Presence is something that human beings are used to having and feeling at all times. In the traditional office environment, you can physically see the other people in the building and instantly know who’s available to talk. Things like body language and context tell us whether a person is available to speak, or busy on another task.
Throughout the years, other aspects of “presence” have begun to emerge, providing more information for the busy employee. In the 90s, the heart of presence was the busy lamp field on a deskphone, lighting up to show that someone was engaged in a conversation or call.
In the early 2000s, presence evolved with a soft client version of the “busy” lamp, with a picture of a phone on a PC. As tools like messaging crept in for real-time communication, we discovered the benefits of a messenger icon in different colours or designs. These miniature graphics showed when colleagues and friends were available online and ready to speak.
Combining Presence and Status
From 2010 onwards, presence also began to transform into something new: status. We didn’t just want to know whether people were around anymore. We needed to know whether they were available and ready to talk. Status tools began to synchronize with calendars and automatically set presence based on what people were doing that day.
While presence simply shows whether someone is available or not, status gives more of an insight, showing things like “busy”, or “away”. For years, we’ve turned to the information offered by presence and status to bring context to a situation. However, in 2020, “presence” took on an entirely new meaning.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and we were suddenly thrown into lockdown, unable to interact with not just colleagues, but family members and friends too. Interactions with people were restricted to an absolute meaning, and the social human being began to suffer. We discovered just how much people crave interactions with others.
Unfortunately, the pandemic meant many of us are unable to get back into the office in a meaningful way. We can’t enjoy the standard interactions that we’re used to – instead, we’re forced to seek out new ways of being together while staying apart.
Creating Presence in the Digital World
So, how do we create human connections in a digital world? What does it mean to establish presence in an environment where people can’t physically touch, see each other, or interact? Mark Zuckerberg, the globally recognised founder of Facebook, recently spoke out about the need to create a more comprehensive “presence” in the digital landscape.
Facebook’s answer to this problem comes in the form of virtual reality. As part of the seventh annual AR/VR conference, Facebook introduced a next-generation VR device in the form of Oculus Quest 2. This product aims to show the world what’s truly possible with virtual reality and mixed reality environments. According to FRL (Facebook Reality Labs) Chief Scientist, Michael Abrash, he’s convinced that virtual and augmented reality will be a key tool in the way we work.
Many experts agree that the emerging technology of VR and AR will have the same impact on the marketplace as the smartphone – changing the way we interact for good. There are even opportunities emerging in the world of holographic presentations. Companies are experimenting with light and projections to create another kind of presence.
The Future of Work
Although things like collaboration tools and video conferencing systems are emerging to help people stay connected in the digital world, they’re not enough on their own. Flat computer screens and tablets can only do so much. Companies like Spatial are creating meeting rooms with virtual reality already. These tools allow for more immersive collaboration experiences in unique digital settings.
As the possibilities of “extended reality” (XR) continue to emerge, this could be the future of communication and collaboration for all of us. Imagine a world where you can feel as though you’re sitting in the same room as your colleagues, even when you’re miles away. Consider what it would feel like to have the image of a person projected in front of you, so you can interact with them wherever they are.
Could mixed reality be the new reality – at least for the world of work?
