Designing RoutScape: Geospatial Prototyping with XR for Flood Evacuation Planning

TL;DR

This paper introduces Routscape, an XR-based prototype that visualizes flood scenarios and evacuation routes to improve disaster planning through immersive, narrative-driven design and user-centered development.

Contribution

It presents a novel XR prototype for flood evacuation planning that emphasizes narrative-driven, user-centered design to enhance spatial understanding among disaster management officials.

Findings

XR aids in fostering shared understanding of flood scenarios.

Narrative-driven design improves user engagement and spatial sensemaking.

Prototype development involved iterative user-centered design with DRRM officers.

Abstract

Flood response planning in local communities is often hindered by fragmented communication across Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) councils. In this work, we explore how extended reality (XR) can support more effective planning through narrative-driven design. We present Routscape, an XR prototype for visualizing flood scenarios and evacuation routes, developed through iterative prototyping and user-centered design with DRRM officers. By grounding the system in real-world experiences and localized narratives, we highlight how XR can aid in fostering shared understanding and spatial sensemaking in disaster preparedness efforts.