After clearly defining user challenges in the define stage, the next step is ideation, generating creative solutions that address the specific needs of immersive experiences. In VR design, this stage pushes the brainstorming boundaries by encouraging designers to think beyond flat screens and consider multisensory stimulation, interactivity, realism and detail, and physical interactions.
Incorporating narrative as a design tool will help us in shaping experiences, guiding interactions, enhancing immersion and presence, and also engagement of the users so our virtual worlds feel meaningful to them. So, here’s how:
- Develop a Solution Workflow
Map out the step by step decision making process, identify decision points that impact the processes, correct and incorrect actions, and the consequences that users should follow. I personally use a service blueprint to map out all the processes. Planning this before the storyboard ensures the training follows a logical flow and doesn’t just rely on visuals.
You can find more about service blueprint on this NN/g’s Article: Service Blueprints: Definition
- Framing selected workflow as a Story
Instead of designing experiences as isolated screens or interactions, think of the user journey with other tools like storyboards to inform developers and stakeholders about the concept of the scene and also induce other information such as the central theme, message, the setting, the users, and the narrative arc.
Rachel Krause, Director of Live Training at NN/g’s describes clearly about storyboards in this article: Storyboards Help Visualize UX Ideas
- Think of environment and interaction as support components VR allows us to expand from static, image, video, and text-heavy interfaces to environmental storytelling where the surroundings themselves provide context and guide user behavior. Create an environment concept that users can relate to and embrace naturally. Adding realistic images, interactive components, and spatial audio is a big benefit because it helps users become more fully immersed. as stated in this article: Revolutionize UX Design with VR Experiences by Mads Soegaard, Founder at Interaction Design Foundation INC
- Give Users a Role
Giving users the ability to make meaningful choices with real consequences will enhance their sense of agency and ownership, as stated in the same article: Revolutionize UX Design with VR Experiences. This transforms them from passive observers into active participants, deepening immersion and engagement. Use this wisely to craft stories that excite, empower, and reward those who step into our world.
- Sound and music
Use spatial audio, environment ambient, dynamic soundscapes, diegetic and non diegetic sound, and sound occlusion to bolster and boost the user’s sense of presence and work into the magic a fitting musical score so it complements the story’s mood.
Sony’s new 360 Reality Tool proves that spatial sound can improve the sense of positioning and also improve comfort when moving the viewport.
- Balance Realism with Safety
We also have to ensure that our users are safe. We have to balance providing users with an immersive experience with alerting them to any potential real-world hazards.
By integrating solution workflows and storytelling, VR training transforms into an engaging, experience-driven learning tool. For industries like oil & gas, where mistakes can be costly, narrative-driven VR training design ensures employees are fully prepared before they ever step into the field.
References
- Previous stage defining user challenges
- About service blueprint NN/g’s Article: Service Blueprints: Definition
- About storyboard NN/g’s Article: Storyboards Help Visualize UX Ideas
- Five Essential Elements to Design For Immersion and Presence this article “Revolutionize UX Design with VR Experiences”
- Sony’s New 360 Reality Tool Levels up Gaming Audio Sony’s new 360 Reality Tool