This brief article is intended to introduce you to some of the new
techniques and lessons learned to date on Managing Virtual Reality
(VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) Projects, such as building a VirtualHospital or a new VR Game. This article is not about managing
a virtual team that is geographically dispersed using tools such as
televideo conferencing or document sharing technology.
Background &
Definitions
Virtual
reality (VR) is a multi-disciplinary field of computing
technology, that emerged from research on three-dimensional
interactive graphics and vehicle simulations in the 1960's and
1970's. Back then, VR helmets were too heavy and cumbersome,
computers were too slow, and touch/feedback systems were still in
their infancy. However, technology has changed dramatically over the
past 40 years. Computers are now thousands of times faster and
today's growing number of virtual reality (VR) and augmented
reality (AR) systems deliver a greater sense of feedback and
immersion to their users.
Definitions
|
VR Project
Management
Virtual
reality (VR) and
augmented reality (AR) are
just starting starting
to take root across
a growing number of industries.
Over
the
next five to ten years, the growth
and use
of VR
and
AR
systems
in
business is
going to be huge. Managing
projects
to
develop
and implement these
types of systems
requires some rethinking and study of lessons learned to date to
modify existing project management approaches.
The
following are selected project
management recommendations for next generation technology project
managers based on a number of articles such as VirtualReality Will Change Business as We Know It
and the Ultimate
Guide for Virtual Reality Project Management.
- Not many organizations and software developers have experience in working on projects with 3D graphics or using VR platforms.
- Project Managers (PM) tasked with overseeing and managing a virtual reality project will need to educate themselves in depth on the technical requirements of the project.
- Project managers will need a graphics expert who is able to use 3D graphics and VR development platforms to build, test, and modify your project app...
- Hiring at least a part-time VR specialist consultant can help make sure you save a lot of time and money before you buy or start building your VR solution.
- Simple VR apps appear to be relatively easy to build initially, however the complexity grows exponentially as more features are added.
- Production of VR content can make up to as much as 80% of work required for making a VR app and it’s most likely going to be your biggest sources of expenditure for the project.
- Customer design changes during the development phase frequently generate costly ripple effects which create delay. Take great care in the planning and design phases of the project.
- Careful scheduling of major tasks and use of critical path methodology (CPM) continue to be key to successful project management.
- Everything that is created in VR will have to be displayed using a graphics processor unit (GPU). Currently, even the best computers today are still limited by the number of 3D objects they can manipulate. We are still in the very early days of VR and AR applications.
- Supporting your planned VR app on all mobile and desktop platforms will require a lot of additional tweaking and rework. Think about using a 3D engine such as Unity 3D or Unreal Engine that will allow your app to be deployed to more than one platform with minimal rework.
- Project Managers (PM) should be educated in the use of VR and AR technologies so they know how to apply these new technologies in their jobs. Using VR/AR technologies will help PMs in the design, development, testing and modification phases of future VR/AR projects.
- Remember, VR or AR solutions are all about people and social interactions rather than the technology itself.
Some other articles of interest include How to Get Started with VR: Intro to Your First Virtual Reality Project, Virtual Reality and your Product Development Process, How to plan a Virtual Reality (VR) Marketing Project, Real Applications of Virtual Reality in Education, 10 Specific Ways Virtual Reality (VR) is Revolutionizing Medicine and Healthcare and other recent articles.
Findings &
Preliminary Recommendations
The following are some key conclusions and recommendations for
project managers as they consider transitioning from managing
traditional projects to more technologically complex VR and AR
systems design, development, and implementation initiatives.
- Development and implementation of VR and AR projects is relatively new. Experience to date has shown that estimated costs, timeframes, and complexities of these projects are often underestimated.
- Project Managers need training in VR and AR technology and tools before tackling this new class of projects. Hiring a graphics expert and a VR specialist for consultation is recommended.
- Make sure you use a 3D engine such as Unity 3D or Unreal Engine that will allow your app to be deployed to more than one platform with minimal rework. There are also a number of open source VR and AR development platforms that are now available.
There is still much to learn as VR and AR development and
implementation projects become more ubiquitous over the coming years.
Please share your recommendations and lessons learned with our
audience.
Selected
Links
No comments:
Post a Comment