Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024 - 51

Challenge 2:
Measuring ROI
Challenge 4:
Content Creation and Customization
Justifying investment in a new way of
training can be challenging. Nevertheless,
VR's inherent capabilities can help
learning and development (L&D) and
human resources (HR) professionals
champion its implementation.
VR training reduces training time,
often dramatically. When Walmart
first implemented VR into its training
program, the most dramatic reduction
they saw was a 30- to 45-minute training
session becoming only a 3- to 5-minute
VR simulation.
In addition, VR technology can track user
engagement, providing insights into which
parts of the training are effective, making
return on investment (ROI) measurement
more straightforward.
Highlight learning metrics, such as faster
speed to skill, greater knowledge retention
and self-efficacy, and greater engagement,
which improves the bottom line.
Challenge 3:
Initial Costs
Adding VR to your training sessions, like
any other upgrade, has an upfront cost.
You'll have to purchase headsets, get
them set up and secured and develop
simulations or virtual environments for live
training sessions.
The benefit is that the biggest portion of
this cost is front-loaded. The longer you
keep the program going and the more
areas of your company participate, the
less it costs you in the long run.
Bringing all your employees together for
coaching or training sessions is costly.
According to PwC, at only 375 learners,
using VR reached cost parity with inperson
training. Above that number
and you're saving a substantial amount
of money over annual or quarterly inperson
sessions.
When looking at upfront costs of deploying
new technology, consider the economies
of scale: VR helps you deliver and scale
training faster and cheaper.
The extent of content customization
can influence costs significantly.
Some organizations require simple,
off-the-shelf simulations or shared
virtual spaces. Others opt for highly
customized experiences, such as teambuilding
activities or virtual replicas of
company headquarters.
If you're only experimenting with VR
in your training, you would be better
off trying a simple implementation to
start. Begin with a readily available, or
" off-the-shelf, " simulation. You can also
have your team enter an existing teambuilding
activity.
Remember, it's not enough to just have
a VR platform without thinking through
content. Use existing off-the-shelf VR
training solutions and build internal
capacity for upskilling on VR-enhanced
instructional design.
Challenge 5:
Inclusivity Limitations
People with disabilities should have
every opportunity to work and thrive in
a positive environment that celebrates
our differences. VR as we know it
today requires vision and various
levels of mobility. Can VR meet ADA
compliance requirements?
According to the CDC, up to 1 in 4 adults
in the United States have some form of
disability. While implementing VR, we must
understand how it can adjust to disabilities
or provide an alternative for people
whose disability makes VR participation
impossible. To accommodate users with
disabilities, adjustments such as altering
the visual spectrum and providing audio
notifications can help.
Bottom line: Despite how much you may
champion VR, you will need an alternative
to ensure your company remains an
inclusive place of business.
Make sure your VR solution provides
options for accommodating hearing,
vision and other kinds of disability,
both while using the headset and
creating an inclusive non-headset
option for participating.
FINAL THOUGHTS
All indications point to our world
moving toward a mixed reality
experience in which we interact with
digital objects and spaces even while
in our physical space. This is already
visible in advertising, product testing
and commuting.
Corporate training is also moving in
this direction. Companies like Walmart,
Liberty Financial, and Bank of America
are already implementing VR in their
training programs. The benefits of
using virtual reality in L&D are clear
but in order to successfully implement
VR in training, your company must be
aware of the challenges and plan ways
of overcoming these hurdles.
Dr. Yogini Joglekar is the chief operating
officer of Edstutia, serving enterprise and
educational clients with VR instructional
design consulting, learning content
development and delivery. Email Dr. Yogini.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
SHOULD HAVE EVERY
OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK AND THRIVE IN A
POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT
THAT CELEBRATES OUR
DIFFERENCES.
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - WINTER 2024 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE
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https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/technology/walmart-revolutionizes-training-virtual-reality https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/technology/walmart-revolutionizes-training-virtual-reality https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/technology/walmart-revolutionizes-training-virtual-reality https://trainingindustry.com/articles/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/how-inclusive-is-the-metaverse-dei-considerations-in-a-virtual-world/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/how-inclusive-is-the-metaverse-dei-considerations-in-a-virtual-world/ https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html https://edstutia.com/ https://www.trainingindustry.com/magazine

Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024

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