time to take a pause and not get carried away by the PR hype around the topic.