14 Sep Vestigo: Creating a Virtual Reality Team-Building Experience

Every unprecedented event encourages its fair share of revolution, and COVID-19 is no exception. The ways we shop, entertain, work, and socialize have all transformed in the wake of the global pandemic. If 2021 serves as any indication, the virus’ effects on society will continue to linger for some time, particularly impacting our social interactions with family, friends, and colleagues. While technology has been able to plug most holes created by the pandemic, there lacks a solution that effectively replicates the sense of camaraderie achievable together in person. This need led to our collaboration with Vestigo, a team-building company seeking a method of translating their signature adventures into a virtual reality experience. 

Futurus’ CEO, Annie Eaton, recently spoke with Vestigo’s co-founder and CEO, Marshall Mosher, to explore the inspiration behind the AltspaceVR experience.

Why did you translate Vestigo’s adventures to VR?

Vestigo has always been a front-runner in adventure and, from the start, we recognized our desire to scale these experiences using technology. In the past, the crux of our business has revolved around taking teams on challenging, real-life adventures like white water rafting. We started using VR to scale the impact of these experiences and as a tool to enable teams to share meaningful experiences despite being far apart physically. We provided a mix of in-person and virtual experiences until the pandemic shifted our focus entirely to VR. I believe most companies in the future will work hybrid structures, so we want to be the resource companies utilize as an avenue to get teams together to build bonds and strengthen relationships among teammates.

What challenge does this experience seek to overcome?

For some time now, Vestigo has been seeking a challenging, remote VR experience. Specifically, we wanted a customizable one that didn’t require us to create a new app. Investing in interpersonal relationships, leadership skills, and trust among colleagues is essential for every team, so we needed an adventure capable of providing remote workers with natural opportunities to form connections. Bringing Vestigo to AltspaceVR still requires significant development work, so working with Futurus has been a gamechanger in providing companies with a valuable tool for creating and maintaining cohesive teams.

What are the markers or indicators of success for this experience? How do you assess the adventure’s success?

We capture subjective data via self-reported surveys. After each adventure, we follow up with users to discover how well the experience accomplished their team’s overall goals. Fortunately, the reviews are positive! Many users, having never experienced virtual reality before, are blown away by the technology. We’ve also seen people mention how much they enjoy feeling like they’re in person with someone during a time with so few opportunities to come together physically.

Are there any noteworthy descriptors they use in their feedback?

We’ve gotten great quotes about how the adventure has impacted people. 

“I wanted to create a space where the team could bond and grow during this very difficult pandemic. It was an added opportunity to experience how technology could be useful in a team-building environment.”

“It felt like I was with people. You feel like you can walk around and join conversations, chat with someone on the side, explore with others, and have a shared experience. You could even put your arm out and give a hand-shake. I was completely amazed at how much it felt like I was just hanging out with colleagues versus the reality of standing alone in my apartment.”

“That was one missing piece to in-person meetings that certain virtual meeting platforms cannot recreate. For the first time since the pandemic began, we were all able to be in one place and virtually walk around between conversations.”

If you’re interested in strengthening your team with a mountain adventure in AltspaceVR, Vestigo offers free virtual reality demos that can help you decide. They’ll ship you a headset and walk you through your first time in VR, enabling you to experience firsthand all that it has to offer.

For more insight into the creation of Vestigo’s AltspaceVR adventure, visit its case study.