Hat tip to Jay Moonah for the pointer to this Gartner article about virtual worlds.
By the end of 2011, 80 percent of active Internet users (and Fortune 500 enterprises) will have a “second life,” but not necessarily in Second Life, according to Gartner, Inc.
Ah, but what about ROI?
Meaningful corporate use of public virtual worlds/platforms will lag considerably behind individual consumer use as enterprises struggle to develop appropriate and relevant business models.
Gartner's five laws for exploring virtual worlds at the enterprise level.
First Law: Virtual worlds are not games, but neither are they a parallel universe (yet).
Second Law: Behind every avatar is a real person
Third Law: Be relevant and add value.
Fourth Law: Understand and contain the downside.
Fifth Law: This is a long haul.
Hmm .. this adoption approach sounds familiar?
Gartner recommends that enterprises should experiment with virtual worlds, but not plan massive projects, and look for community benefits rather than commerce. “Find enthusiasts within your enterprise and support them. Understand the implications for access to open virtual platforms from within the enterprise and the risks involved,” Mr. Prentice said. “Despite the concerns within companies, don’t ignore this trend. They will have a significant impact on your enterprise during the next five years.”
Check out the Nonprofits and Second Life Wiki and Blog for information about the nonprofit side.
Comments