However, businesses have run into a number of different issues when trying to integrate XR technology into normal operations. Uncertainty in what tools and resources are needed to make it successful at enterprise scale is the core issue. This article aims to detail the features needed in a holistic system for accessing, distributing, and managing all of a company’s XR content in one place, regardless of use case.

Why do we need an XR platform?

One of the most common use cases in business for XR technology is training. Training in XR saves time and resources, allowing employees to repeatedly train in even the most dangerous, unique, or costly scenarios, as it is all done virtually, from almost any location. This also makes it easy to train more employees by scaling training to reach thousands of people through one platform.

XR training requires tracking employee performance, whereas other XR use cases, like product modeling, only require content management and distribution. For that reason, XR training will be used as the example use case to discuss the features for the ideal XR platform. 

As to why an XR platform is needed, the simple answer is that integrating XR into your business is rarely successful without one. And certainly not successful at scale. The challenges of distributing content at scale are too cumbersome to achieve with an MDM. And without metrics, XR success is nearly impossible to optimize and achieve. Companies that have been successful with XR have invested in a platform to manage XR content, manage users, wirelessly distribute content to users via whatever headset they are using, monitor use and performance scoring, and help managers optimize with trends.

What does an ideal XR platform look like?

1. Device agnostic

Ensure the platform can work with any headset and any content type.

2. Large selection of high quality XR content 

It will be difficult to scale use of XR if the content is all custom. Work with a platform that has access to a library of existing and proven XR content. Look for content that enables:

• Multi-user functionality
• Scenario randomization
• Replicated physics and real-world tools
• Simulated behavioral consequences
• Fully immersive 3D environments

3. Ability to manage custom or third-party content 

Sometimes you will need custom content or may already have some created. Ensure the platform can handle this content. It also may be fortuitous to work with a platform where the vendor can customize existing content to better fit proprietary processes or tools used in your environment.

4. Wireless distribution of content

Trying to load content onto headsets via USB (called side-loading) is time consuming and near impossible if the headsets are in different locations around the world. The ability to distribute content wirelessly is critical to program success. 

5. Content distributed to user, not device

MDMs distribute content to devices, but this is a nightmare to manage. XR program managers need to be able to have the right content for the right user no matter what headset is being used. This is why it is critical that the content can be distributed by user. This means when a user logs in to a headset, the content they have been given access to will automatically be downloaded for them on that headset.

6. Easily provision content to users

Per #5, if content is distributed by users, administrators need a simple way to give users permission to the content they need. The XR platform should have the ability to manage users as individuals or in groups. It should be easy to provide users or groups access to content, then to assign that content to users via email for them to act on as part of their normal operations.

7. Monitor status and performance

The XR platform should be able to track in-depth, real-time data on each user’s engagement with XR content and its effectiveness. This includes performance scoring. Managers will need this information to check that the content is being utilized and that assessments are passed.

8. Reveal trends in usage and outcomes

Seeing trends in usage and outcomes by content, by user groups, etc. is critical to optimizing the use of XR to meet program goals.

9. Scales to manage global workforce

The content and the permissions to use the content should be managed within one web-based portal, accessible from anywhere in the world. And content should be able to be distributed wirelessly to anywhere in the world.

10. Integrates into any LMS or BI

In order to make XR a part of normal business operations, it is important that the data from XR use can integrate seamlessly into any learning management system (LMS) or business intelligence (BI) platform that the enterprise already uses.

11. Easy to use—for admins and employees

If a platform isn’t easy to use for both administrators and employees, then it won’t be successful. Employees may already be intimidated by using a headset so a simple login and notifications in their company email helps to reduce friction. And administrators need intuitive workflow and dashboards to make it simple to manage and optimize the program.

What is the ROI on an XR platform?

