A Study on the User Experience Factors for the Improvement of Immersion in Virtual Exhibitions

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) Virtual exhibitions have emerged due to various factors including the concept and scope of the exhibition, the integration of technology and exhibition, and the coronavirus. Virtual exhibitions can be implemented in various and complex technologies such as HCI (Interaction between humans and computers), network technology, and directing using audiovisual information, and can be easily accessed by anyone. However, the limitations of VR and AR exhibitions are also pointed out. This study targets a 360-degree image based virtual exhibition that recreates the actual exhibition space into virtual reality and finds out what the immersion elements are in the user experience on the 2D graphics screen. (Method) The study was conducted in five stages. First, the user experience elements of the virtual exhibition were extracted through theoretical consideration. Five dimensions of Csiksentmihalyi's flow were adopted. Experience factors were divided into physical and non-physical factors. Second, User evaluation items were designed based on theoretical consideration. Third, Five cases were selected, and surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted for users. Fourth, the user experience evaluation results were analyzed. Fifth, a conclusion was reached by finding complementary points to improve the immersion of virtual exhibitions. (Results) The experience factors that make users feel immediate feedback are 'operating tools', which is highly related to 'dynamicity'. Factors that interfere with the dynamics of operating tools are 'different operating tools on different platforms', 'lack of accuracy'. The experience factor that makes behavior and awareness feel integrated is the 'Floor Guide', which is highly related to 'action-induced'. Some of the obstacles to user behavior are 'auto-rotation', 'auto-screen magnification'. The experience factors that increases concentration is "media," and has a high relationship with 'interest'. Factors that dampen interest in the media are 'low clarity' and 'low deployment level'. Experience factors that make users feel controlled are 'thumbnail maps', which are highly related to 'recognition'. Factors that hindered the recognition of thumbnail maps are 'unnecessary images', 'lack of function'. 47.9% of users responded that there was no experience factor that made them feel completely immersed, with an average of 2.31 points for immersion and an average of 2.48 points for satisfaction. (Conclusions) Considering that the majority of users evaluated the degree of immersion low, the current virtual exhibition platform needs to improve immersion. It needs unification of manipulation tools for immediate feedback enhancement, supplementation of floor guides' accuracy and movement functions, improvement of distortion and media implementation according to viewing angles to improve concentration, simplifying images and specifying functions of thumbnail maps to implement media and improve potential control. Virtual exhibition should consider the most common 2D display environment to ensure publicity and popularity, and will require steady research and development from a user experience perspective.