With COVID, the way we work has changed considerably. Fewer people are operating in-office and more and more are wanting flexibility when it comes to the way they experience their work day. But working remotely poses challenges in terms of communication, teamwork, and collaboration. If only there were a way to work remotely with the same benefits as working in-office.
Facebook’s Horizon Workrooms provides exactly that – a remote VR office right from your home for the times when you just need to be in the same room.
What is Workrooms?
Facebook has launched Horizon Workrooms to give remote workers the flexibility they desire without missing out on all the key ingredients that make up a good workspace. With the help of the Oculus Quest 2, colleagues will be able to meet up and discuss in a virtual room.
In this room, you can join as an Avatar, sit around a table and discuss face to face – you can even make use of a large whiteboard for all your ideas.
Here are all the useful features that Workrooms offers:
Bring your tools along with you
Just because it’s VR doesn’t mean you have to leave everything behind. You can actually bring your physical desk, computer and compatible keyboard. With the Oculus Remote Desktop companion app for Mac and Windows, you can switch between the virtual room and your computer screen. Workrooms is not a set reality, it’s a mixed reality.
Feel more connected
With the Oculus Avatars, your conversations and interactions will feel more real and more genuine. On top of that, the customisation is more personal and the quality of the conversations are crisper than ever – making it really feel like you’re at a table with your colleagues.
A virtual whiteboard
A workspace is not complete without a HUGE whiteboard to sketch all your ideas. Workrooms provides your team with an infinite one to help you take notes, share ideas and brainstorm. For the first time, you can use your controller as a pen, either from the desk or by the whiteboard. Pin images, mark them up and save your whiteboards for later use.
A room for every task
Whether the focus is collaboration, conversation, or presentation, Workrooms lets you choose the best layout for you.
Join in VR or video call
Not everyone has their hands on a VR headset, so Workrooms lets you join by video call too.
Use your hands
While there is a controller, Workrooms was designed to be used with your hands. It makes interactions and use of tools far more natural and increases the social aspect of your meetings.
Every Workroom comes with a place on the web to:
- capture notes
- share links
- share files
- sync your Outlook or Google Calendar to schedule meetings and send invites
How to use Workrooms
Sign up to create a new Workrooms team at workrooms.com. If some of your colleagues already have accounts, simply invite them to your team via email.
Once you’ve created an account, you can download and install Horizon Workrooms from the Oculus Store on your Quest 2, then follow the instructions in the app to pair your headset to your account and get started.
And then you’re ready to start collaborating as a team!
