Applied User Research in Virtual Reality: Tools, Methods, and Challenges

TL;DR

This paper reviews VR user research tools and methods, discusses challenges like sensory limitations, and presents a case study on using VR for aerospace design feedback in lunar lander development.

Contribution

It provides an overview of VR research tools and methods, analyzes challenges, and demonstrates VR's application in aerospace user testing through a detailed case study.

Findings

VR is effective for early-stage aerospace design feedback.

VR simulations help identify ergonomics and operability issues.

Challenges include sensory stimulation limitations in VR environments.

Abstract

This chapter explores the practice of conducting user research studies and design assessments in virtual reality (VR). An overview of key VR hardware and software tools is provided, including game engines, such as Unity and Unreal Engine. Qualitative and quantitative research methods, along with their various synergies with VR, are likewise discussed, and some of the challenges associated with VR, such as limited sensory stimulation, are reflected upon. VR is proving particularly useful in the context of space systems development, where its utilisation offers a cost-effective and secure method for simulating extraterrestrial environments, allowing for rapid prototyping and evaluation of innovative concepts under representative operational conditions. To illustrate this, we present a case study detailing the application of VR to aid aerospace engineers testing their ideas with end-users and stakeholders during early design stages of the European Space Agency's (ESA) prospective Argonaut lunar lander. This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of VR simulations in gathering important feedback concerning the operability of the Argonaut lander in poor lighting conditions as well as surfacing relevant ergonomics considerations and constraints. The chapter concludes by discussing the strengths and weaknesses associated with VR-based user studies and proposes future research directions, emphasising the necessity for novel VR interfaces to overcome existing technical limitations.