Virtual reality can enhance project management of virtual teams in three key ways: 1) VR environments allow geographically dispersed team members to collaborate in virtual meeting spaces, reducing isolation. This recreates the benefits of informal interactions around physical water coolers. 2) VR helps address a lack of non-verbal cues and empathy in virtual teams by enabling richer communication than text-based formats like email. Team members can better understand each other through virtual face-to-face meetings. 3) VR supports agile scrum methodologies for virtual teams. The agile manifesto emphasizes that the most effective way to convey information within a team is through face-to-face conversation. VR makes this possible for remote teams.

1. Virtual Reality for Project
Management
By Lily Snyder, COO Doghead Simulations

2. Immersive Technologies
Augmented Reality (AR) Virtual Reality (VR) 360 Video
Display Devices Headsets/Holodisplays Headsets Smart Phone/360 Video
Players
Image Source Combination of computer
graphics and real life objects
Graphics produced by a
computer
A video taken with a 360
degree camera
Environment Virtual and real life blended
together
Fully Digital Video
Perspective Virtual objects behave based
on user’s perspective in the
real world.
Objects change their
position and size based on
the user’s perspective in the
digital world.
Perspective is where the
camera was placed when
shooting the video.
Presence Feeling of being in the real
world but with virtual
objects displayed in it.
Feeling of being transported
somewhere else with no
sense of the real world.
Feeling of being transported
to where the video was
taken.
Awareness Virtual objects are
distinguished based on their
nature and behavior.
Perfectly rendered objects
can’t be distinguished from
the environment.
Focus on surroundings
rather than a single object.

3. Examples
AR: https://youtu.be/ihKUoZxNClA?t=38s
VR: https://youtu.be/b5B11hVt7gE?t=9m26s
360 video: https://youtu.be/yqwbQRgqEbU

4. More Than Just Games
Enterprise Applications
• Manufacturing
• Architecture
• Education & Training
• Social Networking

5. AR/VR and 360 will converge over time
Converge
AR
VR
360 Video
Mixed
Reality

6. Considerations
VR is not an all in one solution. Currently, VR is best to solve specific user
cases.
The hardware is still evolving.
VR isn’t here to replace human interaction. It’s here to enhance it.

7. Today’s Organization Landscape
• Remote work has increased exponentially over the past 10 years.
• Globalized Workforce
• Companies spend $1 Trillion annually on travelling their teams

8. Why the Shift to Telecommuting?
If those with compatible jobs and a desire to work from home did so just half the
time the national savings would total over $700 Billion a year including:
• A typical business would save $11,000 per person per year.
• The telecommuters would save between $2,000 and $7,000 a year.
• The greenhouse gas reduction would be the equivalent of taking the entire New
York State workforce permanently off the road.
• Companies aren’t bound by geography for talent.

9. VR and Project Management
Where do these two collide?

10. With VR we are limitless

11. The Problem: How do you manage virtual
teams?
• Move from the solo, “hero” leader to “shared leadership”.
• Team members need to be self-reliant.
• “Highly effective virtual team leaders act in a mentoring role and exhibit a
high degree of understanding (empathy) toward other team members.”

12. The Problem: Lack of Empathy in Virtual Teams
• Email distorts messages
• Cultural barriers
• Individual perceptions
“When virtual team members have never met face-to-face, e-mail can seem
remote, so project managers initially should rely on richer media.”

13. Solution: Virtual Reality Environments

14. Virtual Reality to the Rescue
• Traditional virtual teams face a “lack of proximity”. They can gain that back my being
in VR and once again bump ideas off each other around the virtual water cooler.
• Having a virtual office will stifle “employee isolation” because you can post company
news, company bulletin boards, etc. as if in a real office.

15. The Problem: What is my project trying to solve?

16. Problem: Agile Scrum in Virtual Teams
The Agile Manifesto declares, “The most efficient and effective method of
conveying information to and within a [project] team is face-to-face
conversation.”

17. The Solution

18. How can you use VR for Project Management?
Sign up for Doghead Simulations Early Access Program to find out!
Click here: http://bit.ly/DHEarlyAccess

19. Follow us:
Thank You!
www.dogheadsimulations.com
@dogheadsims /DogheadSimulationsOfficial