Design ideation in virtual reality

Abstract

Ideation, especially in the form of sketching, is an inseparable component of the design process. The ideation phase is a process of forming an idea explored and communicated visually. However, sketching is mostly connected with analog paper and pencil experiences, while digital media is related more to design execution. With the recent democratization of access to virtual reality (VR) headsets, digital media's role in the design process is radically changing, especially in the ideation phase. This article summarises observations and experiences collected during various events, such as creative workshops with transportation designers and students, live VR design sessions, or public technology and process demonstrations, organized mainly for the car design audience. The article's main aim is to describe and categorize VR's use to generate ideas in the design context, to describe the role of gestures and the human body in general.

Keywords

• research
• design
• ideation
• sketching
• sensory cognition
• creative cognition
• vr