Mindverse

Background

In April of 2022, Mindgrub made a game-changing announcement—we were embarking on a journey to shift our day-to-day operations to the metaverse. This meant creating a virtual workspace that would enable our employees to connect, collaborate, and socialize just like they did in our physical offices. It was an innovative response to the new reality of remote work.

As the design lead for Mindgrub's Emerging Tech pillar and the chair of our Metaverse Committee, I played a pivotal role in bringing our virtual workplace to life.

Project Goals

The goals we set for the project were no small feat. We wanted to develop a system that would empower every employee to participate in a shared virtual space, regardless of whether they had a VR headset, a high-powered gaming PC, or just a simple mobile device. Our aim was to create custom environments from scratch using tools and technologies readily available to our team, eliminating the need for third-party vendors.

We envisioned a system that could eventually be self-hosted on our secure servers, giving us full control, while also allowing for quick and seamless iterations without relying on our cloud hosting team, who were often tied up with client projects.

User-friendliness was a top priority—we wanted the system to be accessible and intuitive, even for beginners. We wanted onboarding to be as simple as clicking a link. Additionally, we sought a technology that would enable us to leverage our internally developed skills for future client work in case the market demanded it.

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Mozilla Hubs

After careful evaluation, we discovered that Mozilla Hubs checked all the boxes and then some. It provided us with a versatile platform that allowed me to dive right in and create stunning 3D assets and environments, leveraging my existing expertise.

However, we still needed to consider bandwidth and device limitations. Since these virtual worlds would operate over the web, we had to optimize the assets in terms of polygon counts and material usage without compromising on visual appeal.

To streamline the development process, I adopted a modular approach, constructing our spaces using a library of highly optimized components. This approach allowed me to create elaborate interiors while maximizing the reuse of materials and textures.

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Implementation

To bring the Mindverse project to life, I collaborated closely with a talented team of developers, project managers, and other designers. We worked closely with company stakeholders and gathered valuable feedback to refine the experience and make it as engaging and immersive as we could.

The initial launch of Mindverse sparked a wave of excitement and engagement among our employees. They were captivated by the immersive remote work environment, where they could seamlessly collaborate in virtual meeting spaces, fueling creativity and productivity. The social interaction spaces within Mindverse provided a platform for employees to connect, fostering relationships and recreating the sense of camaraderie found in physical offices. Moreover, the virtual event venue hosted company-wide gatherings, training sessions, and workshops, facilitating seamless knowledge sharing and team-building.

Results

By embracing Mozilla Hubs and creating Mindverse, Mindgrub established itself as an industry leader in harnessing the power of the metaverse for remote work. The scalability and customization options offered by the platform ensured that we could adapt to evolving needs and seamlessly integrate future technologies.

The success of Mindverse not only transformed our remote work experience but also opened doors to exploring client opportunities in the metaverse domain. By capitalizing on our internal skills and expertise, we are well-positioned to deliver innovative solutions to clients seeking immersive virtual environments.

Overall, the Mindverse project represents a significant milestone in Mindgrub's digital transformation journey, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to embracing emerging technologies and reimagining the future of remote work.