XR in the enterprise: Unlocking value beyond POC

From my experience as an XR consultant in the enterprise market, several AR/VR solutions do not proceed beyond the Proof of concept (POC) stage. Unlike consumers who mainly see the fun & cool XR applications such as on filters, games & now meeting spaces, enterprises would need XR solutions that are fully integrated & unlock business values across the enterprise. Therefore, when building solutions for the enterprise one needs to go beyond the visual layer i.e. beyond what is visible on AR glasses or a VR headset or even a phone. Infact, the visual layer should provide meaningful information by analysing data across the enterprise. This will be the focus of this article.

Most enterprise systems function in silos of production, manufacturing, maintenance etc. Knowing how to navigate and aggregate the necessary data for your XR outcome is important while designing a solution.

For a successful enterprise wide deployment of a VR/ AR solution/platform, one has to consider how the solution interacts with the enterprise architecture so that the solution is not just a ‘POC (Proof of concept)’. I would recommend that even whilst you are considering a solution design as a POC, typically in the discovery phase, do consider mapping & reviewing integration points with the rest of the enterprise architecture so as to realistically evaluate a future scaling approach. This will also help you evaluate the time and effort needed to develop these integrations and navigate through any internal enterprise challenges.

Ecosystem — XR enterprise

Some market leading platforms for field services management that I have closely known such as Sightcall, Techsee, Microsoft field service remote assist are designed to have pre-built integrations such as with Salesforce, serviceMax, dynamics 365 etc. This can be an excellent value for many enterprise customers. In addition, I would recommend that customers plan a blueprint of such future integrations before deciding on the software license purchases for a POC.

Consider the case of Field services management in the context of telcos, utilities & manufacturing sectors. Here are some recommended steps to consider for selecting & planning for a suitable XR solution for a wider integration with the enterprise technology systems.

1. The information & data exchange from and to the headsets would be content such as 3D/CAD models, additional instruction manuals, text based information, images and video files. These would be sourced from CMS either provided by the XR solution provider or the enterprise’s own (most likely third party)
2. Additional & very useful information about the field engineer such as GIS location, health & vital stats data so that immediate actions can be taken for the health & safety of the engineer such as operating in hazardous environments. GIS information can help optimise customer service
3. You would also have to think about plugging in customer data relevant to the field engineer that will give them insights about the task at hand & open up opportunities for upselling
4. Operational & machinery data, including historical information about equipment and machinery operations, test results, certifications etc. Realtime machine information transmitted via sensors can provide deep insights and predict the maintenance required
5. Basic organisation data that allows the engineer to seamlessly connect with other engineers within their organisation

These various data nodes can be grouped into data warehouses and data lakes exposing them via a data access layer. Having a data scientist who can unlock insights from this data step further will unlock new potential within the organisation.

Breaking down the layers into a simplified architectural map we would be able to see that the visual layer powered by an XR application is the tip of the XR enterprise solution.

A visually immersive & well designed solution will have a closed loop system that has the history & exact snapshot utilising real time data, but can also simulate various scenarios and predict behaviour reacting to various parameters eventually leading towards a digital twin foundation. This indeed unlocks several opportunities for a business, through visual simulations based on reliable data, analytics & predictions.

Summarising:

1. Develop a blueprint of enterprise integrations with the XR POC to be implemented over time in the discovery phase before purchasing a solution.
2. Engage with enterprise solution owners within your company to see how data can be aggregated and exposed via the XR solution.
3. Involve a Data Scientist to see how visualising certain data problems over XR could be more impactful and where it would fill any existing gaps as part of a process
4. Engage with an XR enterprise specialist who can demystify the market solutions for you