Wayfinding/Navigation within a QTVR Virtual Environment - CiteSeerX

DUNEDIN

NEW ZEALAND

Wayfinding/Navigation within a QTVR Virtual Environment: Preliminary Results Brian Norris Da’oud Rashid William Wong

The Information Science Discussion Paper Series Number 99/21 September 1999 ISSN 1177-455X

University of Otago Department of Information Science The Department of Information Science is one of six departments that make up the Division of Commerce at the University of Otago. The department offers courses of study leading to a major in Information Science within the BCom, BA and BSc degrees. In addition to undergraduate teaching, the department is also strongly involved in postgraduate research programmes leading to MCom, MA, MSc and PhD degrees. Research projects in spatial information processing, connectionist-based information systems, software engineering and software development, information engineering and database, software metrics, distributed information systems, multimedia information systems and information systems security are particularly well supported. The views expressed in this paper are not necessarily those of the department as a whole. The accuracy of the information presented in this paper is the sole responsibility of the authors. Copyright Copyright remains with the authors. Permission to copy for research or teaching purposes is granted on the condition that the authors and the Series are given due acknowledgment. Reproduction in any form for purposes other than research or teaching is forbidden unless prior written permission has been obtained from the authors. Correspondence This paper represents work to date and may not necessarily form the basis for the authors’ final conclusions relating to this topic. It is likely, however, that the paper will appear in some form in a journal or in conference proceedings in the near future. The authors would be pleased to receive correspondence in connection with any of the issues raised in this paper, or for subsequent publication details. Please write directly to the authors at the address provided below. (Details of final journal/conference publication venues for these papers are also provided on the Department’s publications web pages: http://divcom.otago.ac.nz:800/COM/INFOSCI/Publctns/home.htm). Any other correspondence concerning the Series should be sent to the DPS Coordinator.

Department of Information Science University of Otago P O Box 56 Dunedin NEW ZEALAND Fax: +64 3 479 8311 email: [email protected] www: http://divcom.otago.ac.nz:800/COM/INFOSCI/

J

I/\/TER/l C7"99 Human-Conzptiter Interaction Angela Sasse and (fttris .lohnson (Eclimrzr) Published by IOS Press, ' IFIP TC. 13, 1999 -

Wayfinding/Navigation within a QTVR Preliminary Results E

Brian

Norris, Da oud

Department of

Z Rashid

Virtual

Environment:

& B L William

Wong

Information

Science, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand.

[email protected] Abstract: virtual

This paper reports on an investigation into wayiinding principles, and their effectiveness within a environment. To investigate these principles, a virtual environment of an actual museum was created

using QuickTime

Virtual

Reality. Wayfinding principles used in the real world were identified and used to design environment. The initial findings of this study suggests that real~world navigation such as the use of and landmark principles, map principles, can significantly help navigation within this virtual environment. were discovered through an Activity Theory-hased Cognitive Task However, navigation difficulties Analysis. the interaction

of the virtual

Keywords: waytinding, navigation, QTVR,

1

virtual

environments, activity theory.

Introduction into

Research

been the

environment

waytinding with

concerned

rather

environment,

have

concentrated

wayfinding paths, of

for

errors

each

1995;

than

virtual

people why.

worlds interact

has with

Experiments gathering empirical data on

on

time

in

how

completion, and Participant (Darken to

Elvins

al., 1995;

the number

&

Sibert, al., 1998;

Navigation al., 1998). Though these studies have been important in identifying waytinding principles, they about how to improve the provide little information to virtual user interface worlds. They also do not an of give understanding why people adopt certain or wayfinding principles strategiesover others, or what causes people to change their strategy. This study attempts to address the following two questions: et

Plante

et

Can

l.

wayrinding principles

translate

virtual What

2.

and

to

difficulties

to overcome

The whether

purpose traditional

world

Reality)

environments?

