Coming out of the pandemic, many of us struggle to find the best way to re-engage with each other; the metaverse may provide a new way to connect. Booz Allen Principal Jeff R. and his team set the tone with a metaverse concert.
The metaverse is a persistent, shared virtual space that continues to exist even after you log off. Such a world enhanced by immersive hardware engages the senses more than a flat screen can and shortens the distance between people to increase engagement. Satya Nadella of Microsoft says, “The metaverse is here, and it’s not only transforming how we see the world but how we participate in it – from the factory floor to the meeting room.”
So, what does this technology have to do with Booz Allen and a metaverse concert? Their team of experiential analytics consultants design “what if” scenarios to help clients explore future situations to manage current risk and improve existing plans. Prior to the pandemic, they did this through in-person events, but working remotely for two years caused them to reconsider the way they look at their work. The team took the time to reflect on what makes an experience. In December 2022, Booz Allen live-streamed a small concert from their holiday party in Washington D.C. into a small digital house in the Somnium Space metaverse.
This event was a proof of concept for them, where they merged a physical event with a digital world to explore ideas and create a bridge to enhanced engagements.
Lessons from a Metaverse Concert
Their team shares the most significant lessons they learned from their experiential concert.
Lesson 1: “Phygital” events will matter.
“Phygital” means both physical and digital. Before 2020, we relied on primary physical events. From 2020-2022, we went almost fully digital as we waited out the pandemic. The future will inevitably be a combination of both. Technology will continue to enhance our physical world and expand our toolkit of options to connect with each other.
Lesson 2: Do your own research.
We needed to learn what we could about the existing metaverses (e.g., which ones would be the easiest for us to use for the concert experiment), what hardware and software was needed to make it work, and a little bit of Unity programming. There was no one solution, as the metaverse field evolves continuously. Two academic courses through Everyrealm and MIT xPRO allowed us to connect with other professionals to share the latest ideas about metaverses and mixed reality. For the concert itself, a few of our team members have incredible musical talent and were able to design a live event to share with the team.
Lesson 3: Mixed reality will only get better.
Metaverse technology incorporates more sensory dimensions and sound. Our team attended the Metaverse Summit 2022 sponsored by Economist magazine earlier this year and was surprised at how engaging a remote conference could be. They could hear people talking nearby as they passed them in the convention hall and could change their perspective by moving throughout the space. Naysayers critique the early metaverse as a niche gaming experience with little participation. This may be true for some spaces, but persistent technology has a way of finding utility. Mixed reality will push us into exciting spaces, giving us new tools to find better connection and engagement.
Metaverse Success
The success of Booz Allen’s metaverse concert was that it led to more engagement from their team, both for those who were there in person and for those who were not. While some of this technology may not be accessible until its global utility increases, we should keep dreaming and compiling ideas for when it arrives!
Booz Allen is doing cool work in tech. Learn more about Booz Allen’s Experiential Analytics and explore their open positions.
Join us. The world can’t wait.
