Augmented reality (AR) is a widely used technology in games, marketing, and everyday apps, but what about learning and development? Where do you get started? Where do you use it? How should you use it? Finding answers to these questions can cause developers to overlook the potential this technology holds and just how easy, effective, and affordable it can be to get started.

Virtual reality will lead to a revolution in business, professional development, education, and entertainment. But VR raises a new set of challenges due to the deeply compelling nature of immersive environments. Unlike media on a screen, VR hijacks your senses, turning the virtual into reality. What are some of the ethical issues VR creates? How do you address the emotional impact of deeply realistic, immersive environments?

A large, US-based quick-service restaurant chain was entering the Indian market, planning to open about 1,500 stores in India. The number of trainers was not sufficient to cover the vast geography, and the organization decided to convert 50 to 70 percent of experiential and on-the-job training to simulated workbenches. The plan was to carve out simulations on point of sale (POS) using a limited number of trainers.

As technology delivers content directly into the hectic world of target audiences, user experience designers are faced with the challenge of presenting information that is disruptive and helpful all at once. With AR and VR, the UX is unique in that the designer builds the context on a screenless platform with nonlinear content. Attendees of this session will see proven methods and innovative examples of smart UX design for AR/VR.

Moving your organization forward with new approaches to learning and development can be challenging—especially when the new approaches involve nontraditional ideas or technologies. Our Overcoming Barriers sessions bring together people who have already walked this path to share what they have learned. Join our panel of experts as they discuss how you can overcome the most common barriers to incorporating virtual reality into your training and development programs.

You don’t have to look very long to find reports and studies that say there is widespread dissatisfaction with the learning function inside organizations around the world. A 2017 study found that 91 percent of learning and development professionals believe new approaches to learning and new technologies are needed. And as the workplace continues its rapid changes, the need to upskill and develop employees has never been greater.

Virtual reality-based training offers a potent opportunity to place workers in a close approximation of the point of work, where learning has the greatest impact. However, since this still is an emerging technology, there is a lack of long-term data and case studies, and there are many misconceptions surrounding cost and best operating practices.