The realization of ROI on an XR platform comes from realizing the value of the XR content usage. As was stated at the beginning of this article, training is a typical early use case for XR because it has such a clear benefit, in both cost reduction and improved revenue. With the ability to simulate real-life scenarios that are difficult to create in real-life, this can dramatically cut training costs. And since XR training has been proven to be a faster way to train skills that need practice, it saves time and money from lost work. ROI is typically fast to achieve and increases as the use of XR increases. But one thing is clear, without the XR platform, companies fail to see that ROI as the difficulty in program execution is too difficult to overcome.

You can now get a free ROI analysis for XR training. Learn more here.

Need help getting VR right? PIXO VR can help. Click here to arrange a meeting with a VR expert.

PIXO Has Improved VR Management to One Easy Step

As VR training becomes more prevalent in enterprise, one of the leading issues users have identified is how complicated managing the training seems. With PIXO, VR management has been simplified to just one easy step.

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Great innovation projects fail either because the technology is too new and too hard to figure out or employees responsible for execution don’t have the knowledge, resources, or incentives to execute. This has unfortunately been the path for many early VR innovation projects. But not everyone failed with VR, there have been many examples of enterprises realizing incredible value from implementing VR training.

The value is hard to ignore and corporations will quickly be left behind if they don’t begin incorporating VR into business processes. Fortunately, new technology is available that can help corporations succeed with VR training so it is a great time for innovation leaders to consider a reinvestment in VR. 

To avoid failing a second time, this article highlights the seven key actions that innovation leaders need to take to ensure success with VR.

1. Get IT involved

Most training managers have very little exposure to technology. They’ve perhaps used Learning Management platforms, but most instruction takes place in a classroom or via pre-recorded videos. Purchasing headsets and content, figuring out how to get the content onto the headsets, testing out use outside the company firewall, etc. are daunting challenges without the help of appropriate IT resources.

Innovation leaders need to get IT leadership involved and explain how important it is to the company to get VR working. need to get technology set up for success

2. Get corporate technology 

A common mistake early VR adopters make is buying the wrong headsets. Headsets that are made for gaming are not ideal for corporate use, and headsets like Oculus work in a very isolated architecture that causes IT departments major headaches. 

It is critical to ensure that IT obtains headsets that are agnostic and made for corporate use cases. Pico and Vive are solid headsets for corporate use, but make sure that IT works with the VR content provider to determine the best technology for your unique environment.  

Beyond headsets, there is VR software that can host the content, wirelessly deliver it to headsets, monitor usage and results, and integrate with Learning Management Systems. This investment is critical to making VR a success and to making it a part of training operations.

3. Choose a strong use case

There are many use cases for VR in corporate environments. To increase the chance of success, choose a use case that has clear and measurable ROI. For many companies this is hard skill training where training costs are high due to travel or having to ship expensive equipment. This also may require custom content for proprietary processes or equipment. 

Another common starter application is safety training. Here there is more standard content available so it may be a good choice if the company is worried about the investment in custom content for a pilot. 

Don’t hesitate to consider the employee group being trained and the leadership as to how willing they are to try VR. It may be that gender inclusion training for office workers may be a great first choice. To make a determination, consider bringing business unit leaders together to discuss training needs and work with a VR content provider to discuss options.

4. Select the right content 

Now that there are standard options for many training courses, it is important to select the most effective and relevant content. Preferably content that has been already proven by other companies. Look for a VR content provider with a wide selection of content who can advise on the most effective courses.

Of course, standard content may not always be a fit. Ensure the VR content provider you work with can customize standard content to make the tweaks that fit your unique way of work. And if fully custom content is needed, be sure you are working with a provider who has experience working with similar corporations and knows how to effectively manage the process to make it as frictionless as possible.

5. Get HR involved

If training reports into HR, they will of course be involved. But HR resources are critical to VR success in other ways. The internal communications team should be enlisted to help educate employees on the VR project. They need to communicate why the company is exploring VR and the value you are trying to achieve.

They can also help in rollout to build excitement and collect feedback. They should ask for testimonials from employees on their experience and share that with the company. This is especially important if an earlier project with VR failed. The more forethought and effort on this, the more successful the company will be at adopting VR and realizing value. 