for

could

users have in navigating objects in QTVR virtual what strategies do they use

these difhculties? of this

study is to firstly identify wayfinding principles used in the

be

as

a

QuickTime

Secondly,

the QTVR environment,

and whether

influenced

that

users

Virtuai

Reality study tries to might have with

this

these difficulties

the

wayfinding principles that are being tested. A combination of Activity Theory and these Cognitive Task Analysis was used to answer Task was used to elicit questions. Cognitive Analysis the type of information for and required study, Activity Theory was then used to place it in a meaningful context. Wayfinding performance was also measured to provide further insights to the questions. ln building the virtual environment for the study, concepts from spatial knowledge theory and environmental design methodology were employed to guide the design of the are

virtual

by

environment.

The interaction

design for the virtual environment spatial knowledge theory (Thorndyke & Goldin (1983) cited by Darken (1995)) and environmental design methodology (Lynch, 1960). Finding new principles that are unique to Virtual Environments is outside the scope of this study. Rather, the aim of the study is to determine whether spatial knowledge theory and environmental design principles are useful for designing QTVR virtual is

do

searching

as

used in the real world

QTVR (QuickTime Virtual

environments, and

real

et

such

(QTVR) environment. identify the difficulties

effective

within

a

vi1’tual

based

on

environments.

2

H

2

u/nan-Computer Interaction

Spatial Knowledge

Lynch (1960) describes _

the

._

Edges: Linear elements not used or considered as paths. They are boundaries or linear breaks between two regions. They include shores, railroad cuts, edgesof developed walls, etc.

spatial knowledge as:

generalised mental picture of the physical world that is held by the

exterior

individual". This

Districts:

strategic link in mental picture or becomes more detailed, improves wayfinding performance generally improves. This environmental image consists of three specific types of information image wayfinding.

of

large sections of the city. The mentally enters inside of the district. They are recognized as having some common identifying characteristics.

this

As

Nodes:

details

knowledge: of specific

information locations

This represents notable environment, such as stored Procedural

in

a

a

about

the visual

in the environment.

perceptual features of unique building, that

an

of

Inl‘ormation

actions

about

required

Survey knowledge: Configurable information. Object locations distances

are

map-like

frame

Waytinding the

encoded

in

in terms

or

and of

a

is

topological inter-object

global, fixed,

of reference. the

general requires as

space

a

This

whole.

navigator to topological

does

type of point reference

but the

them.

They are usually a rather simply defined physical object, building, sign, store, or mountain. They are frequently used clues of identity and are increasingly relied familiar. A upon asa journey becomes more landmark should stand out from its surroundings

a

particular knowledge built by connecting isolated bits of landmark knowledge into larger, more complex structtrres.

Another

observer

a

follow

to

Procedural

route.

visualise

Strategic spots into which an observer can thc city. They are typically linked to travel and are usually transportation breaks, crossings or of paths. convergence

Landmarks:

is

person s metnory.

knowledge:

sequence

to

enter

(Darken, 1995): Landmark

Medium

observer

is the

environmental

the process

lN7‘ERAC7"99

-

not

enter

and have direction

information

as

Landmarks, nodes, and districts into

places, which

connected

are

by

well.

divide

the

city

paths and bounded

by edges.

4

Activity Theory

The

the sequence of actions required to particular route. The route may make use of landmark knowledge which is static information about

previous sections highlight the waytinding principles that are used in the real world. However, these principles do not indicate what difficulties have in and people navigating searching within virtual environments, nor the strategies that they use to

the visual

overcome

knowledge or spatial knowledge as described above is significantly different from procedural knowledge which

is defined

follow

3

as

a

details

of

a

specific location.

