If you are thinking about using virtual reality (VR) technology for the training and development of your employees, it is important to pay due attention to the implementation and use the help of experts. Everything starts with the selection of a supplier, as using VR is definitely not just about having an application developed and purchasing the necessary hardware.
The creation of appropriate and functional applications rests on four main pillars that determine the success and effectiveness of VR deployment.
We recommend paying attention to the expertise of the institution that produces the software, for several reasons.
- Choosing a topic ─ VR technology has properties that are completely irreplaceable, but it is not suitable for all applications due to acquisition costs. In general, we should deploy VR to processes that have a high frequency of repetition, or processes that have a high impact on safety or quality.
- The expertise of the implementation team ─ with VR, more than with other IT projects, there is a misunderstanding of the assignment due to the difference in ideas, insufficient technical background on both sides. Therefore, it is advisable to choose only suppliers who have in their team specialists in the field for which the scenario is being prepared, didactics who will guarantee the functionality of the training and process/project engineers who can coordinate the project.
- Control method ─ VR is generally not easy to control, and in the case of short training sessions it may take longer to master than the training itself. There are variants of the control, for example the so-called Hand Tracking, which is completely intuitive, and there is no need for training regarding its operation. However, only experienced companies can handle its practical deployment. There are approximately three companies in the Czech Republic.
- Implementation of VR ─ the final step for the successful deployment of VR in your company, which, however, determines its final effect. In general, any change is complex, and this is also true for VR implementation. It is necessary to select a supplier that has the experience and technology for the final implementation. There are few companies with sufficient experience on the Czech and European markets. Experienced companies can be recognized by the fact that already at the time of preparing the offer, they also decide on the implementation method, which they adjust to the customer’s needs. The most important aspect is the way VR applications are turned on and their complete management in the form of a platform that ensures these processes. Currently, there are only two such applications. This is the Grove application from the company of the same name and the VR ecosystem from the Czech company Virtual Reality Training.
Since virtual reality is a new and unexplored technology for the vast majority of companies, it is not advisable to immediately start with a complete transformation of all training processes, on the contrary, you will achieve the desired effect by gradually developing the educational process. Do not underestimate the preparation before launching a new education method and always choose a supplier that can cover the entire issue. Remember that training in VR is not about perfect graphics or the most expensive hardware equipment, but it is always mainly about the effect achieved in the sense of effective and long-term knowledge acquisition.