Evaluating The Effectiveness of Vr and Traditional Computer Interfaces In Online Architectural Project Presentations

This study investigates the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) versus traditional Keyboard, Screen, Mouse (KSM) interfaces in online architectural presentations. Our hypothesis suggests that viewing the presentation on the monitor that is screen recorded with a VR headset would enhance presence and spatial understanding, leading to more accurate area and distance estimations. A total of 131 architects participated in the study, with 67 in the VR group and 64 in the KSM group. Participants viewed an architectural space either in VR or in KSM and completed tasks to estimate area and distances, followed by a presence questionnaire. Contrary to our hypothesis, the KSM group reported slightly higher presence scores, though not significantly different from the VR group. The VR group showed a minor improvement in distance estimation accuracy, but the practical benefit was minimal. Interestingly, the KSM group significantly outperformed the VR group in area estimation accuracy.