Environmental

Based

what

is known

about

spatial knowledge waylinding tasks, environmental designers have developed a design methodology focused on environmental organization and map use. City planners and engineers have long since used spatial knowledge in designing cities that are easy to navigate and to find your way around. Lynch (1960) describes tive elements of the contents of city images, which also seem to reappear in many of environmental These elements are: types images. on

theory

Paths:

and

its

Channels

application

of

in

movement.

walkways, canals, transit Paths

are

beholder.

predominantly

They

include

streets,

lines, and railroads. in

the

Activity Theory (AT) is a framework designed understanding of purposeful human is grounded in Russian activity. The framework socio-psychology of the 1920s. Although it was traditionally applied in the area of child psychology and development, AT has recently gained popularity in the realm of lluman-Computer Interaction Nardi facilitate

to

Design

eye

of

the

these difficulties.

(1996).

Activity Theory when not

the match

this

outcome

his

happens, representation an

automatic

or

the

states

of

the

breakdowns

occur

Participant s action docs her expected outcome. Once their mental Participant unrolls a

of the action.

succession

no conscious thought. consciously thinks about

caused

that

unexpected

The action

is

no

longer

ot’ steps, requiring little or Instead, the Participant now

each step to determine Dtrring this

results.

what

stage,

VlQt)jindingA’\/avigation the

Participant will

also look

for the successful

strategies

of the action.

back into subconscious

up

5

for alternative

completion

QTVR

a

Once

a

strategy is found, and practiced enough, it

successful rolls

within

Tasks

Wayiinding

Wayfinding

be

can

thought.

of

thought

three

as

mutually

exclusive, yet usually successive, tasks. They

are:

E/tvironme/tt.’

Results

P/’eliniittary

3

This

specialised hardware has now given way desktop VR systems due to their cost and availability. The two main VR technologies that run off a desktop or window system are Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) and QuickTime Virtual Reality (QTVR). These technologies allow the VR experience to be created and viewed using software. VRML came about l‘rom the explosion of interest the

to

in the internet

Any searching task in which the Participant has no prior knowledge of thc of the target in question, A Nai‘ve whereabouts search must be search implies that an exhaustive performed. search:

Naive

Wrtual

World

or

Wide

Web

(WWW). It is a

language for describing multi-participant simulations Internet

(Bell

worlds

virtual

-

and

the World

environments

al., 1995). VRML

ct

with

hyper-linked

interactive

via the

networked

global

Wide are

Web.

photo-

non

realistic

graphical interpretations of worlds created only by the authors mind. allows Macintosh Apple s QuickTime VR and Windows users to kinds of spatial experience and limited

Primed

search:

task

Any searching

the location

Participant knows

in

which

the

of the target. The

search is non-exhaustive.

Exploration:

interactions

task in which

Any wayiinding

is

there

target. (Darkcn & Sibert, 1996)

no

The

tasks

be successive

can

Participant will switch change. For example,

interactions

in the

between if

tasks

that

sense as

a

conditions

knows

Participant roughly they may initially use a primed search strategy to get to the approximate location. Next, they use a naive search strategy to where

the

find

located,

Darken

&

searches

are

common

in first

target.

although are

is

naive

the

they

target

a

Sibert

time

(1996) in

rare

that

state

the real

explorers

using only a personal computer. Furthermore, through an innovative use of 360 degree panoramic photography, QuickTime VR enables these

ofthe

time, but

virtual

at a

Virtual that

Reality

enable

spatial These

Environment

Virtual

The

describes to

a

person environment

virtual

a

interact

through

environments

be

in

worlds

Until

that

ol"

use

a

us

turning

room,

standing

head from

your

up and down, and

and look

like

turning

your environment. QTVR nodes can be linked

side

body

your

create

a

together by

multi-node

or

scene

environment.

