For some time, collaboration has existed within a couple of distinct realms.
On the one hand, you have in-person interactions. These experiences involve bringing human beings together in a shared space to collaborate through physical objects. We often think of this as the traditional form of teamwork, where everyone can communicate effectively because there are no physical gaps between us.
When the pandemic of 2020 arrived, the “traditional” collaboration environment was no longer available. Instead, we had to shift to a new digital space, capable of allowing 2D-interactions through screens. Though chat, audio conferencing, and video communication facilitated ongoing communication, the extra element of presence was suddenly missing.
So, what would happen if we brought a third dimension into this world?
The New Meeting Dimension
On the one hand, our 2D digital world of collaboration is much more convenient. We can still work together on whiteboards, share documents, and even annotate files in real-time. We can see each other through video, and talk just like we would in the office, without the need for travel. Digital collaboration even reduces overheads and makes it easier to bring people together all over the world.
But there’s still something missing. No matter how advanced this 2D virtual world becomes, it lacks the depth we get from in-person interactions. That’s why extended reality innovators like Spatial and MeetinVR are taking steps to bring presence back into virtual collaboration.
Through extended reality, we’re still leveraging the same hybrid and remote working strategies that many companies rely on today. However, there’s another level there too. These innovators are creating meeting spaces that genuinely bring people together. You don’t even need to wear a VR headset to get involved in some cases.
This week, I visited one of the MeetinVR meeting rooms, which transported me into outer space. The experience was smooth and glitch-free, just like walking into any room of a traditional office. These environments truly offer another level for collaboration.
The World of Work Continues to Evolve
If the innovations of companies like Spatial and MeetinVR are anything to go by, it seems as though we’re not done tweaking the virtual collaboration environment yet. Video and collaboration tools certainly make life a little easier for people working in a newly remote and hybrid work. However, they’re missing a crucial dimension that human beings still rely on.
Videoconferencing and online messaging are great, but it can’t fully replicate the depth and meaning of face-to-face interactions. Extended reality could be the key to bringing that heart back into the meeting environment, without compromising on all the benefits of going digital.
I believe that the hybrid world of work is going to continue evolving at a rapid rate over the next few years, taking us far beyond the 2D experiences we have now. Virtual backgrounds will quickly become a thing of the past, and virtual meeting locations will become the next big thing. Even Cisco’s CEO has announced that he’s looking for ways to unlock the future of 3D meetings.
We’re already seeing the potential of 3D experiences in things like the retail world, where people can explore virtual representations of new kitchens and living room designs with a headset. There are even virtual travel agents out there, that help people to travel from the comfort of their own home.
It only makes sense that enterprise environments will start moving in the same direction.
A New Environment for Teamwork
Personally, I’m quite excited about the concept of a new future for collaboration. I believe that the innovation we’re investing in right now will continue to connect us with our remote colleagues and in-office teams like never before. The extended reality environment gives us unlimited opportunities to experiment with the worlds that we connect in.
Going forward, teams will have the freedom to build meeting experiences in any environment they choose, with access to all the content and features they need to remain productive. These landscapes will enable productivity and connectivity at a different level.
In our personal lives, the extended reality environment will also give us new opportunities, allowing us to explore new worlds and reach our loved ones. Soon, you won’t need a seven-month trip to check out what the Perseverance Rover is doing on Mars, you can just log into a virtual world and check the surface of the planet in real-time.
My VR interview with MeetinVR is coming up in March, so watch this “space.”
