Lost in Immersion

This research project examines how interaction design affects cognitive overload in virtual reality (VR). The aim is to transform tacit design knowledge into practical, evidence-based guidelines for creating VR experiences that engage users without overwhelming them. For this study, we will use the existing VR experience Lacuna (2025) as a test case to investigate the impact of cognitive (over)load in VR, addressing a knowledge gap in user-centered immersive interaction design.
Our research design will be informed by roundtable sessions with consortium partners, AIA and CIIIC networks, and interviewed producers to shape experiments, and capture implicit design knowledge from other projects. In our study, we aim to compare different versions of selected Lacuna fragments, varying the degree to which interactions are subtle or explicit. Around 100 participants will be randomly assigned to conditions, and the team will measure cognitive load, engagement, attitude, and content recall through surveys and a memory test. An additional interview study will be set up to deepen our insights.
Thus, by validating how interactions balance cognitive load, attitude, engagement, and content recall, the findings will offer generalizable and theoretically substantiated design principles that may benefit a wide range of producers within the XR industry. In wider terms, the project aims to help designers, educators, and cultural organizations build immersive experiences that are clearer, more accessible, and more effective. Our output will include integration of our findings in educational programs, industry presentations and conference papers.