Dos and Don’ts of Designing Virtual Reality for Learning

Virtual Reality (VR) presents unlimited opportunities for learning as it places the learner within a realistic environment, stimulating their senses, and enabling them to focus on the salient information and tasks. Here are a few points to assist you in creating a powerful training experience.

Do

Engage your audience with compelling scenarios

‍Creating a lasting impression enhances the training experience with learnings more likely to be retained.

Be creative with how you present information

You’re no longer restricted to a 2D screen. Think about ways information can be displayed that enhance the user’s experience.

Avoid: ‘This looks real, but it doesn’t feel right’

We all know how objects and movements should look and feel. However, close but ‘not quite right’ experiences can be jarring.

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Don't 

Throw users into immediate action

Users will want to explore a virtual world and orient themselves. They should not feel rushed in a new environment — Instead let the user explore their virtual environment, and give them time to adjust.

Take control away from the user

Although it’s tempting to put the user on a ‘magic carpet’ and have them fly-through a VR experience but that can disorientate and lead to motion sickness. Instead make your experience learner centric and offer total control to the user.

Avoid: ‘This looks real, but it doesn’t feel right’

We all know how objects and movements should look and feel. However, close but ‘not quite right’ experiences can be jarring.

‍

Are there any things you've experienced which should be added to this list? Leave them in the comments below!

A post by Katherine Haffenden, Digital Design Executive at Siyona Tech Ltd.