Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
5 Conclusion
In this chapter, the results of a comparative usability evaluation on the shared 3D
capabilities of three tools have been presented: two that urban professionals typi-
cally use—CAD and GIS—and one example of free online VR. This is the first
study to explore the full usability implications (in terms of efficiency, effective-
ness and satisfaction) of this latest wave of VR software on urban planning. VR
(OpenSimulator) was found to elicit the most positive performances in efficiency
of task completion and satisfaction to do with ease of use, to a significant level.
Also satisfactorily addressed were previous concerns (from the first stage of the
study) with graphical and geographical fidelity.
In putting forward a tool to be used widely in a professional field such as
urban planning, one of the factors that we were mindful of coming up against
was the need to customize and develop scripts to facilitate higher level utility.
Similar computer expertise concerns were found by Lai et al. (
2010
) in relation
to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and 3D visualisations. Disseminated
scripts could address remaining concerns such as more precise and accurate modi-
fication of terrain and objects (also, the need for out-of-the-box urban objects such
as connecting road parts) and yet would probably need to be developed outside of
professional practices due to no guarantee of suitable expertise.
This study has not directly addressed any of the three significant current trends
in urban planning and design: collaboration, public participation and sustainable
development (Lopes and Lindstrom's (
2012
) case study of virtual Uppsala goes
into these trends). This opens up a potentially more detailed investigation of online
VR's communication and collaboration capabilities in urban planning (though this
was highlighted in the previous study in a remote marketing context—Zhang and
Moore (
2014
)) as well as its potential role in public participation—for example, in
urban recovery from the recent Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Peter George (NZVWG, Department of Information Science)
and the study participants. Feedback from members of the Interaction Design Centre, Middlesex
University (UK) is also gratefully acknowledged.
References
Axford S, Keltie G, Wallis C (2007) Virtual reality in urban planning and design. In: Cartwright
W, Peterson M, Gartner G (eds) Multimedia cartography, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin,
pp 283-294
Becker T, Boschert S, Hempel L, Höffken S, Obst B (2013) Complex urban simulations and
sustainable urban planning with spatial and social implications. Int Ann Photogrammetry,
Remote Sensing Spat Inf Sci, ISPRS 8th 3DGeoInfo conference and WG II/2 workshop,
volume II-2/W1, pp 43-50
Camara A, Raper J (eds) (1999) Spatial multimedia and virtual reality. Taylor and Francis,
London
