The benefits include enhanced engagement and better knowledge retention, but how do you get started? Philip Moore has your step-by-step guide to introducing XR learning to your organisation
Learning technology as we know it is evolving. Today, extended reality (XR) is offering immersive learning experiences that allow employees to upskill in a uniquely personalised and engaging way. While XR, an all-encompassing term for virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), was once only associated with gaming, organisations are now beginning to recognise its benefits for employees. XR use cases can range from high-risk job training, like oil drilling or medical surgery, to real-life interpersonal simulations, like customer service training or leadership development.
A CEO can practise delivering financial results with simulated questions, a salesperson can practise negotiation skills, or a customer service manager can practise conflict resolution
XR has the potential to supercharge learning experiences; it can be adaptive to the learner’s needs, and can create a high level of mental engagement that leads to better retention. This proven learning effectiveness, coupled with the fact that immersive learning experiences are more accessible now than ever before, are why XR and immersive learning are now being embraced by more than just early adopters.
The next step for learning effectiveness
Technological advancements and the global pace of change now require skillsets to constantly be refreshed to keep employees agile, and close the workforce readiness gap. To try to keep pace with this change at scale, learning functions have leaned on self-directed e-learning, virtual webinars and on-demand videos over traditional formats like classroom and on-the-job learning.
But has the focus on keeping pace come at the expense of engaging, effective, quality content? Research has found that just 42% of employees say their workforce receives an adequate standard of training – a sharp drop compared to the 80% of employers who think the same. There’s a clear disparity between leaders and workforces here, and rectifying this requires leaders to listen to their employees’ needs and feedback.
XR helps bridge this gap by enabling skill development through practical application that’s not dependent on the availability of other people, locations or equipment. Moreover, when XR is combined with the latest advancements in generative AI, learners can practise a nearly unlimited number of scenarios in both physically and psychologically safe environments.
For instance, a CEO can practise delivering financial results to the board with a multitude of simulated questions. Or a salesperson can practise negotiation skills for a critical deal. Or a customer service manager can practise conflict resolution with a difficult customer.
These are all skills otherwise difficult to learn and apply with today’s more conventional learning methods, especially in a way that is repeatable, adaptable to learners’ behaviours, and that can offer clear feedback.
But while these factors demonstrate the benefits of immersive learning, what technology advancements are helping to bring it into the mainstream?
Democratising access to XR
The benefits of XR-powered immersive learning are evident, but democratising access to both hardware and software has been a challenge in the past. However, the tide is turning, and as a result so are adoption rates.
Hardware costs are decreasing, and businesses are re-evaluating where to spend their learning budgets. In fact, when comparing the costs of some in-person training events – including space, travel, lodging, catering and facilitation – with the repeatability and portability of XR headsets, the latter is often more cost-effective. Furthermore, many XR experiences can be used on a desktop as well, enabling an accessible learning environment that is still deeply engaging.
Software is playing an equally important role here – and, naturally, it’s thanks to generative AI. Historically, designing the XR experience itself was usually time consuming. With no-code XR authoring tools powered by generative AI, what used to take highly trained developers months can now be done by the average person in hours. Using this technology streamlines the process of structuring the learning experience, from defining goals to authoring branching scenarios.
But perhaps most importantly, integrating generative AI has enabled open-ended adaptive scenarios, where there are no specifically defined learning paths. Here, learners can engage in real-life scenarios with generative AI avatars that can provide a range of responses and emotional reactions that better prepare users for real-life application, develop their emotional intelligence, and further boost engagement.
So, with this in mind, the question now becomes: how do businesses actually get started?
A step-by-step guide to introducing XR learning
Before a business deploys XR, it needs to clarify the target business outcomes and use cases. This is the foundation of a meaningful and measurable learning experience. Implementing technology for technology’s sake rarely leads to business outcomes. Leaders should identify where XR can have the biggest impact on the business and start there. For example, areas with the highest risk or impact on revenue often require the hands-on practise that immersive learning provides. Similarly, leaders can review business critical skills which are hard to develop with more conventional learning methods.
Next, businesses need to decide how they want to use XR in different applications and workflows based on their use cases. Do they want to create their own learning content, or do they want to buy off-the-shelf immersive content modules? Do they want a structured learning path, or more open-ended adaptive scenarios? This will help focus their XR needs and learning design efforts.
Once the most impactful use cases and solutions are identified, start small. Testing XR with one team or function can generate insights into how to manage the modality and can also provide learning effectiveness data. Organisations should perform an A/B test for key learning objectives with and without XR, and measure key aspects like learner engagement, retention and applied behaviours.
By doing so, they can help identify improvements and new use cases, and answer questions on ROI. This data ultimately paves the way for additional investment and broader adoption. Ultimately, immersive learning shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for all other types of learning, but a highly effective modality that should be incorporated into a broader learning strategy.
It’s no surprise that more companies are thinking about XR and immersive learning. AI’s evolving capabilities, and increasingly affordable hardware, are opening up opportunities for more effective skill development at scale. But XR doesn’t just create these short-term benefits; in the long run, it can ultimately help to engage and develop a more agile workforce that is better prepared to withstand change.
Philip Moore is Director, Strategic Initiatives at Cornerstone
