Navigation modes, operation methods, observation scales and background options in UI design for high learning performance in VR-based architectural applications

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have been widely applied to the field of architecture education because of its unique immersion. There have been many researches on hardware and platform development in the world. However, there are relatively few on User Interface (UI) design. This is a study of UI design in VR applications applied in architectural education, which aims to improve users' learning performance. Through a previous study and other scholars' researches, four key factors have been extracted from the challenges of UI design in VR applications: navigation modes, operation methods, observation scales and background options. A set of experiments were conducted based on correlation analysis with 120 students of these four factors and learning performance. It is concluded that fishing mode with instantaneous movement is preferred rather than flying mode in HTC Vive navigation; the way of direct grasp in virtual operation performs better than the way of using an operational proxy in virtual construction process; a virtual observation scale close to body-and-mockup in real world performs best; contribution of a background environment in VR is not as significant as expected. In brief, the learning performances in a VR platform vary greatly with different UI designs. Highlights With different UI designs, the learning performances in VR vary greatly. In HTC Vive navigation, fishing mode is preferred rather than flying mode. Grasp method performs better than proxy method in virtual construction operations. A virtual observation scale close to body-and-mockup in real world performs best.

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