VR training and immersive learning are hot topics for instructional designers, but VR UX & storyboarding principles are still being defined. Considerations for user experience in immersive, 3-D environments are very different from traditional 2-D media and may not be as easily deduced as they would be for training produced in a rapid authoring tool. Many deeper considerations for VR training design are, in fact, unseen, like methods of movement through VR space, event triggers, or colliders (making things solid), to name a few. When VR has been defined as the optimal modality for the content, the impact of the learning experience hinges on the quality and depth of immersion as much as the content itself.

In this session you’ll explore four key immersive UX principles including locomotion (moving through virtual space), orientation (snap rotation), interaction (including user input and menus), and onboarding (introducing users to the mechanics of a new VR experience). Along the way, you’ll learn the fundamentals of VR user experience such as degrees of freedom (DOF), the differences between 3DOF and 6DOF experiences, rotational and translational motion, field of view, and designing to prevent motion sickness. You’ll look at examples and clips from various VR applications to demonstrate these principles and review findings and advice from designers around the globe.

You’ll get started with storyboarding VR experiences with different template styles like top-down and FOV (field of view). You’ll review different PowerPoint template styles, how to use them, and filled examples. Blank template copies will be included in the handout and/or digital download to get you storyboarding for VR right away. Lastly and briefly, you’ll hear about several tools to help you get started with your project (Storyline, ShapesXR, Horizon Worlds, Unity, Figma, Mural, Sketchup). Information will be included on the handout for you to take home and start organizing content, planning environments & interactions, and prototyping in 3-D.

In this session you will learn:

• Key UX principles for immersive VR training design
• VR design considerations for environment, movement, and interactivity
• How to get learners comfortable in a new VR environment (onboarding)
• Storyboarding techniques for VR using top-down and FOV templates
• Business considerations for rolling out VR training
• Which tools you can use to get started organizing content, mapping interactions, and prototyping VR learning experiences
• Where to find more information on immersive learning, VR design, UX for VR, discussed software/tools

Technology discussed:

PowerPoint, Unity, Shapes, Horizon Worlds, Storyline, Oculus Quest 2 / other HMDs