Immersive Interactions: Leveraging Presence to Design Virtual Reality Experiences

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) technology offers unprecedented opportunities for immersive experiences, creating a feeling of “being there” in the virtual environment (i.e., presence). However, the design of VR applications which effectively harness the power of presence remains a significant challenge. This thesis investigates the phenomenon of presence in VR, exploring how it is constructed and how it affects user experience (UX) across various applications (including education, entertainment, and simulation). Through a series of four studies, employing a combination of research-through-design and mixed-methods quasi-experimental approaches, the impacts of different immersive design elements on presence are examined. The findings reveal complex relationships between immersion, UX design, and various packagings of presence. These relationships are documented in the User Presence in Mediated Immersive Experiences (UPMIX) framework, which this thesis proposes for designing VR experiences to facilitate and leverage presence.

The UPMIX framework provides a structured approach for analysing and prioritising presence needs, ideating immersive UX elements, and integrating them into cohesive VR applications. The framework emphasises the importance of packaging different aspects of presence and offers design considerations for taking advantage of the unique experiential qualities of VR technology. This thesis contributes to both the theoretical understanding of presence in VR and its practical application in user experience design. It offers valuable insights for VR developers and researchers, providing a toolset for creating more immersive, engaging, and effective virtual experiences across various domains, including education, entertainment, and research.