6. Incentivize training managers

Using VR for training is completely different than how training managers deliver training today. If they have no incentive to put in the work to figure out this new technology they will revert back to the way they’ve been training.

Incentives can be monetary or they could be part of performance objectives. Tying their success to the successful launch of VR is key to the company rapidly seeing value instead of floundering.

7. Create a plan beyond the pilot

VR isn’t just a passing fad to test out. It has clearly been proven to be a highly effective addition to corporate training programs. Innovation leaders need to push for planning to go beyond pilot applications and to consider the phases of rolling out VR training to more employees and more use cases. [Here’s a great guide for this].

Having a long term plan to continue to grow and mature with VR training use cases provides a path for the company to follow. Add clear milestones and tie them into performance objectives so that the company can expand value.

VR is here to stay. It’s time to figure it out before the competition.

VR isn’t going away. From training to the Metaverse, VR has a place in business. Use cases will continue to grow rapidly as adults realize the value of virtual reality beyond video games. That means that the most important investment and effort from corporate innovation needs to be focused toward VR.

And it is a race. The competition is making leaps with VR (see examples here). The key to winning is to bring the right resources and technology together to bring early use cases to value.

Need help getting VR right? PIXO VR can help. Click here to arrange a meeting with a VR expert.

Your job is important. There are a lot of incredible technologies that could drive improvements at your company. Figuring out which ones are worth the investment is difficult. Chances are you already gave virtual reality (VR) the green light. But did it go anywhere?

VR implementation commonly starts off with enthusiasm, but it fails in execution. Why? Because it’s put in the hands of individuals that have no experience with using technology who just revert back to what they’ve always been doing because it’s easier.

While this was happening at many enterprises, others were figuring it out and scoring big wins. This article will share innovation project successes that highlight where it makes sense to focus reinvestment before you fall behind the competition.

Successful implementations that reduced the skilled labor gap

A great example of using VR to reduce problems with the skilled labor gap is a global fast food chain. They were struggling to hire and the workers that were applying had no experience. Furthermore, thanks to the pandemic, many had never even been inside one of their restaurants. Training by giving 17 year olds a pdf manual wasn’t working.

The innovation team felt that VR might be used to better engage their entry-level workers and train them better. To make it work, innovation leaders coordinated IT, HR, and training resources to work together to figure out the best way to introduce VR. They worked with an experienced VR content provider to develop content on how to work their proprietary equipment and started training new hires at one location. They found VR worked to engage new hires, and even attracted additional applicants through word of mouth. The time to onboard reduced and they nearly eliminated early turnover. With initial success, they began expanding to all locations—completely changing the expectations and results of entry level onboarding.

Another example of reducing the skilled labor gap comes from a utilities provider. They could not get new hires into the field fast enough to meet demand and so the innovation team recommended VR to help. They found a VR content provider who already had standard VR training on the basics for field engineers like inside and outside meter inspection so they were able to get started quickly. 

The company was blown away by a more than 50% reduction in onboarding and a 90% reduction in the time needed for job shadowing before they became fully productive. They are continuing the program and expanding to training for existing employees.

Successful implementations that reduced rework

A company that builds extremely large equipment was experiencing an increase in mistakes made in production. This was attributed at least partly to the skilled labor gap—both with new under skilled workers as well as overwork trying to continue production with resource gaps. These mistakes were being found late in the manufacturing process and causing the company millions of dollars each year in rework. 

The innovation team suggested VR to help reduce production mistakes. The engineering team worked with IT and a VR content provider to create custom training to address the production issues. Workers were receptive to training in VR and since its introduction, the need for rework has continued to reduce.

Another example of reducing rework is a fast food chain that was noticing an increase in inaccurate bagging. This increase was attributed to ineffective onboarding. The chain knew their lifetime value of keeping a customer and the increase in mistakes was threatening long term revenue. The innovation team got involved and recommended trying VR training as a way for new employees to practice bagging in a life-like environment with all of the stress of needing to move quickly to keep order throughput high. 

