Mind in Boat
UX Design + UX Research
Timeline: 4 Months | Team: Cameron Fahsholtz
Web-Based Trainings
While working at STRIVR, I designed a new key feature for their well-established virtual reality (VR) training management web platform. This feature allows learners who are unable to use VR headsets to take VR courses on their personal computers.
Challenges
The complexity of the existing platform, with its numerous features and user roles, made it challenging to integrate web-based VR training without disrupting existing functionalities. VR is currently inaccessible to many people with disabilities due to various factors. Also, very few solutions exist that make VR experiences available to people with disabilities.
How can I effectively integrate web-based VR training into the well-established platform?
Platform User Roles
Shared Goals Between Roles
I discovered that the new "Online Learner" role shared the goal of viewing VR Course Details with two existing roles: “Enterprise Customer Course Training Manager” and “Customer Success Manager.” Despite differing motivations, this overlap revealed that all three roles require access to different versions of the Course Library.
I can use service blueprints to map touch points between existing platform functions and the new training feature.
Findings
The online web training library must be a separate library from the main enterprise customer library.
Course training managers need the ability to deploy courses to online web training library.
Content managers need a way to create new user profiles for online learners.
Online learners only should have access to their enterprise’s online training library.
I can ensure web-based training is easily navigable as a primary feature.
Research Insights
Web-based VR training is a key platform feature.
New Feature should be logically located for online learners who will only have access to the online training portion of the platform.
Design Decisions
Web-based VR training is navigable from the top menu bar: labeled as ‘E-Learning’ and not buried under the related feature ‘Courses’.
Top Menu Bar for a Course Training Manager
Course Training Managers have multiple tasks to complete.
Top Menu Bar for an Online Learner
An online learner only has to take online VR training courses.
I can build an online training library that helps learners efficiently find courses among thousands of options.
Design opportunity
Design online web training course library and course details page. Redesign all libraries for consistency across platform.
Design Updates
Improved layout and viewing options to accommodate potentially thousands of courses within a single library.
Designs meets web accessibility standards. Implemented hover states to reveal additional details, enhancing readability and overall user experience.
I can design a web-based training experience that addresses learners' key accessibility needs.
Reflecting, is virtual reality the future of education for the masses?
Next Steps For My Designs
STRIVR has launched web-based VR trainings on their online platform. Now, usability testing is needed.
Problems With Web-Based VR Training
It still needs to be more accessible for companies to use it to train their employees.
Virtual Reality Should Not Be The Primary Method For Companies To Train Employees
Extensive research and technology advancements are necessary to make VR accessible to a wider audience.
Focus on educational systems to teach employees job trainings instead of VR alone.