Driving Better Outcomes in Manufacturing with Immersive Design

Building new experiences with existing data can help us prepare for a future in the metaverse

After designing both the vehicle and the interior for the Virgin Galactic spacecraft, UK-based design and engineering firm Seymourpowell had originally planned to debut the consumer experience at a posh in-person reception. The pandemic lockdown, however, made that impossible. In response, the team created a bespoke immersive VR experience that media and prospective customers could participate in remotely. Originally intended as a stopgap move, the experience proved unexpectedly popular, garnering hundreds of thousands of views online and billions of impressions on social media. So their team started to look at how they could use model data from other products to create immersive experiences, according to Andy Pye, head of business development. He shares VR-based experiences that they have since created for Axis Spine, a medical device manufacturer, as well as for TopGear, the automotive magazine and media destination. By letting people have an individual experience with a virtual product and even participate in the design process, they were able to create a new level of customer interest. He encourages all design professionals to think about how they can use existing model data in new ways to engage customers—and to prepare for whatever virtual future awaits us in the metaverse.

About the speaker

Andy Pye is an assistant director and head of business development for the design and innovation consultancy company Seymourpowell. Pye’s work takes him across the globe, helping companies from diverse fields create products that are better for people, businesses, and the planet.             

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