The National Gallery in London is interested in immersive technologies, namely VR, AR & MR. The lack of widespread usability standards challenges the design of immersive experiences, and users often suffer from dizziness, FOMO, puzzlement and hardship readapting to the real environment. Avoiding such perils does not rely solely on technology. Storytelling has proven to support the creation of mental models that help users better navigate virtual spaces. However, immersive storytelling is still in its infancy and user agency inside the virtual space challenges narrative coherence.
The current project aims at developing a framework that strategically integrates user experience and storytelling principles as modular design heuristics. They will take episodic form across several touch-points of the user journey. Moreover, these rules of thumb will regulate emotional granularity and agency to keep the user engaged while being subtly guided. The stories of the artworks at the National Gallery have the substance to design sublime immersive experiences.
