We'll take it from here: letting the users take charge of the evaluation and why that turned out well

Abstract

The operational challenges faced by law enforcement and public safety personnel are constantly evolving, while the training and certification process has stayed the same. New technologies such as virtual reality, mixed reality, or game-based simulators are being researched as promising enhancements to traditional training methods. However, their widespread adoption, particularly by smaller units, faces barriers such as cost - due in no small part to the difficulties of developing and especially evaluating such large-scale interactive systems. In this case study, we present MINT - a low-cost mixed-reality Multimodal INteractive Training system, aimed at supporting the training of small- and medium-sized law enforcement and infantry units. We discuss the challenges and approaches taken in the participatory design of the training system, its agile-based development and implementation, and its qualitative evaluation with users and subject-matter experts.