Designing a Virtual Reality Prototype for Designers: A Model for Accessibility Testing
Disciplines
Cognitive Science | Technical and Professional Writing
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Immersive virtual reality experiences have become increasingly popular and have been primarily used in gaming and media entertainment to integrate the virtual world into the real world. However, virtual reality has not been explored in an educational training context for designers as they design digital interfaces for accessibility and inclusivity. Research with VR “suggests that imagining oneself in the place of others—rather than taking the other’s perspective—is less effective at inducing empathy and help. These findings have significant implications for interventions that seek to provide first-person experiences of marginalized identities” (Nario-Redmond et al., 2017, p. 326). In other words, better empathy for the human experience may be generated through VR experiences that help designers see issues in real-time. The topic of accessibility and designing for inclusivity is often discussed superficially and isn’t prioritized by many designers and organizations. However, the available literature on using virtual reality as a tool to provide designers with real-time feedback on accessibility issues is limited. This study aims to bridge the gap by developing a high-fidelity prototype with different user interfaces that simulate different visual and motor impairments. The first phase of this research will present several interface prototypes that could inform the design of the VR module. Later, qualitative data will be gathered through interviews and usability testing with our research participants. Our hypotheses center on the idea that a virtual reality-based simulation would help designers increase their empathy and knowledge for users requiring designs that are accessible and inclusive. Our early findings indicate that designers are not educated about designing for accessibility; thus, it is overlooked. Consequently, many user interface designs do not consider how their designs may be used by differently-abled users.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Technical Communication and Interactive Design
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Laura Palmer
Designing a Virtual Reality Prototype for Designers: A Model for Accessibility Testing
Immersive virtual reality experiences have become increasingly popular and have been primarily used in gaming and media entertainment to integrate the virtual world into the real world. However, virtual reality has not been explored in an educational training context for designers as they design digital interfaces for accessibility and inclusivity. Research with VR “suggests that imagining oneself in the place of others—rather than taking the other’s perspective—is less effective at inducing empathy and help. These findings have significant implications for interventions that seek to provide first-person experiences of marginalized identities” (Nario-Redmond et al., 2017, p. 326). In other words, better empathy for the human experience may be generated through VR experiences that help designers see issues in real-time. The topic of accessibility and designing for inclusivity is often discussed superficially and isn’t prioritized by many designers and organizations. However, the available literature on using virtual reality as a tool to provide designers with real-time feedback on accessibility issues is limited. This study aims to bridge the gap by developing a high-fidelity prototype with different user interfaces that simulate different visual and motor impairments. The first phase of this research will present several interface prototypes that could inform the design of the VR module. Later, qualitative data will be gathered through interviews and usability testing with our research participants. Our hypotheses center on the idea that a virtual reality-based simulation would help designers increase their empathy and knowledge for users requiring designs that are accessible and inclusive. Our early findings indicate that designers are not educated about designing for accessibility; thus, it is overlooked. Consequently, many user interface designs do not consider how their designs may be used by differently-abled users.