Building Blocks for Building Blocks for Virtual WorldsVirtual Worlds

Elijah Wright, Dec. 5 2002Elijah Wright, Dec. 5 2002Infovis Lab Mtg. Infovis Lab Mtg.

PresentationPresentation

What is the BBVW project?What is the BBVW project?

Attempting to develop a series of Attempting to develop a series of design principles for a “starter kit” design principles for a “starter kit” for educators who want to use 3D for educators who want to use 3D virtual world technology.virtual world technology.

Attempting to synthesize the AW Attempting to synthesize the AW community’s knowledge about “what community’s knowledge about “what works” into something that designers works” into something that designers and new users of the medium use.and new users of the medium use.

What’s to like?What’s to like?

This project is exploratory – will help This project is exploratory – will help us find research questions about VWs us find research questions about VWs that are worth investigating or that are worth investigating or answering.answering.

The results will allow us to focus The results will allow us to focus attention on elements of 3D virtual attention on elements of 3D virtual worlds that actually *do* influence worlds that actually *do* influence the user’s experience.the user’s experience.

How It Fits InHow It Fits In

The output of this project should The output of this project should make many other projects realistic – make many other projects realistic – after we know *what* to pay after we know *what* to pay attention to in 3D VWs, we can start attention to in 3D VWs, we can start exerting effort there.exerting effort there.

Could easily lead to several other Could easily lead to several other types of projects for InfoVis students.types of projects for InfoVis students.

What’s our status?What’s our status?

We are in the process of collecting We are in the process of collecting data from users – via both data from users – via both anonymous Web surveys and in-anonymous Web surveys and in-world interviews with key users of world interviews with key users of the medium (“experts”). [in-world the medium (“experts”). [in-world interviews are now COMPLETED]interviews are now COMPLETED]

Hoping to convince attendees of the Hoping to convince attendees of the VLearn3D conference to take our VLearn3D conference to take our survey and add their experiences.survey and add their experiences.

What comes next?What comes next?

Analysis of our questionnaire data – Analysis of our questionnaire data – after we have some more of it after we have some more of it

Much more work with our interview Much more work with our interview results – content analysis methods, results – content analysis methods, producing summary reports.producing summary reports.

Eventually, a white paper.Eventually, a white paper. Once we know what we need in a Once we know what we need in a

starter-kit, we can build it!starter-kit, we can build it!

Interesting HappeningsInteresting Happenings

The AWEdu community is beginning The AWEdu community is beginning to mobilize itself – many people want to mobilize itself – many people want to see this technology used more to see this technology used more effectively in classrooms. There is effectively in classrooms. There is lots of activity!lots of activity!

VLearn3D – online conference, VLearn3D – online conference, *TOMORROW* - free, virtual, and *TOMORROW* - free, virtual, and should be a very interesting should be a very interesting afternoon.afternoon.

The End The End Come to VLearn3D tomorrow if you can! Come to VLearn3D tomorrow if you can!

It will be fun It will be fun Tours, feature demos, and Tours, feature demos, and other, similar things will be going on.other, similar things will be going on.