Changing the Immersive Model: From DIY to a Scalable SaaS approach

Not so long ago, companies had to either develop their own software or purchase expensive commercial licenses without knowing if the solution would be easy to implement, gain user adoption, or scale with their needs. For transformational initiatives, this was a risky and time-consuming process.

Software as a Service (SaaS) flipped this model on its head and proved companies could save costs, improve scalability, and gain corporate agility by using SaaS applications.

Today, we’re leading that same narrative with virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR).

Immersive Learning as a Service (ILaaS) is an industry-first solution by CGS that helps companies get started with extended reality (XR) for learning and development (L&D).

These are 6 ways that your team can start realizing tangible value with ILaaS.

1. You don’t know where to start

Even innovation leaders are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of next-gen technologies hitting the market.

Of course there’s the scramble to adopt AI, but enterprises are also being pulled in several other directions at the same time: internet of things, cloud, 5G, digital twins, cybersecurity, and so much more.

You have to be strategic about where you invest your time and resources. You’ve seen the value that XR can bring to corporate L&D, but you’re not sure how to get started.

How do you set learning outcomes? What headsets should you choose? How do you sterilize and reuse them? How do you manage the logistics? What about the 3D content? Content updates? User onboarding? What if business needs change? How to manage product upgrades?

It’s a lot to tackle and a daunting task unless it’s your core competency.

That’s why our partners choose ILaaS. XR is our lifeblood and learning is our pedigree. We take care of the hard work so that you don’t have to.

2. You have something in mind but you need help with strategy and implementation

You know what you want. You may even know how you want it. But you don’t have time to figure out how to make it a reality and then make it scale up or down.

With ILaaS, we start by listening to the learning outcomes you want to achieve and then work backwards to figure out what technologies and content will make your objectives happen as seamlessly as possible.

Unlike most SaaS products, ILaaS isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. We don’t just send you the headsets and say “figure it out.”

Instead, we provide ongoing partnership and support to make sure that your XR program goes smoothly. And we have direct partnerships with leaders in the space to provide you with in-depth knowledge and advice along the way.

3. You want to derisk your investment

The cost of starting from scratch is a big question. How can we build a business case for investing in headsets, 3D content, and all of the other expenses if we don’t yet have any data that demonstrate a tangible return on investment (ROI)?

ILaaS derisks the investment by slashing the barrier to entry. It’s much cheaper to pay for a few months of ILaaS than to incur the capital expenditures of building out teams, devices, logistics and proof of concepts in-house.

This means that you can start in a few weeks, immediately track outcomes, get that all-important proof-of-concept data, and understand the ROI for your business in less than 2 months. Even if it’s not the right fit for you, it’s easy to cancel, and you won’t be stuck with gear that you no longer have a use for and team members who will need to be reassigned to other areas.

4. You want to build out a proof of concept

Even if you’re sold on the business case for XR, other stakeholders at your organization may be more hesitant. They need a proof of concept (POC) that shows how this technology can create value for this business at this time before they’re willing to invest.

Organizations can use ILaaS to start small and build out that POC. You get to leverage all our technology, industry expertise, technology and implementation partnerships, and L&D expertise at a fraction of the cost of a standard XR investment.

Begin with one team within one department. Get results, collect data, and make a report. The beauty of ILaaS is that, just like cloud computing and other subscription services, it’s easy to scale up or down based on usage.

There’s no commitment to a company-wide roll-out. At the same time, it’s easy to do so once everyone is on board.

ILaaS simplifies the journey to that point by simplifying and expediting the POC phase.

5. You want predictable costs

We’ve all been there. We think that a project is going to cost a certain amount, then unforeseeable circumstances arise that blow our budget and timeline out of the water.

This was one of the pain points that SaaS effectively solved. Software projects often face delays and complications, and this makes developing a custom product or system risky. With SaaS, all of that risk is transferred to the service provider while the customer enjoys a predictable operating expenditure.

This same dynamic is at play with ILaaS. When you sign up for a contract, you know exactly how much that’s going to cost: no more, no less. Not only is this a huge peace of mind for getting the green light to move forward, but it makes it easy to calculate ROI and make projections about future initiatives.

6. You want enterprise-ready 3D content for Training and operational use cases

One of the biggest hurdles to XR adoption is creating enterprise-ready 3D content.

It takes a significant investment to build custom 3D content and capture real-world objects and environments for AR and VR use. Traditionally, organizations would have to sink time and money into building a content library without even knowing if it would work out.

ILaaS changes the equation because, just like the headsets and other related assets and services, 3D content is fully included in the subscription price. If for any reason XR doesn’t work out for your organization, you’re not stuck with content that you’re not going to use.

That’s just one of many reasons why CGS is one of today’s top 20 experiential learning technology companies. We’re experts at creating training and operational content that your enterprise can continue to leverage for years to come.

Ready to learn more? Watch our intro of ILaaS in the  VRARA Enterprise Forum 2023 Keynote by Doug Stephen, President of Enterprise Learning and XR at CGS or speak with one of our experts.