They found that new employees were much more efficient when they started working and reported bagging mistakes dropped quickly. The chain is expanding the use of VR to all employees as they move to new positions.

Successful implementations that improved worker safety

Worker safety is a costly problem for an insurance company that insures construction workers. Their head of innovation recommended that their agents try taking VR headsets out to construction sites to provide job-site safety training. There was a lot of standard VR training content available for construction so they were able to easily pilot this initiative.

The insurance company found a 100% higher engagement with the VR training compared to the training they were offering previously. They are also seeing a reduction in accidents, which is lowering premiums. So it’s a win-win for the insurance company and the construction companies they insure. In fact, they’ve heard from their clients that they are experiencing higher retention and productivity from their workers—building clear loyalty toward the insurance company. 

A large pharmaceutical company also got a recommendation from the innovation lead to try VR training. They ran a pilot for lab safety training with standard VR content and saw a 25% to 30% reduction in accidents. They’ve been able to quantify an increase in productivity because people are at work and producing. They quickly expanded and also experienced a reduction in OSHA fines.

Successful implementations that reduced training costs

A large manufacturer used to send engines and engine blocks around the world to train technicians. The cost of the engine, the cost of travel, and missing work made for a very high  cost of training. The innovation team had been looking for an application to test out VR and felt this was a winner as it had the potential to eliminate those high costs. 

After coordinating the effort between IT, HR and training teams, with the VR content provider, they were able to create custom content to replace their training with their unique equipment. Instead, the VR content provided an experience that matched real-life. It was actually more effective as employees could get more practice time with the VR engines than they could with the in-person training. The company is now expanding use to other high-cost training to dramatically reduce costs while improving outcomes.

A large grocery chain was flying corporate employees to various stores to train them on the regional differences. This was costly in both travel and time on both the employees being trained and the host store management who conducted tours and answered questions. Executives calculated this was costing them over $27M annually just for employee time, not including travel or loss of productivity during training.

The innovation team recommended creating a VR program for their various stores that was interactive so that employees could browse through the stores and get common questions answered. After creating the content with a VR content provider, the company gained immediate and recurring annual savings without sacrificing the intent of the training.

Another example of reducing training costs is a company that manufactures building materials. They have hundreds of locations, frequent product design changes and high turnover. Because of this, thousands of employees are trained every week, which is a big hit to productivity. 

An innovation leader suggested that VR could help them train faster. They worked with a VR content provider to create training on how to perform the various jobs on the line and were able to add in new materials as specifications changed. With VR they added back an average of four hours on every shift for each employee. This reduced their productivity loss from training by half, which made an impact on materials produced and overall revenue.

Successful implementations that reduced financial risk and improved employee retention

In a job market where good talent is hard to find, a large software company decided to test VR for improving soft skill training. The company saw a Pwc study on how effective VR was for soft skill training and also felt this would be a positive experience in the office for when employees came in for hybrid work. There were many standard soft skill VR training courses available, so the company started with basic communication and conflict resolution training. The training allowed employees to practice difficult conversations in a safe environment and employees could watch their own avatar performance playback. 

Employees were blown away with how impactful the training was and at the innovative approach. The company noticed lower turnover than peer companies within a few months of rolling out the training and leadership feedback was clear that conflicts were lessened during this time period.

A financial institution had experienced problems with gender discrimination and harassment and were not seeing improvements with training. The head of HR collaborated with the innovation team to give VR training a try. Instead of an uncomfortable experience, employees were able to take the training in a safe space and practice having difficult conversations with people of different genders and races. 

The training was able to help coach their employees on the language used and drove actionable change in gender inclusion. HR notes that complaints began rapidly decreasing, which significantly lowered financial risk. The training was so successful that the organization is looking into using VR for mindfulness training as well.

If at first you don’t succeed, try again.

