How to save time and money by holding a virtual
3D meeting instead of traveling to F2F seminars
for MGMA members.
Who are MGMA
members
Practice Administrations
in medical groups
supporting doctors
Time and money
Hotel expenses
Completing expense forms
There is an alternative
to F2F seminars.
Go Virtual
Virtual
Reality
You can save time and
money.
GO Green and help the environment.
Virtual Worlds
Virtual Reality
What is it?
What are virtual worlds?
A synchronous, persistent network of
people represented by animated
avatars, facilitated by computers.Mark W. Bell Indiana University
Create a new you as an avatar.
Virtual Worlds are
Friendlier
But virtual worlds
bring in-person
interaction to the
electronic medium.
Have remote workers
work together in the
same virtual space
and recreate the local
feel, as sight and
sound stream in just
as if you worked
together in adjacent
cubicles.”Dave Elchoness,
3Dxplorer.com
Should we chose one of
these virtual worlds?
Second Life is the fastest growing online community on the web. According
to research by the Gartner Group, 80 percent of active Internet users will
be participating in nongaming virtual worlds, such as Second Life, by the
end of 2011.Anders Gronstedt, The Gronstedt Group
Complicated
Expensive
Time consuming
Offers many options
Engaging and provocative
MGMA ultimate goal is to get here
Need to keep looking for another
alternative………………
Second Life is
We could hold virtual meetings
in Virtual Beginnings.
Another option
Better?
Still expensive
Less complicated
The second stop in the virtual world
journey. Still looking…………
Virtual Beginnings
The new way to hold meetings!
goweb3d
This is the best choice for MGMA members?
The best alternative
Easy navigation
Unique URLs
Screen sharing
No downloads
Update to Java
Simplified avatars
Customizable sites
Limited access
The first stop in the virtual world journey for MGMA
First, test the application
MGMA’s, first meeting with annual
conference 2010 members
Proposed home page for Virtual Annual
Conference 2009
Proposed site for Annual Conference 2009
meeting
Getting Started in Virtual Worlds
1. Clearly define your purpose in using virtual worlds and set clear
and achievable goals.
2. Evaluate technologies and choose the one that best fits the
purpose. Not all virtual worlds are the same. There are definitely
right and wrong choices.
3. Hire designers, developers, and builders that understand virtual
worlds. Virtual world development is different than web
development.
4. Start small with a focus group. Incorporate feedback as you
expand the project.
5. Train your employees to ensure that they know how to use the
technology. You will lose people who are frustrated with the
experience.
6. Do not overuse the technology.
7. Personality should come through to make the medium work.
For example, allow employees to customize their avatars or
workplaces, as appropriate.
8. Monitor the environment, reward successes, and correct
deficiencies.
9. Encourage engagement and community building. Permit social
interaction and business interaction, as you would in a real life
local workplace. Water cooler talk across 10,000 miles is an
important part of using virtual worlds in business.
Give Virtual Worlds a try and take
a shot at a friendlier, greener, and
cheaper way of working.