The US market for wearable technologies is expected to grow by 46% per year through 2020
Wearable technology used to exist only in the realm of James Bond and other fictional futuristic universes. Thanks to developments in modern technology, however, wearable tech is now a reality that businesses must consider, especially where eLearning is concerned.
The term “wearable technology” (also known as “wearable devices” and “wearables”) refers to electronic technologies and gadgets that are incorporated into accessories and items of clothing which can comfortably be worn on the body. Examples include the Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Spectacles by Snap Inc.
Although wearable tech is a trend that is primarily driven by consumers, it’s already being leveraged for a variety of business purposes, including learning and development. A recent Vanson Bourne survey of 300 IT decision-makers in the UK showed that 29% of UK businesses have some form of wearable tech projects in practice.
Of course, modern technology progresses rapidly, and these fast advancements can present a number of adoption challenges. The aforementioned Vanson Bourne survey also reported that 20% of respondents perceived the greatest barrier for wearable technology adoption was having an IT infrastructure that could take advantage of the data being collected and analyzed.
However, there is no shortage of benefits when it comes to incorporating wearable technology into corporate eLearning best practices. Many of these advantages are due to the increased convenience that is inherent to wearables, which leads to:
- Increased employee productivity and collaboration
- Ease of access to important information
- A condensed feedback loop
- Better customer service
- A more immersive and improved user learning experience
The inception of wearable tech in eLearning can be compared to the early days of mobile adoption – if organizations wish to provide a more engaging and effective learning experience, they must embrace modern technology. If not, they’ll risk getting stuck with the disadvantages presented by traditional learning and development practices, and increase the certainty of getting left behind.
Wearable technology is just one eLearning trend that should be on your radar for the next few years. Learn all the trends that will dominate the L&D industry in our eLearning Market Trends and Forecast 2017-2021.