These 11 examples of successful implementations of VR thanks to innovation teams is proof that VR can be successful and make a big impact on the business. The key is educating on long term value and coordinating the right resources together to handle this change. IT needs to be involved to help support this new technology. Training needs to buy-in to the value and the more strategic role they will play in the company. And HR needs to support rollout with employee education and promotion. When these resources work together, innovation investment yields big returns.

If you’ve already tried a VR innovation project, but it didn’t pan out, perhaps it’s time to try again with a new perspective and inspirational proof from the examples above. Because if you don’t get started with VR, the competition will quickly gain an advantage.

Need help getting VR right? PIXO VR can help. Click here to arrange a meeting with a VR expert.

There is a lot of new technology that training managers are being asked to incorporate into corporate training. One of the most challenging, yet rewarding, is virtual reality (VR). VR has been proven to be incredibly effective at helping employees practice skills in a safe, realistic environment. This is true for both hard and soft skills. But figuring out how to use VR can be overwhelming for training managers who haven’t had much exposure to implementing a new technology.

In fact, the most common point of failure for training managers trying to implement VR into their training programs is trying to do it without IT resources. Instead, training managers need to invest in a relationship with IT to make the process smooth and avoid frustration. This article covers seven ways that IT is critical for successfully implementing VR.

7 critical tasks for IT in VR training implementations

1. Purchasing and registering the devices

In order for corporate VR training to work, it needs to be run on headsets that work in corporate environments. For instance, some headsets have an exclusive system that doesn’t work well in corporate environments. IT can help evaluate headsets and ensure that they will work with your training content and work within the corporate environment. IT can also register and manage the devices. This is something that IT already has processes for so it is easiest to let them handle that aspect of your program.

2. Purchasing and configuring software

The best way to ensure success with VR is to use VR software that can host the content, wirelessly deliver it to headsets, and monitor usage and results. IT should be involved in the evaluation and buying process for this software. They are also essential during implementation to ensure the software is configured to work in the corporate environment.

3. Verifying SOC compliance 

Ensuring that the technology you are bringing in for VR meets the security requirements the company has is an important part of ensuring there are no issues down the road with compliance. IT has a process for this and must be included early in the buying process in order to run their safety checks.

4. Testing the software devices

One of the most common frustrations for training managers is trying to get VR to work with the company firewall. This points to the criticality of having IT involved to help test the VR headsets and VR software running through different scenarios of use. These scenarios might include headsets at different company locations or remote locations. It can also include sending the content wirelessly, operating a training course, and tracking the results in the software. IT should execute the testing and troubleshoot any issues. 

5. Creating documentation (if needed)

If the training involves sending headsets to employees to use independently of the training manager, it is best to create documentation to ensure users have the steps/knowledge to work the system independently. IT is used to technical documentation and is a great resource to help draft this.

6. Setting up support for VR

VR is technology that will likely be new for many employees and training managers. There will be questions and assistance will be needed at times to troubleshoot issues. Training managers need to work with IT to incorporate basic help into the IT help desk. It is particularly important to understand how the headsets operate and resources for troubleshooting issues as this is one of the most common support issues. Having the IT help desk trained will prevent training managers from being overwhelmed with questions they can’t answer. The IT help desk should be empowered with the ability to contact headset and software vendors as needed for higher tier support.

7. Integrating with LMS

It’s great that VR software can track the results of the VR training, but if a training program uses a Learning Management System, integrating your VR software with your LMS makes for a seamless management and data experience. IT can work with vendor APIs to connect the systems and streamline training data.

It’s time to make friends with IT

Coordination with IT may take some backing from senior leadership, but once all the players understand the short and long term value of VR training, the easier it will be to get the resources needed. Share with leadership what other companies are doing with VR training to both inspire as well as remind that incorporating VR into training isn’t a passing trend, but one that is cutting costs and adding significant value to large corporations. And if all that fails, bribing IT with food is always a solid way in!

