HoloMeeting 2018 - A Review

As 2018 creeps into 2019 we reflect upon a packed and plentiful 2018 and look at the successes and progress of HoloMeeting throughout the calendar year.

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2018 was a year of transition but it was also one of great successes and we reflect upon them and look forward to the year ahead.

Building the app

It doesn’t always seem it but our HoloMeeting application has not always been the app it was today.

In fact, a year ago it was the very early stages of the application. We had put together the ideas and the essense of HoloMeeting and had some clear and some not so clear views of what we were building and working towards.

Some of the main features that we see today were embedded in the application even back then. Features such as Spatial Sound, the holographic avatar and the gaze pointer were all present in some way, shape or form.

Some of our initial thoughts for the app and directions have inevitably grown from the earlier iterations of the app. For instance, the original box which framed HoloMeeting has evolved somewhat and we now have the option to switch between ‘box mode’ and ‘infinite mode’ depending on your priorities and requirements.

The core focus of ‘collaboration and communication’ has been the thread which ties the earlier iterations of the app together with today as this is more than the ‘bricks and mortar’ aspect of the app’s features but rather the integral mission upon which HoloMeeting is built which defines what we did then as well as what we are doing today.

Onboarding clients and building features

One of the important facets to consider when reviewing the first full year of HoloMeeting is that our structure is very much client-focused. This stems from Kazendi’s previous successful history of creating Mixed Reality prototypes within just two weeks. We still work with an agile mindset and collaborate closely with our clients to build an ‘off the shelf’ application with unique benefits.

We achieve this through several means including regular client communication, tailored training sessions and  dedicated account managers for all of our clients. However it is also important to remember the importance that development credits have had both on the HoloMeeting application itself as well as the usage impact for those who have elected to use the application.

Whenever we work with clients we ensure that they give an initial six-month commitment (The early access programme) to using the app, in whatever departments(s) and however many users are necessary. The client undergoes onboarding training and the dedicated account manager works closely with the client to establish clear use cases and a defined roadmap for using and testing out the app with a view to (hopefully) a larger-scale roll out after the programme is complete.

During this six-month period and based upon constant communication and feedback clients are able to use development credits as they see fit to create new features, improve or update existing ones or

For example - one of our consulting clients used their development credits to implement a recording feature within the existing live feed feature while an architectural firm used their credits to increase the polygon count files. Different clients use their credits in different ways but to the benefit of all.

This continuous improvement track, alongside our existing roadmap, has allowed us to build the HoloMeeting application into what it has become today.

Moving forward into 2019

Creating a new meeting and collaboration application in a completely new medium and in an established marketplace was no mean feat and we have obviously met pitfalls and challenges as we have moved forward. The journey has been a difficult one at times but a generally positive one.

So then, into 2019 we forge as we take a glimpse of what is ahead of us.

The elephant in the corner is the HoloLens itself, or rather, version 2 which had been slated or at least rumoured for a Q1 2019 release. This may not be the case but we are excited as to the potential and scale of this hardware. If cost can be reduced and power increased then this could be an enterprise gamechanger and therefore a HoloMeeting facilitator.

HoloMeeting itself will continue to grow organically as we define, refine, enhance and improve our offering in Mixed Reality and beyond. We believe in communication and collaboration and in new ways of working, processing, evaluating, designing, consulting, meeting.

Here’s to 2019 and the adventure ahead.