(Chen, 1995)

only

(Biocca

&

exist

in

our

Levy, 1995,

Currently QTVR uses cylindrical environment maps or panoramic images to accomplish camera rotation. QTVR includes

VR

is much

continuous camera and panning zooming, jumping to selected points and object rotation using frame indexing.

the

recently, applications required or accessories, such as highspecialised hardware stereo end graphics workstations, displays, or 3D goggles or gloves. Research using these 3D I-lead Mounted Displays (HMD) over the last decade has found that the spatial knowledge and environmental design principles that influence wayiiuding in the real world can be effectively translated into these rendered HMD environments (Navigation et al., 1995; Darken & Sibert, 1996). most

a

turn

to

cursor

eitect

QTVR includes:

computer.

and ol‘i‘er

mouse

explore

hotspots to

usually renderings of

models

simple or complex computer opportunity to: imaginations p.vii)

the

are

in

These

of experiences range with and explore a

The

The overall

point side, looking to

the

use

fixed

around

6

can

up and down. to

use

simulations.

world,

environment.

real-world

representations, as well technology works by electronically stitching a series of photos (or rendered images) together. The photos are taken by pivoting the camera in regular steps (along the horizon) from a fixed point, in order to create a 360-degree panoramic view. The viewer sees only a part ofthe image at a to

computer

as

a

software

for

based

navigating

for the creation

6.1

an

interactive real-time

environment, which

uses

image-processing engine an authoring environment

in space and of the QTVR movies.

the

Designing

Virtual

QTVR

Environment Most

research

into

navigational

environments

have

all

environments

(Darken

environments

have

the

dealt & users

aids

with

Sibert,

point

for

virtual

VRML

based

1995).

These

of

perspective

4

lriterriction 1114/nruz-Conzpiuer

continuously changing. QTVR the point of perspective constant The whether

previously continuous Of

ot’ this

purpose the

the other

on

research

wayfinding

hand

is

determine

to

identified

this

by apparent lack of change and photo~realisticrepresentation, are

relevance

particular

the

to

study

various the

principles

affected

has

all times.

at

is

(1960) description of nodes. QTVR allows

INTER/i

-

CT 99

The

areas,

labels

Lynch‘s

l.

Use

visual

a

successful

horizontally

helped to

7 ln

better

vertically,

support this

from

node to node,

guidance system to by the user.

virtual

the

explore

to

and

virtual

overlap.

four

worlds, a

virtual

No

Control:

Map:

treatments

variations

The

Landmark:

use

of

museum,

The

use

The Landmark

In the Landmark or

5.

signs’

within

treatment,

appropriate signs for

the main

Graphics should

be

and visible

a

from

legible,

direct

reasonable

making of

group

7.

Avoid

which

visual

and

placed

clutter.

visual

guidance and orientation compatible with and are part

are

point,

distance.

be Graphics should designed consistently throughout the space.

creating

the

to

6.

devices of your

design concept. Similarly, we supported map principles by providing a map (on the lel"t side oi the screen) The showing the general layout. of‘ the virtual room. map also identified

l.

where

the

participant was

in the

Show

all

of

both

Map

embedded

the environment,

to

textual indicate

organizational

elements

(paths,

landmarks, districts, ete.). 2.

show

Always both

the observers

made

L,andniark, Map Map principles and the

the

The final

position.

and

treatment,

of

use

Landmark

principles. 7.1

Apparatus taken

a

local

and used

museum

27 QTVR panoramic nodes. These linked to each other by hotspots. The

were

then

with

the

Suite

incorporated into

QuickTime

one

nodes

nodes

VR movie

of QuickTime Virtual Reality Authoring use (QTVRAS) (Apple Computer Inc, 1997). This

VR movie

became

landmark

principles,

to

of

make

were

elements. we

Choose

8. Choose

to

elements.

use

decision

Photographs were

assistance.

ol Landmark

at

placed

users.

were

Map principles.

Map and Landmark: principles and labels

4.

of

were:

wayfinding

interior

areas.

