Does this sound like you? You're sold on the benefits of extended reality (XR). You've read up on its use cases for your sector. You know how it will fit into your existing workflows. You might even have a product or platform in mind.

That's great. But you're probably also sold on the benefits of spending a month in Dubai. There's a big difference between knowing the value of something and knowing how to make it happen.

The stumbling block you're most likely to hit is the question of deployment. Sure, you can see the advantages of remote assistance, 3D visualisation or immersive training – but won't it be super-disruptive and expensive to deploy?

Well, it can be. But only if you're doing it wrong.

The thing about XR is that it works best at scale. A one-person plumbing operation is never going to get a decent ROI from an XR headset. These things need to be deployed across teams to maximise their value.

There's no one way to do it. And if you work with a consultant they may have their own road map. But here are eight questions you need to ask before rolling out an XR solution.

1. Who is going to use it?

Sounds obvious, right? But knowing exactly who your target users are means you can plan the deployment more successfully.

How many of your employees have used smart glasses or headsets before? Does everyone need the same level of training or will you have to train in groups?

One of the beauties of XR is that it's intuitive – one factory in Roscoe, Illinois found that it shortened the training process from six weeks to a single day.

But to get there, you have to go through onboarding. Having a crystal-clear idea of who is going to use the tech and how much training they need can help you to make this process as painless as possible.

2. Have you chosen the right hardware and software?

Whatever you're using XR for, you need to make sure you roll out the right devices and software.

Don't just look at the price tag. You also need to be confident that the tech will allow you to reach your goals.

One thing to consider is if you have any bandwidth requirements. Do you need to hook your gear up to remote locations with low-bandwidth networks? This will influence your choice of tech.

3. Is your deployment in line with your overall business plan?

The worst-case scenario with XR deployment is that you get dazzled by the science and then frazzled by a poor ROI.

XR is no different from any other big investment. It has to work for you. White elephants have a way of leaving you a lot of dung to clear up.

So when you're gearing up for deployment, ask yourself whether it fits in with both your short-term and long-term commitments.

A short-term commitment might be a deadline or event that requires all hands on deck. Will deployment get in the way?

And in the long-term? Well, where do you want the company to be in five or 10 years? How will XR help your business to grow?

The headlines are true – XR can boost your business. But like all bright ideas, it has to be executed well.

4. Where are you going to put your gear?

Planning for deployment isn't all number-crunching. It's also about physical factors.

The beauty of cloud storage is that it allows you to clear out your stock cupboards and shred the contents of your old filing cabinets. Headsets and smart glasses, by comparison, need to be put somewhere.

If you're deploying on a large scale, you'll need ample storage for your new devices. Have you made provision for this?

5. Do you need to free up any other space?

Storage isn't the only physical consideration. There's also the question of where the gear is going to be used.

How much space do employees need? Can people continue working as they do now, or will you need to regroup teams?

These are all questions to answer sooner rather than later.

6. What's your plan for gear maintenance?

We may well be entering the age of the self-driving car – but the self-cleaning headset is still a long way off.

Whatever devices you invest in, they're going to need cleaning – both to keep them in good condition and for team hygiene reasons.

How to do this will vary from product to product. But you need to decide before deployment who's going to be responsible for maintenance and cleaning.

7. Are you going to do it all at once?

Careful testing can be the difference between a successful rollout and an expensive dog's breakfast. Running a proof of concept isn't only good for convincing shareholders of the value of what you're doing – it can also build trust on the frontline.

For this reason, it can be prudent to deploy at a small scale, test, assess and adjust.

8. How will you engage your staff?

People react to change in different ways. For every employee who's champing at the bit to try on their headset, there's another who's doubtful, resistant or even angry.

That's why you have to sell the new tech to your employees, not just to your shareholders. This involves detailed user training and awareness raising. People need to know why they're doing something, not just how to do it.

Having a dedicated XR officer can be a great help. As staff adapt to the new tech, they know there's someone on hand to answer any questions they may have.

Are you looking to deploy XR in your organisation? SimplyVideo is a video platform that's designed for remote collaboration and works with most XR devices. Sign up today for your free, 30-day trial.