Virtual Reality (VR) training can be a vital tool that reduces errors, improves performance, and lowers liability.  In reality, the best technology has limited impact if you do not deploy it. To help you integrate VR into your training initiatives, consider the following suggestions.

Use VR For Corporate Onboarding, Mentoring, or Continuing Education. Instead of sending trainers to conduct new-hire training, you can save money by using Virtual Reality (VR). Since the cost of VR technology has come down SHARPLY in recent years, it has become a viable solution. Some companies are now opting to send pre-loaded VR headsets with training videos to field offices to reduce expenses.

Use VR For Critical Skills Training. Because of the “immersive” nature of VR, it is a good choice to reinforce the most critical aspects of training or skill development. For example, the Oil and Gas Industry is using VR training panels for its commercial divers so they can practice any situation (planned, random, and “what-if” situations) involving the equipment, environment, time, and unknown variables.  For other employees who are tasked with sensitive or critical operations, VR training can be a vital tool that reduces errors or mistakes and lowers liability.

Measure the Effectiveness of Your VR Training Programs. One way to evaluate VR training effectiveness is to administer a skills assessment following a VR session. For example, one of our clients used it to help its employees master the skill of Saturation Diving and used post-training assessments to demonstrate that their skills were enhanced significantly after one training session. Also, the company benefits because the company can also ask its users to provide feedback about what works, how well, and what needs improvement following VR training. This feedback can be integrated into the training protocols when designing your VR content.

Making VR as Interactive as Possible. The more workers feel that they are interacting with a live environment, the more “impactful the experience”. Another suggestion is to add narration or allow users to dictate their path in a non-linear fashion as they explore the virtual environment. Also, consider adding elements such as voiceover or hotspot overlays to make the experience more immersive and memorable.

Use VR as a Learning Lab. Allow workers to use virtual environments to create radical new solutions to problems or upgrades to existing services or products. You can also use VR to ramp up the benefits of scenario-based learning, which is known to improve critical thinking and real-world decision-making. By integrating immersive, 360-degree video into scenario-based training, the experience is more powerful and realistic, which will help people retain what they have learned.

Virtual Reality is poised to be a breakthrough technology for training, thanks to its immersive nature and the freedom it offers to practice in realistic settings without worrying about outcomes. Follow these tips to increase the effectiveness of your VR training program.

Virtual Reality has changed the viewpoint of every possibility in the industry. One of them is VR-enhanced training. The goal is to create realistic workplace experiences and allow employees to take training in a risk free environment.