Last Christmas, we jumped on the virtual reality bandwagon. With its self-contained VR unit, the Oculus Quest broke through our barriers to entry, no PC or complicated room setup required. And, once we entered COVID lockdown in March, we were high fiving ourselves for the foresight to get one before they were no longer available. Hours of entertainment at home exploring virtual worlds and playing Beat Saber were now unlocked. Only the hair clippers we also bought at the same time now seem more prescient.
But in the new world we live in where every meeting is remote, every conference now cancelled and virtual, could virtual reality be the next big thing that transforms how we interact at work?
I’ve had the opportunity to explore this idea as part of a pilot program at VMware using an app called MeetinVR. And, I’ll be honest, I’m not yet sold.
Not Productive
I’ve spent more time in VR meetings exploring the novelty of the platform than having a productive work related conversation.
- “Hey look – watch me draw in the air and then pick up my drawing and throw it away”
- “Ooo, we can change the background to be in space, the mountains, the beach.”
- “Here’s a funny message I’ve typed on a post-it and then put in the air.”
- “Let’s take a selfie.”
Yes, these are early days. Maybe as more of us become practiced at VR meetings, the initial newness will wear off. But, there’s a danger in VR meetings of getting caught up in the novelty of tool, forgetting why we’re meeting in the first place. Just like any other meeting technology, be it Zoom, PowerPoint, Miro, or VR, the tool should add value and improve how we engage, interact, and communicate. For the majority of the types of meetings I have, VR just doesn’t add value in its current form.
This I think is the key. Simply picking up a Zoom meeting and holding it in VR, isn’t the killer app. Instead VR’s power will come from using it for complex work, think 3D modelling, architecture & design, product design & demos, training simulators.
Exclusive Not Inclusive
Until VR is ubiquitous, it creates exclusiveness and a haves vs have nots dynamic. The MeetinVR app does support mixed attendance – people can join meetings with or without a VR headset. But when I’ve tried this, those without VR headsets have a subpar experience and find participating in the meeting difficult. We had one non-VR participant comment:
“Sorry, I can see how this might be interesting, but this isn’t really working for me. I can’t really join in.”
Because they couldn’t participate in the interactivity, two non-VR folks ended up sat on a bench, looking like they’d been put on the naughty step. So, if you believe in ensuring that meetings are inclusive, I’ve discussed inclusive meeting best practices before, VR meetings should be all or nothing. Either everyone is in VR with VR headsets or no one is.
Loss of Human Connection
Much of the promise of VR is that it will enable us to have better human interaction when we’re unable to be physically together. And in our current environment, working from home due to COVID, figuring out how to stay connected to our colleagues on a human level is essential.
But, I’ve come away from VR meetings feeling less connected to people, unbelievably, longing for Zoom. With MeetinVR specifically, the avatars are generic with little flexibility in customization. I couldn’t find anything that even remotely looked like me, many of my colleagues couldn’t either. The result is that I’ve lost all real connection with my co-workers. I’m not in a meeting with them, I’m meeting with a generic cartoon person.
I have tried other VR meeting apps such as Spatial which do this better. You provide a selfie and they create a 3D realistic avatar which is more interactive and expressive. Any developers who want their VR meeting app to be successful, must be on this path. Without realistic avatars, it feels like we’re isolating ourselves even further from each other, even as we’re desperate to maintain human connection in this COVID lockdown world.
Gimmick or Great?
Don’t get me wrong, I like VR. I’m excited about its promise and what we’ll be able to do with it in the future as it evolves. There are already some great applications that we take advantage of at home. Although we can’t travel anywhere, the Wander app has been a fantastic way to learn about and explore new places. My son has even used it to help with his geography homework.
VR meetings, however, still feel like somewhat of a gimmick. Yes, they’re full of potential. But, it’s early in their development and there’s a vast digital divide to cross before they become commonplace. For today, I’ll take Zoom. Here I can still enjoy seeing my colleagues faces, see their expressions, raised eyebrows, smiles and laughter.
For now, I’ll continue to enjoy using VR to play mediocre Beat Saber.