2

>
;-:»5~i;-;;i:-~-t=o=..= Q i f:= gsaa:-:§:;i2f;,;f=;;:=’:§1_r3af:= ~iQ __ 1;g§>?f"" n:Jfi‘_.§;3;lT1=""‘ -1’1;;_§.3:-. given up to 15 minutes to find the object and to return | ._ to the start 5 point. If a Participant got past this time it ’..a1¢r¢-¢ ; 1; .=;.. Z ’I E’>E~1~2 1;;{_ l limit, they would receive help to find their Way. An 5ige;¢:~ Qi . 3; incomplete result would then be recorded. They would vi-35,§l;,.,at;f,r fØØiw~r$§3=f3:2;==f:7:1if’$’:1-:~f=2 =’~;¢.:.:ti2k= ¢’\Li f~:T .4 as :-~ then proceed with the rest of the experiment. The ‘-i‘: 2517* 1 41; L at any time at the experiment could be terminated .,;¢,M1, Participants request. In the second phase, a Cognitive Task Analysis :ani

t

asked

were

"j

fill

to

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.yi

1

(CTA) Figure The

four

Macintosh

1:

Map

condition

treatments

interface.

implemented

were

PowerPC

of

on

identical

desktop computers was created configuration. The testing environment in Hypercard 2.4.1 (Apple Computer Inc., 1998), an interact.ive multimedia authoring tool. All movement and interaction the

through 7.2 67

with

the virtual

of the

use

world

achieved

was

mouse.

Procedure

university

Factors

in

study.

The

The

study phase was

effectiveness

The

attending

information

first second

Science

a

in Human

course

participated

conducted

in

in

this

phases. the experiment to assess of the various wayfinding principles. phase was a cognitive task analysis to difficulties participants encountered while was

two

an

identify the navigating the virtual environment. In the experiment phase, the participants were asked to do a naive Search for four objects within the virtual environment. Participants were given a picture ofeach target object and were instructed to tind it and then to return to the start point before being given a of the next to picture object hnd. The measures

as

objects.

recorded various Hypercard system the participants tried to find the target

These

(Klein, 1993),

measures

were:

o

Errors

made in

identifying

the target

0

Errors

made in

identifying

the start

o

Incomplete

search for the

o

Incomplete

search

forthe

point.

object. start

object.

point.

find

Time

taken

o

Time

taken to find the start

to

the

object. point.

themselves

Next,

Critical

Decision

verbal

a

with

the system.

thc

Participants were asked to identify what they were doing (or trying to do) just before experiencing the difficulty, and what they did just after. The researchers then probed the Participants further to clarify their ideas and ensuring that Participants were responses specific enough to be of use in subsequentanalysis. For example, l was trying to find the object (the broad purpose of the task) is less useful than the response I was trying to find the hotspot f‘or the next

node .

After

in

a

this

was

fif‘teen-minute,

experiences in

completed, participants engaged about their general discussion

the environment.

The discussion

was

recorded. The data gathered during the CTA was then of Activity Theory analysed within the framework identihed (Kuutti, 1996). The clifficulties during the CTA correspond to AT s Breakdou/ns (Winograd & Flores (1986) cited by Bodker (l996)). Similarly, taken together the before and after form A’I"s

concept of

8 For

from o

The

retrospective protocol technique that used critical decision points as points for further probing, was the technique used. During the CTA, participants were first asked to identify in which situations they had experienced difficulty the interface to the virtual environment. The using researchers then probed each Participant about the difficulties In addition, several they had identified. were computers displaying the virtual environment made available to those participants who wanted to re~ familiarisc

students

conducted.

was

Method

from

a

focus

shift .

Results this report, only the the system and the

significant numerical results significant results acquired the Activity Theory analysis will be discussed. Eight sets of results of the original 67 were

excluded

from

the

analysis due

to

computer

crashes

6

Interaction

Human-Computer

INTER/lCT 99

-

and

Participants familiarity with the actual museum. used in the only 59 sets of results were of Participants subsequent analysis. The distribution Hence,

is

conditions

across

as

24

8

Map:

‘

ll

and

Map

The

E 3

empirical

results

from

(SPSS 1995),

from the

H

H

i

Y

Time

Based

the

,

on

a

vs.

vs.

vs.

