In a post-Zoom world, the question, “Are the right people in the room?” continues, if only metaphorically. However, the presence of all relevant cross-functional team members remotely cannot eliminate silo risk as effectively as all physically present. However, there is a solution beyond the old debate about returning to the office. The means of virtual reality (VR) AND augmented reality (AR) have the potential to create fully immersive environments that give business leaders the best of both worlds.

In my experience helping middle and senior managers in the technology industry become better leaders of their teams, I have found that applying the agile methodology is the best way to connect teams, but has proven challenging in remote environments. Agile is a project management methodology that emerged from the software development industry in the early 2000s as a tool doing work gradually and cooperatively to allow for frequent course corrections. His lessons are particularly applicable to industries where he has the need for adaptability and responsiveness to change, such as e-commerce and marketing.

However, remote team members with different expertise tend to communicate blindly without fully understanding each other's capabilities. This is where the metaverse comes into play. These issues could be resolved in a digital universe where employee avatars collaborate in a simulated office and interact directly with products and services in this virtual space. By adopting key best practices developed for agile methodology now, such as more frequent feedback and cross-functional collaboration, business leaders are setting the stage to take advantage of this evolution.

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Unlock efficiency and collaboration

The metaverse is not science fiction stuff. The lawyers of the next internet we say it's poised to change our work lives in the same way that social media and mobile devices did in the first iteration of the Internet. with 61% of managers citing communication as the biggest challenge of remote work, metaverse promises to reintroduce some of the elements of in-person collaboration.

In a video environment, it takes extra effort to engage directly and transparently about each person's expectations and capabilities. However, the metaverse can enhance everyone's ability to continuously move toward a common goal. Last year, the Ministry of the Interior in Lower Saxony, Germany, piloted workshops in a virtual environment designed and built by PwC. In the resulting study, participants wearing VR headsets found the metaverse process much more agile and efficient than videoconferencing, and their sense of closeness with colleagues increased by 58%.

Custom virtual offices can play a unique role in fulfilling the agile ideal, where every person on the team, including the product manager, has an equal say. But you don't have to wait for this technology to go mainstream to experience the benefits of versatility. The key is to give teams clear visibility into the project roadmap and identify where and why teams are not escalating issues immediately.

Drive value from being fully present

Daily stand-up is the most important aspect of popular agility scrum frame. Teams get 15 minutes of daily face time, and it should be quick and easy: Here's what a person did yesterday, here's what they're doing today, and these are their “blockers.” The team works as equals, while the single point of contact – the scrum master – can help make priority decisions.

But when teams lose face-to-face time in digital collaboration spaces, they lose attitude. Previously, if someone declared a blocker, the entire team would be present to discuss a way around it. This system is designed to allow agile teams to solve problems on the spot. The challenge for remote teams is to maintain the same agile speed in an environment where people they are often not as engaged.

When the metaverse comes, “standing up” will become possible again through avatars and a virtual scrum board. Until then, managers must encourage open communication and ensure that the right individuals are empowered to make decisions. I also suggest demonstrating to people, not just telling them, that mistakes are learning opportunities in a guilt-free culture.

Cut silos virtually

If one the virtual workspace is well-designed with optimized visibility, teams may find themselves naturally drawn to breaking down silos through open and transparent communication. This means assessing whether the team can actually keep track of issues as the market changes, as well as looking at the team's execution style.

Start experimenting with this approach by making sure people aren't left to handle problems alone. This is when they tend not to escalate and everything slows down. If you're not already using daily stand-ups, use these sprint sessions to let the whole team know about tasks, problems, and how problems might be blocking individuals from completing tasks.

People should feel confident in owning their decisions because businesses no longer have the luxury of time. As we move into our brave new future, having all components of a virtual workplace reflect change in real time will bring everyone up to speed and leverage the value of simulated face-to-face interactions .

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Paving the way for confident decision making

In an enterprise metaverse environment, the question of whether everyone is in the room can once again be asked literally – enhanced by spatial audio technology that means the person to your right actually sounds like they're to your right . Comfort with conflict and confident decision-making can be easier with everyone present. Leaders considering experimenting with metaverse platforms, McKinsey suggests adopting a test-and-learn mentality. Start small by integrating selected elements such as virtual whiteboards or project rooms, into your existing workflows to see not only how your team reacts, but also to gauge the potential of this technology. Where digital collaboration tools present challenges, an enterprise metaverse promises to help companies build engaged remote teams that are quick on their feet and able to rapidly work toward a profitable MVP.