Maftei, L and Harty, C (2016) Challenging design perceptions in immersive virtual reality environments. In: Chan, P W and Neilson, C J (eds.) Proceedings of 32nd Annual ARCOM Conference, 5-7 September 2016, Manchester, UK.
Abstract
The potential and use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) technologies in performing design and construction activities has been widely addressed in the literature. However, research is only just beginning to emerge which examines the role of these technologies in use in 'real-life' practice situations, and seldom if ever addresses the way surprise and novelty impact both experience of these technologies, and of the designs they are representing.Adopting a 'reflective practice' perspective to understanding the effect of immersive technologies on construction design work as used in concrete 'real -life' settings and as perceived by the practitioners involved, this study draws a specific focus on the concept of 'surprise' around using these technologies.The empirical case examined is a 'real-life' construction design project for a new hospital in the UK wherein a CAVE environment was used performing design review sessions during the bid preparation stage. The methodology combines video data of multiple design meetings with reflective conversations to engage the participants in retrospective reflection on their CAVE design experience.Analysis of several empirical examples of design interactions occurring in the CAVE reveals that the element of surprise encountered by the participants both within making sense of the newly experienced technology, and within orienting to the design in the immersive environment played an important role in performing design review in the CAVE.The findings indicate that using CAVE as design media is not only enhancing or adding to an existing understanding of design through paper based or non-immersive digital representations, but it is also, and perhaps most significantly, challenging the participants' understanding of the design as they experience the immersive, full scale version of it.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cave; immersive virtual reality; real-life design practice; surprise |
| Index terms: | methodology, virtual reality, reflection, design and construction, media, practitioner, interaction, bid preparation, design practice, immersive technology, reflective practice |
| Subjects: | sociology, behavioral psychology, research methods, professional development, design process, bidding, contractual arrangements, virtual reality, practitioner |
| Topics: | Information Management, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Procurement, Digital Applications, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here