As with any training program, virtual reality (VR) requires occasional updates to ensure content is accurate, the program functions properly, and devices are compatible. Without updates, learners may experience glitches, outdated content, and device incompatibility.
The 3 main types of virtual reality (VR) updates include:
- Content Updates — Content updates focus on the learning material itself, including the wording of questions and answers, as well as the environments learners are placed in.
- Performance and Reliability Updates — These updates focus on technical difficulties, including load times, outages, and server issues.
- Compatibility Updates — Compatibility updates are necessary to ensure that content continues functioning properly and the device is compatible with the training software.
Have you ever experienced a glitch, freeze, or crash while using technology? Perhaps you’ve been scrolling through your device, then suddenly your program closes and the screen goes black.
The same thing can happen with virtual reality (VR) training unless routine updates are made! When organizations implement a new VR training program, it’s critical that their content and technical elements are up to date to ensure the program runs smoothly and learners are happy.
At Roundtable Learning, we partner with organizations to develop custom training solutions with integrated future learning technologies. After a VR program is launched, we provide continued support by helping organizations troubleshoot issues and update their training content as needed.
This article will explore why VR training needs to be updated, define the 3 main types of VR updates, and explain how an extended reality system (XRS) can help organizations update VR content.
Why Does Virtual Reality Training Need To Be Updated?
As with any training program, it’s critical to keep VR training content up to date for compatibility and relevance. While the frequency of VR content updates is highly dependent on the subject matter itself, we recommend the following: As your organization’s processes and best practices change, your VR training content should change with it.
VR training needs to be updated for the following 3 reasons:
- Keeps content relevant — Organizations routinely experience updates to their best practices, policies, and procedures. It’s critical that VR training content reflects this to ensure learners are taught relevant information.
- Keeps learning objectives applicable — VR updates keep learning objectives current and applicable to employees’ roles, allowing them to easily apply what they’ve learned to their job.
- Keeps technical elements up to date — By keeping technical elements up to date, the VR experience is more likely to behave as expected. Technical updates are typically pushed by the manufacturer to keep the functionality and security of VR training content current.
Read More: 5 Examples Of Virtual Reality For Corporate Training
3 Main Types Of Virtual Reality Training Updates
Specifically in VR training programs, updates typically come in the form of content updates, performance and reliability updates, and compatibility updates. Updates typically come in the form of revisions made by internal development teams or content vendors.
Let’s dive deeper into the 3 types of VR training updates.
1. Content Updates
Content updates focus on the learning material itself, including the wording of questions and answers, as well as the environments learners are placed in. Content updates can include any of the following:
- Update procedures to reflect new organizational policies
- Add new or clarifying information to tutorials or activities
- Update the visual environment with new logos, products, or service offerings
Content updates ensure that both written and visual content is up to date. VR content updates typically come in large packages if organizations don’t plan ahead. The time an organization will need to put into making content updates will depend on how frequently they need push updates.
2. Performance and Reliability Updates
Performance and reliability updates tend to be infrequent once development and pilot programs are complete. These updates focus on technical difficulties, including:
- Load times
- Improving frame rates and performance
- Optimizing most-used facets of the lesson
Performance and reliability updates provide a solution when technical issues occur by putting improvements into production. This is typically completed by an IT team and developers who locate the cause of these issues, monitor them, and create solutions to ensure the issues don’t happen again in the future.
3. Compatibility Updates
As hardware vendors continue to update the software on their headsets, compatibility updates may be necessary to ensure that content continues functioning properly. Compatibility issues arise when softwares can’t communicate with each other because there are different versions.
VR compatibility issues may include:
- Unable to run the newer VR software on their device
- Certain features within the VR experience not working properly
Compatibility updates should be pushed to VR devices as soon as possible to ensure compatibility with the latest device updates, as well as content changes and enhancements. Some compatibility updates can be pushed automatically with an extended reality system (XRS), so learners don’t need to remember to complete the update on their own.
How Can You Update Virtual Reality Training Wirelessly At Scale?
Updating VR Training With An Extended Reality System (XRS)
An extended reality system (XRS) is a software subscription that can directly deliver VR content updates to devices by acting as a single app with visibility over each user’s activity.
From a single application, an XRS allows organizations to push updates to content from the moment a device is powered on. Once a revision is produced and the updates have been prepared, the updated content is packaged, moved to a content delivery network (CDN), and confirmed in an extended reality system (XRS), such as Mercury XRS.
By solely using an XRS, an organization can directly install the application and make updates right away, as well as capture essential learning data.
Updating VR Training With A Mobile Device Manager (MDM)
A mobile device manager (MDM) is a software installed on a headset that allows organizations to directly manage the VR device. A MDM is essentially an operating system add-on that pushes auto updates to devices.
After content updates are confirmed in an XRS, they’re typically deployed as one or more individual apps that are pushed from a MDM platform to the individual headsets. A MDM sends content and software updates the same way software or app updates are sent to your phone.
Update Your Virtual Reality Training With Ease!
This article has discussed the importance of making updates to VR training and reviewed the 3 main types of VR updates. When it comes time to update your VR training, we hope you feel better prepared to deliver updates to each device.
Looking to learn more about VR training? Our team of experts are here to help! Get in touch with one of our L&D experts today or check out more information in our resource center.