Map

Landmark

Map/

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

to

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

in

finding

in

getting back

the

Errors

’lbtal

lnconipletes

No

Yes

No

Incompletes in finding the object

No

Yes

N0

lncompletes in getting back to start point

(p

major Ending that

No

No

No

l:

’I‘-Test results

data collected

from

analysed using Activity Breakdowns the

before

and

and

I.

CTA breakdowns.

the

the map

There

was

the

mean

point after finding

and map conditions. Common sense

time to get back to the object of the control

after

Theory, Shifts

Focus

that

data

tells

us

that this would

be the

case

the

had this breakdown.

One

phase was

stated

as

earlier.

I

from

I

extracted

were

the target

maps had this breakdown, whereas 73% of from the landmark and 38% from condition

(p;0,05).

the second

analysis identified was principles. This was a significant difference

participants could use the map as an additional navigational aid. ’l‘he statistical analysis from SPSS that map principles can give indications effectively back to a point within a QTVR virtual help wayfinding of the environment, but it docs not give any indication difficulties that the subjects faced with the use of, or lack of, map principles. Activity Theory, on the other hand, shows us that participants had problems with finding their way back to the start point after finding one of the objects. As Figure 2 shows, only 25% of‘ participants using as

condition The

of

in Table

0.013) between

=

start

the

Table

0

Condltlon

Significant

effectiveness

shown

point

start

_J

Discussion

the

object l tothe

2:

Figure

The first

Control

No

Errors

Errors

as _

and other

starting point

Overall

boi?

~f"

t

=

in

significant

the

get back

¢&

g,\‘q

object to

.~

-f

_Nas

u

i

*mu

finding

[U

5% J

performed

were

Control

e’

3

statistical

a

experiment.

Control

for

Time

000%

=

05

Landmark

Overall

g

9

Variables

’l‘itnc

10.00%

-at l

’*1 ~

of

conditions.

Y

5

-’--

3’

lf

i

phase were

significance of p < 0.05, Table 1 shows any difference between the means of the control

_WW_W

20.00%

*QQ

the first

series of T-Tests

the data collected

E

}

;1-‘

_

§

.

g..

;_

Participants.

6.1.1

analysed analysis package. A

.

.jg

-

50.00%

~

l

"ri W

00.00%

Q

-

_Eg 30.00% I6

SPSS

f

40.00%

Landmark:

with

on

5

Participants.

Finding Start Point ‘

70.00%

3

Participants.

""

P

:=if‘g E1T!0uble

|

Participants.

Landmark:

i

80 00%

__

S

Control:

.

1 ’

90.00%

follows:

gathered participants experiences. The subjects notes were gathered and collated on the basis of similar identified as experiences. These experiences were breakdowns according to Activity Theory. Once these main breakdowns were identified, the subject s

able to

when

starting

for

was

was was

participants the control

participant

use the map to assess I needed to return

wrote:

where to

the

location.

the

actions

before

and

after

this

subsequent focus shift subject expected to work, to the

to

overcome

the breakdown.

breakdown

from what ’l‘hese

what actions

Another

participant stated can t have to refer are

identified actions

the

they

used

breakdowns

and

the percentage of Participants who had the breakdown are shown in Figure 2.

This notion

actually of

due to the fact

not

that

recognize the map at the right

they:

it

to

being

that

the

make

sure

you

place .

able to museum

by sight l00%, to

identify eases

their

position,

all looked

the

expressed by several participants. Landmark shown to enhance principles were The data from wayfinding performance. phase one same,

was

within l/Wl_)]flIldiIZg/]\f(IVfg(lIl0l’7

(Table l) showed world

QTVR Virtua(

the

(p

participants whose virtual principles had a significant (1005) between me-ans when compared

Activity

condition

orientation.

