After our three
month discovery Odyssey exploring Virtual (and Augmented) Reality, its
potential impacts and possible applications, Rachel and I feel much more informed about
VR and how it is currently being - and could in the future be used in Learning
and Development. In no way do we
consider ourselves experts and, of course, the field continues to change and
evolve at pace, but we find ourselves much better informed and alert to the
possibilities and also to some of the risks
We’d like to
share our current thinking with you here. Rachel is also publishing this same blog on her blog site.
1.
Virtual
– and Augmented - Reality is the shiny new kid on the block in the consumer
world, in education, in business and latterly, in Learning & Development.
As has tended to be the case with the increasing consumerisation of technology
(think smartphones, think Siri, think Pokemon GO, think Amazon Echo…), the
people who will show up looking for learning and performance support in the
workplace – and looking to L&D to demonstrate leadership, expertise and
potential solutions – will have an expectation that VR may be part of the mix.
2.
VR,
with its immersive experience, has tremendous potential as a tool for use in
Learning & Development. There are
some very exciting ways in which it can be applied to create powerful, engaging
and effective learning experiences. And
this can be done within all price ranges.
3. VR is not a magical tool that will once
and forever transform L&D. It is
potentially a great tool – but like all L&D tools, only when it is used in
the right place, for the right need and in the right context. Consider carefully if the VR experience is
adding to the learning, beyond that which can be gained from another approach.
4.
Consider
where on the scale of VR immersion (passive <> some interaction <>
total immersion) would be the most effective approach to meet the need. If the requirement is for less than total
immersion, then go for the cheaper option, with less investment in kit and
skills development and which uses technology already familiar to employees.
5.
As
an L&D professional, it is important to build your own awareness and
familiarity with new tools such as VR, so that you can spot where and when it
can be used in your own organisation or to support your own clients effectively
(and also where and when it would be inappropriate to use it). So make sure
that within your network you have people who are working with VR and are sharing
what they have learned about it.
6.
If
you do decide that there is some potential for using VR in your own
organisation, start small. Consider a
small pilot using equipment and VR software at the low/no cost end of the
spectrum. And then review, learn and
experiment again.
7.
Where
you need a bespoke, rather than an off-the-peg, solution make sure that you use
an experienced and reputable provider.
Ask around first, compare and contrast.
Speak to other clients that they’ve worked with.
8.
Consider
how accessible to the intended learner a VR option would be. Think especially about those with
disabilities, those who wear glasses and/or those with conditions such as
vertigo. How robust is your proposed
solution for these individuals? We had a
mixed experience, in most cases with no problems at all, but some VR options
did not meet our needs and, indeed, proved to be ineffective and unproductive.
9.
Keep
an eye on developments in AR – Augmented Reality. This is a related field, which is developing
rapidly and could have even more applications to improving performance than VR.
The principle of overlaying ‘real life’ (as seen through the smartphone or tablet
camera and/or a headset or tech-enhanced glasses) with other imagery and or
text, has huge potential in engineering training, medical training, safety
training, asset management and location/geographically sensitive experiences.
The recent news from Apple (conspicuous by its absence in the VR arena thus
far) that it sees AR as the next big thing – as big as the smartphone,
according to CEO Tim Cook - suggests that AR may be the ‘killer app’ here.
Expect some interesting ideas and applications here from the tech giant.
10. We have compiled a Resource Sheet to complement this blog and video series, with
curated links to other research, blogs, webinars, podcasts, video, reports and other
resources and is published separately here. Inevitably, in this fast
changing and evolving landscape, this will shortly be (indeed, probably is already) out
of date.
Finally, we
would love to hear about your experiences in using VR. Tell us your stories. Have
you used it? How and where have you used it? Are you now thinking about using
it or have you decided not to use it - and why? Let’s keep the conversation and
the learning going in the rapidly evolving and dynamic field in Learning and
Development. Use the Twitter hashtag #VRinLearning.
Rachel
Burnham and Niall Gavin
March
2017
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