Promoting Sustainability through Virtual Reality: A Case Study of Climate Change Understanding with College Students

The primary objective of this case study was to use a user centered design (UCD) process to create a virtual reality (VR) educational experience that could instill empathy and encourage behavior change concerning climate change in an American city. We developed a VR prototype concerning flooding caused by climate change in Miami. Guided by the UCD process that takes into account the users’ context and needs, our methods consisted of a literature review, participatory design, semi-structured interviews, a focus group, an affinity diagram of the interview and focus group results, ideation, storyboarding, and prototyping. We used information from the literature and from participants concerning what they believed would impact their thinking regarding climate change and incorporated those perspectives into our VR prototype. We sought to demonstrate the value of incorporating user feedback into the design of a VR experience. Throughout the process, we addressed many of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, ranging from climate action and quality education to resilient, safe, and inclusive cities and communities, addressing some of the world’s grand sustainability challenges.