=

control

showed

the results

between

the

conditions

Environment’

that those

for

the average significant difference

a

of

means

control

the

for the average

time.

(p

and

=

lncompletes in Ending target object. Preliminary analysis of the from phase two has not come data collected up with a related but further is still to be breakdown, analysis done. One participant wrote in phase two:

able to

by the These

results

effective

indicate

that

items

_

window

..

picked up by phase one experimentation was the difficulty subjects had when dealing with the hotspots that were used to navigate from

node

lt appears condition

with

node

to

that

the

virtual

environment.

which participants, no matter using, had a behaviour breakdown

most

they were

hotspots.

breakdowns

the

within

could

Figure

2

shows

into

be

that

these

different

two

separated being the location of the hotspot and the second being the size and shape of thc hotspot. Participants were recorded as saying: issues, the first

’I’ .

.

into

1

.

a

"pm

was

in

nw

,won

nn/|

ut

au

alua

uuu

section

hotspot to

I could

sec

twqnt-its/4

+A LU

wuuuau

but there

»-n/um

lll\JY\.’

was

no

go therc ,

and

hotspots shapes, which

were

all different

made

it

difficult

sizes and to

find

them".

breakdowns

subsequentfocus shift had the participants till they found the just moving the mouse use or the would the hotspot, participants hotspot finder. This breakdown was not anticipated, it was The nodes due to design oversights of the researcher. were not placed in uniform distances from each other, which caused the hotspots to vary in size and shape. The issue of hotspots can easily be rectified by either having all hotspots visible (Plante et al., l998), or by uniformly laying out the nodes so all links (hotspots) are in areas where participants logically would move. This would mean the jumps would be all the same distance, therefore the size and shape of the hotspots The

would

be uniform.

know

It is

which

the map

on

confusing

._

with

directions

when

l turned

"_

.

pans left size with can

right,

or

and

increase

an

eliminate

these

the environment.

Conclusion

10

Preliminary findings have indicated that the use of map principles enhance wayfinding when the participant has to get back to a place they have bccn, whereas landmark or principles enhance finding new areas places. ’1‘hese findings identify which waytinding principles should be used and when. The expected outcomes of a particular action are based on a participant s experience. In those cases where participants are unfamiliar with virtual worlds was the case with our (as study), yet familiar with computers, their experiences in waylinding \vill be based solely on their experiences with the real world. that when

means

because

interaction

a

breakdown

during

fails

it

occurs,

occurs

task

wayfinding

a

in the

virtual

world

mental

representation (based on years of during a waynnding task in the real This study has identified several design issues

of

either

don t

be turned

Re-orienting the map as the user increasing the Window or movie in processor speed and memory,

This

The

l still

will

principles are looking for a

experiments were passedobjects due to

and

up

not

was

subjects expressing

recorded

were

size,

the

Size of window

was

target object. One issue that

show

not

size of the I walked

small.

too

left/right.

when

wayfinding principles

l

situated

landmark

map

Participants

‘

looking f‘or certain use the signs that were ceiling .

did

through movie

or

these difficulties:

0.003)

the

When

thc

identified

window

landmark

of

number

the

were

that

7

difficulties

noted

Theory

and the fact

Also

Results

Preliminary

Other

used the landmark

difference to

a

to

conform

the

to

participant s experience)

interaction

world.

that have been found within

to cause

difficulties

QTVR virtual environment. size of window or identification, a

orientation.

These

can

movie,

wayhnding are

hotspot

and

all be rectified

map with

applying real world navigation principles design. The that preliminary results have showed wayfinding principles used in the real world can be Other effectively appiied into the virtual environment. issues of the virtual environment design have also been identified as intiuencing this translation. Further on the data from one and two is analysis phases will and be in future ongoing reported papers. a

greater attention

difficulties

in

These

to

the

to

Frainework

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