Co-Creating the Future of Broadcasting with XR alongside Experts in Ireland
How broadcasting experts are exploring the potential of Extended Reality (XR) to revolutionize audience and production experiences.
By Sueyoon Lee | Sep 13, 2023
future of broadcast - image generated by dalle
In September 2023, I had the opportunity to organize a 3-hour co-design workshop with a regional broadcasting station in Ireland. The goal of the workshop was to explore how Extended Reality (XR) could lead the next wave of innovation in broadcasting. Seven experienced experts, each with over 20 years in the industry, participated, including professionals in roles such as Director of Operations, Head of News, Technology Coordinator, and Digital Transformation Manager.
Though most participants were unfamiliar with XR, they brought deep broadcasting expertise, which proved invaluable during the ideation process. My role as facilitator was to introduce XR concepts clearly and help participants see XR as a tool to unlock new opportunities for both audiences and production teams. By merging their broadcasting knowledge with XR possibilities, we created an environment ripe for innovative thinking.
Warm-up Activity and Two Rounds of Ideation
We kicked off the session with a warm-up activity, encouraging participants to step back and think broadly about the current broadcasting workflow. This provided an overview of the production steps, the tools used, and the constraints encountered, laying the groundwork for more focused brainstorming.
We divided the areas of exploration into two key categories: audiences and broadcast producers. The brainstorming sessions were designed to explore how XR could enhance both viewer experiences and production workflows.
Part 1: Brainstorming the Audience’s XR Experience with "Braindump"
In Part 1, we used the Braindump method to explore how XR could transform audience experiences. Participants generated ideas across eight broadcasting genres (e.g., drama, news, sports), without evaluating or filtering them. This rapid idea generation helped gather a wide range of possibilities.
After the individual brainstorming session, participants shared their ideas, and each selected two or three to develop further, creating detailed XR broadcasting scenarios using text and illustrations.
Part 2: XR for Broadcast Producers through "Group Brainstorming"
In the second part of the workshop, we shifted focus to the broadcast producers—the team responsible for managing the production control room. The goal was to imagine how XR-driven content production would change the control room's roles, tools, and workflows. We also explored the potential for fully remote operation using XR technology.
Unlike Part 1, Part 2 began with group brainstorming. Participants collaborated to address complex challenges related to XR implementation, leveraging their combined expertise. Afterward, they refined their ideas individually, producing more detailed and concrete concepts for future broadcasting processes.
For Future Immersive Broadcasting Experiences
The workshop’s outputs, including activity sheets and recorded discussions, were analyzed using thematic analysis to reveal key insights about the future of XR in broadcasting. We are excited to see how these brainstormed ideas evolve into tangible concepts, leading to immersive, XR-driven experiences for both audiences and producers.
This workshop was a valuable step toward understanding how XR can revolutionize the broadcasting industry, blending traditional expertise with cutting-edge technology to create a new era of interactive, immersive media.