Now let's move on to some of the widely understood use cases that businesses can explore right now.
For companies considering enterprise uses:
- By providing field operators and site staff with AR "assisted reality," they can improve their visual comprehension of the tasks they perform with their hands. This is already starting to get on. I have been following a company I’ve Scope AR in this area.
- The most popular use case and killer app for workplace VR currently is training and development. Jeremy Bailenson's team at Stanford University produced StriVR, which is the standard example. StriVR uses Bailenson's research and the DICE model to identify the optimal use cases for VR training.
- Digital Twins (Because these software simulations are now accessed through 3D spatial interfaces, they are related to the metaverse theme.)
- Remote Cooperation (More deserves between various business functions made on this topic. Excellent systems already exist for engineers and industrial designers to work collaboratively in spatial 3D environments. These are not the same platforms that the average desk worker—who just has to make Zoom calls—might use in the future; instead, they operate within augmented reality or video games.)
For businesses considering thinking use cases on the consumer internet:
- Branding and marketing process initiatives
- new channels for customer service and sales
- Selling virtual cosmetics (apparel, dance moves, or other cosmetic virtual items)
- Online communications channel
Virtual worlds on the internet for consumers, in my view, are just an expansion of the current internet. Virtual worlds are similar to "metaverse" websites, and most businesses have decades of experience communicating with clients through websites and apps.
Today's attention-grabbing "Nearly 7 million People Have Visited Nike's Metaverse Store" beg the question: if the stated "7 million people visited a Nike website," would you still click on the article? Though it may not be as noteworthy in the future, this "metaverse store" is essentially a rebranded version of Nike's online store, so it demonstrates the current buzz.
I would advise businesses to approach this as a strategic communications project. Examine your current website and consider questions such as: Who is my audience and what am I attempting to accomplish or communicate with them? You can then investigate whether creating your "website" as a 3D virtual environment with avatars makes sense.
"So what is the primary step we should take?" is the last question I'm frequently asked.
This is my three-step response:
- Decide what issue you wish to resolve. This is an example of the tired advice given to startups: don't be "a solution looking for a problem." Let's start by addressing the issue. I frequently witness my clients being so enthused about the newest technology that they become fixated on it as something they must use immediately. This has applied to "the metaverse" in particular. Businesses must have their true goals in mind as their starting point and guiding principle. Don't bother chasing after a trendy term. Instead, focus on finding a solution to a problem.
- Describe in detail the tools that are used to address the issue. This is why having a swear jar in the metaverse is crucial. Use as little of the no-no word as you can. Do game engines improve your ability to imitate the design process? Name it that. Would it be beneficial for you to establish a virtual retail branch of your bank in an online virtual world? Put things in that manner. If it helps, let the marketing department or press refer to it as "the metaverse" when speaking with the public, but in internal conversations, be clear and concise with your colleagues about what you are doing.
- Begin with incremental, small-scale proofs of concept. The largest obstacles I observe within organizations trying to implement any of the use cases I've outlined frequently have nothing to do with technology. The difficulties have much more to do with "change management." Deploying this material comes with a lot of operational and administrative issues. The likelihood that a project will fail increases with its size and complexity. Start small, try different things, and see if the tool resolves the issue. If so, you will have proof and impetus to gradually broaden the idea.
Conclusion
As businesses explore the vast potential of immersive technologies, strategic considerations must guide their approach. Utilizing AR for field operations, implementing VR for training, embracing digital twins, and fostering remote cooperation are key enterprise applications. On the consumer internet front, the metaverse presents opportunities for branding, customer service innovation, and virtual commerce. Businesses should define specific problems they aim to solve, articulate tool usage clearly, and initiate small-scale proofs of concept. For a seamless transition into this evolving landscape, companies may benefit from partnering with a Metaverse Development Company to navigate the transformative journey ahead.
