Software Used: Adobe Dreamweaver, Unity 3D, Autodesk 3D Studio Max
Languages / Skills Used: XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, 3D Modelling, Image Editing
The 3D Virtual Tour of Oxclose Community School has been designed in order to provide a virtual representation of the school, in which user can visually see the school, its facilities, access points and layout. The User can then navigate the school using keyboard and mouse controls. The application was created on behalf of my final year project in cooperation with my client: Deputy Head Teacher of Oxclose School.
The focus area of research within this document is in the area of maximizing usability within 3D and interface design in order to simplify and minimalize user input. Reading material based on human computer interaction and usability within design are used within one another in order to abstract useful information essential for the successful development of the 3D Virtual Informative Tour application at hand.
Using a collection of usability methods and evaluation techniques the development at hand can be tested and improved to fit the research focus and aim. The aim is to produce an application which can be associated with the pick-up-and-play expression. To open an application and instinctively pick up the relevant controls, navigate and structure without hesitation. Such a study is important in order to maximise the user’s experience and provide the intended relevant information and data to the user. The study is also important in terms of sufficiently evaluating an interactive application in terms of its design, functionality and in general its usability status.
The research approach adopted in this dissertation includes the reading of trusted knowledgeable journals and online articles which help support the design of the application and provide key factors with how to ultimately create a 3D application with a highly usable structure and design. The findings from this research provide evidence that applications can be designed in a way to both benefit experience and non-experienced users. The application aims to deliver information to users about Oxclose School without the need to personally travel and visit the school. The application strives to deliver relevant information, in a way that is unique, and simulates the real world structure of the school emerging the user within a realistic 3D virtual environment.
The main conclusions drawn from this study are that usability within design should be adopted where possible in order to maximise the chances of a successful, user friendly application. The application has been designed to an informative standard, with immersive 3D visual graphics and easy to learn input controls whilst still harnessing room for improvements and further developments.