25 Oct 2024 | Mike Boland

AWE Talks: Walmart's Lessons in Scaling VR

AWE USA 2024

See the summarized takeaways below, along with the full session video. Stay tuned for more video highlights each week and check out the full library of AWE USA 2024 sessions on AWE’s YouTube Channel.

Speakers
Brad Scoggin, ArborXR
Mohsen Khurasany, Walmart
Franky Summers, Walmart

Key Takeaways & Analysis
– VR's use in training is well established including strong ROI and performance indicators.
   – That business case includes greater muscle memory for job effectiveness and safety. 
   – But Walmart's favorite signal is positive comments from employees about the experience.
– The company has built an extensive VR training program that utilizes about 13K headsets.
   – It also operates across several functions and brands (e.g., Sam's Club) within Walmart. 
   – Scaling to that level has been a challenge for Walmart but the results are worth the effort. 
– One success factor is evolving from a closed-ecosystem approach to an open ecosystem.
   – The former involves a limited set of VR technologies and home-grown software/content. 
   – The latter involves the freedom to use a wider range of VR hardware and software.
   – When starting, a closed approach makes sense, but open approaches are needed to scale. 
– An open ecosystem approach also requires device management programs like ArborXR. 
   – This helps organize disparate hardware, software, and content, and keeps it all secure. 
– As for advice in executing VR training programs, Walmart says to do it slowly and thoughtfully.
   – Don't jump too quickly at shiny new things... take time to vet the right apps and providers. 
– In the same sense, VR may not always be the answer. It's not a silver bullet for training. 
   – It maps well to some functions (e.g., safety training) but isn't always going to be optimal. 
– Internal champions for VR training should work with individual departments collaboratively.
   – That ensures that VR can be applied fittingly and set up to succeed with the right goals. 
   – That collaboration also ensures stakeholder buy-in, commitment, and sustained use.  

For more color, see the full video below...




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