Once you get the support you need from IT, it will be much easier to make VR a regular part of your training program.

Need help figuring out how to roll out VR as part of your training program? Here’s a guide to help you get started.

Need help getting VR right? PIXO VR can help. Click here to arrange a meeting with a VR expert.

We get it, adding virtual reality (VR) to training is a huge leap. Traditional training programs are focused on what needs to be learned and the best way to get that info to employees, whether that be in person in a classroom or via elearning. VR involves a lot of new unfamiliar technology as well as being a major cultural shift.

But, it’s supposed to be the next big thing, so training managers tried it—then promptly went back to the old methods because yes, it indeed was hard. Unfortunately, VR training isn’t going away, it’s growing in popularity at a CAGR of 14.4%. And that means that this is one leap that eventually needs to be taken.

This article covers the reasons why it is important for training managers to try again with VR and what can be done differently to get it right.

Common reasons VR initiatives fail

If your initial project to incorporate VR into your training program failed, you aren’t alone. Training managers report being frustrated by a lack of internal support in setting up the technology, problems with getting the headsets to work outside the company firewall, and a lack of support from HR and communications to educate employees on the value of VR. And you probably didn’t have any incentive to put in the extra effort to make it a success.

The difficulty of VR often can be avoided with the proper knowledge, technology, and support. For instance, some headsets are made for gaming, while others are better for corporate training needs. There is software that helps training managers with VR to get content to the headsets and track use and results. But even the most tech-savvy training manager can’t do this alone. They need the help of IT to get the appropriate technology and configure and test the system to work in their environment.

If VR was launched correctly at your company, it would have been a combined effort among HR, Training, IT, Communications, and Innovation leadership. Everyone would need to do their part to educate employees on the value of VR and the long term vision for using it to make improvements. If VR is treated like an experiment instead of an investment in the future, then it will be slow for the company to advance.

4 Big reasons why it’s worth the effort to try again

So if it isn’t easy, why bother trying again?

There are a few reasons to consider to answer this question:

1. It works – Studies have shown that VR is extremely effective for both hard and soft skill training where practice and feedback is important. When used in combination with classroom or elearning materials, it is a powerful tool to ensure the training sinks in. 
2. It’s transforming training – The outcomes possible with VR to significantly reduce costs and improve worker outputs changes the way that executives think about training. Training will become a more strategic part of the company versus a cost center. And that means that the reach and impact of training will expand with more budget and resources to make a difference.
3. It’s a career maker (or breaker) – By learning how to incorporate VR into your training program, you’ll be in high demand. That means the possibility for higher pay and the ability to work anywhere you want. Of course on the flip side of this, those training managers that don’t begin to adopt VR may make themselves obsolete.
4. It’s here to stay – Whether you are a fan of VR or not, it isn’t going away. It is already working at many companies and making a big difference. VR training is being used to onboard faster, to reduce training costs, to close the skilled labor gap, to reduce rework from costly mistakes, and to improve worker safety. And with the development of platforms like the Metaverse, more VR corporate VR use cases will continue to arise.

Virtual reality isn’t something that can be ignored, but the good news is that figuring it out presents a great opportunity for training managers to advance their career in a big way.

Important steps to VR success

1. Get buy-in from HR, IT, and Innovation leadership to get the appropriate support needed. 
2. Work with a VR content provider that can support your goals with content and the technology to make it all work together. 
3. Collaborate with this team to put a long term VR plan into place from pilot through to expanding over time to new users and use cases. 
4. Have IT help purchase, configure, and thoroughly test your VR training system.
5. Roll out the new pilot with help from HR and Communications to get employees excited.
6. Continue to meet with the team quarterly to review metrics and progress.
7. Buy a cape, because now you’re a superhero in helping your company realize the benefits of VR.

The technology, content, and experience in VR has advanced significantly in the past few years. It’s ready for training managers to take the next step toward strategically improving corporate training.

Need help getting VR right? PIXO VR can help. Click here to arrange a meeting with a VR expert.