The world of work is changing. According to reports by McKinsey, 90 percent of the companies surveyed are planning to introduce flexible home office arrangements, reduce the majority of their office space and drastically cut around half of their travel budgets. New forms of location-independent collaboration are developing - one, perhaps the most forward-looking, is virtual reality (VR), a technology of the metaverse, the 3D Internet, alongside augmented reality (AR). VR is available, mature and affordable. According to a study by the German Digital Economy Association, VR and AR are now an integral part of the strategies of companies in the digital economy. It is becoming apparent that the technologies will play an important role.

VR in particular is suitable for various application scenarios: location-independent, more effective collaboration that becomes human with avatars, or impressive presentations of even complicated products, are just a small part of this. Complex processes can be visualized and made clearer with the technology, learning content can be consolidated more sustainably and prototypes can be developed digitally. Companies save massively on travel and production costs, thereby reducing their CO2 emissions and increasing efficiency. In economic terms, the total savings are in the billions.

In order for companies to fully exploit the potential of virtual reality, they should avoid the following five mistakes.

Mistake 1: Lack of a long-term strategy

Many companies that tackle the topic lack a long-term strategy - a digitalization strategy for process optimization is not enough. In most cases, even the basic information about virtual and augmented reality and its possibilities is not available, not to mention a comprehensive approach with a holistic view - ranging from the idea to implementation and optimization, costs and benefits. Instead, there are isolated solutions: Small projects are developed independently in individual departments - marketing tries out a show case to make an innovative appearance at the trade fair and HR realizes that the technology could be used for training. The departments know nothing of the others' plans. Instead of these isolated solutions, a holistic platform makes sense: it can cover not just one, but dozens of use cases. With such a broad application, the benefits of virtual reality - above all the cost savings - can be fully exploited. A holistic strategy also improves the overall user experience - users are not left to their own devices, but are provided with technical equipment such as VR glasses, receive training and have contact persons. A mentoring system like this makes it easier to get started with the technology, as does standardized equipment. A standardized platform solution also ensures that interfaces and connections remain the same; users do not have to switch between solutions and relearn how to use them - instead, one tool covers all processes, which improves usability. This increases overall user acceptance.

Mistake 2: Fixation on one application device

VR projects are often only designed for one device instead of pursuing a cross-device, cross-platform approach. As a result, they are only made available to a small, limited target group - and acceptance within the company remains low. With an all-device strategy, the 3D application not only works on a special device such as VR glasses, but also on a smartphone or tablet. This makes it widely usable, as access is not linked to the few glasses available and only individual employees can use them. If the technology is rolled out across all devices, user acceptance increases.

Another problem when VR projects are tailored to one device: The application only works with it, but the technology of VR glasses, for example, quickly becomes outdated, as the market is developing rapidly and the applications have to be adapted at great cost. The all-device approach, on the other hand, involves building a platform that is designed to work on all devices. This not only saves costs, but also frustration among the workforce. An all-device approach does not have to be exorbitantly expensive - there are software tools and platforms that can provide it at no extra cost.

Mistake 3: Expecting too much from the graphics

Companies place too much emphasis on the quality of the graphics and a photorealistic environment with avatars and 3D worlds. The expectation is based on the quality of computer games, but it is not yet realistic for business scenarios. This is because such graphics require high processor and computer performance and very few companies are equipped with gamer hardware. Such graphics therefore always limit the range. In practice, many VR island projects fail because the graphics requirements are too high: there is little added value if ten users with VR goggles can access the highest quality application, but the company has 20,000 employees who are left out in the cold.

If you focus on high reach instead of photorealistic graphics, you improve acceptance - and that doesn't mean that the applications look bad. What's more, graphics quality says nothing about usability - it's the overall experience that counts. App games, for example, show that they are popular despite their rather simple graphics. As processors and data transmission are in an evolutionary process, it is to be expected that graphics will continue to develop and become more realistic. However, this requires at least 5G.

Mistake 4: Too little emphasis on interaction

The VR solution does not allow any interaction. Showrooms are usually very static and no social interaction is possible with the avatars. Many companies are still hesitant to integrate more interaction options, as these are associated with additional costs. However, interaction with other visitors through chats with avatars and objects is what attracts visitors and keeps them coming back to a virtual trade fair, for example. Changing content is also important here, comparable to the content offered on a website. Gamification elements are another possibility if visitors are involved in a game with tasks or if a story is told.

Mistake 5: Lack of integration options

The author: Michael Neidhöfer is CEO of the Kaiserslautern-based start-up Zreality.

© Zreality

The fifth error lies in the lack of integration with other systems. This is because VR systems are often set up in isolation. This again leads to limitations in terms of usability and, above all, security. VR must be integrated into the IT and security landscape, as this is where sensitive product and machine data is available. Companies must therefore ask themselves how the system can be integrated into IT, how it can be supported by support and which security mechanisms it supports. Last but not least, an integrated system improves the user experience. For example, the user login can be a single sign-on for employees, giving them access to the VR service via their company account. Not everything has to be reinvented for the 3D worlds. Chats or support hotlines can be integrated, as can possible analytics that provide information about user movements and interaction.