Have you ever wondered what a virtual immersive environment or virtual world could do for your organization?
You are not alone, lots of people have wondered about that
very issue and then, unfortunately, not taken the next step.
However, organizations that want a competitive advantage are
leveraging virtual worlds in a number of ways. They are discovering that virtual
worlds can be used by organizations for marketing, conducting meetings,
prototyping products, and conducting training programs. For relatively little
money, a small or mid-sized company or non-profit organization can purchase
space in a 3D world and hold meetings or conferences internally or with
clients.
If you use a virtual world to hold client meetings, your
clients may view the experience as “cutting-edge.” Additionally, the sense of
space and depth of distance means that your clients will have much richer
experiences than simply using a 2D conferencing tool. You can walk them around
elaborate renderings of your product or give them a tour of your factory. For
consulting practices you can show how you would conduct an engagement.
Additionally, a virtual world can allow a small or mid-sized
company to create elaborate simulations or 3D models of products or concepts.
The process for building in these virtual worlds is a lot less cumbersome and
less expensive than CAD or CAM software and you don’t need to be an expert in
the software to begin building fairly realistic items in-world or to purchase
items that can be used to demonstrate a finished product or an example of a
concept you are developing.
From the marketing perspective, a 3D world can open up your
product to new markets by introducing your “real world product” through virtual
promotions in world. You can conduct your own exposition within a virtual world
for one hundredth of the cost of conducting the event in physical spaces.
The training possibilities are endless. From conducting role
plays for sales representatives to recreating a piece of machinery to having
workers practice the safe operation of a machine.
Virtual immersive environments seem like they are just a
“wow” technology. But forward thinking companies are leveraging these
technologies to provide a real competitive advantage. And what I’ve found in my
consulting is that once the 3D technology is used for one application, it tends
to grow into other areas of the organization and more and more people begin to
understand its value and effectiveness.
To view resources related to 3D virtual worlds for learning,
check out Resources
for Enterprise Learning and Collaboration in 3D Virtual Worlds
Also check out
the book Karl co-authored with Tony O’Driscoll Learning in 3D. 
