eDelphi study & consultation on Metaverse standards development: deliverable D1.3 of the shaping the Metaverse (phase II) project.

Abstract

This study utilised a modified Delphi 3-stage approach to gauge expert perspectives on our research question: What should the priority actions be for policy makers or regulators in the development of interoperable standards for metaverse &amp; virtual worlds? We recruited a pool of participants with a range of metaverse interoperability and standards expertise based in UK, Europe and the US, covering core technology and application areas as well as human-centred perspectives. Our study indicated an emerging consensus that: 1st The UK should develop and promote a position on metaverse standards and interoperability. With three additional areas of emerging consensus around the following actions within a UK context: 2nd Promote use of open, accessible pre-existing standards over proprietary solutions for interoperable virtual worlds. 3rd Identify use cases and interoperable technology solutions. 4th Increase engagement between academia, industry and government around solutions for interoperability. Qualitative and quantitative data gathered from our Delphi study expert working group indicates that the UK has a vital role to play in the development of interoperable, virtual world technologies and practices, but that there is a lack of vision around addressing potential challenges and opportunities. Our data also suggest that to realise the benefits of interoperability, an international approach needs to be adopted, where the UK could contribute within existing international frameworks, while developing distinctive strengths and providing connected leadership without duplicating international efforts.<br/