This document discusses usability in virtual worlds and provides recommendations for improving usability based on user-centered design principles. It summarizes challenges with current usability in virtual worlds and provides examples of poor usability. The document recommends using user interviews, personas, scenarios and iterative user testing to understand users and improve designs. Conducting user research and testing designs with target users early and often is emphasized as key to achieving better usability.

1. Usability in virtual worlds Making Sense of Business in Virtual Worlds Karlsruhe, May 27th, 2008

2. About us ...

7. The Otherland Archipelago

10. Plus project-driven business

14. No!

18. That‘s why this should be “usable“

19. ... and this should be “usable“, too

20. ... and this

21. What is the purpose here?

22. Impress with ‘Sweden‘

30. Let‘s have a look at the state of the art!

31. Whoopsie

33. Where am I? What can I do here?

34. What do I need a flight assistant for?

35. Cool Architecture!

36. Where to?

37. What will a newbie find here?

38. Is this what I am looking for?

39. That‘s what the newbie sees on his screen

40. Design scaled for a human

42. Let‘s go party!

43. The road to nowhere

44. Where am I?

45. This looks dangerous

46. Whaaaaahhhhh

48. Where am I? What am I supposed to do?

49. Hmmmmm ?

50. Great, an overview!

51. Let‘s try ‘orientation‘ ...

52. Ooops. Where is the Back button?

53. But ... unquestionably cool design

55. Usability is not only about orientation

56. What do these people want from me?

57. Aaahh, a panel!

58. Why don‘t they talk with me?

59. Why should I do this?

61. Even successful projects can have issues

62. Where to?

63. Where is the stuff I am looking for?

64. Sometimes the old ideas are the best

65. Why not hand out a map?

66. And, while we are at it ... why not quote prices, too? :=)

67. There is always room for more usability!

71. It doesn‘t make the process any easier, though

81. Resulting in a “mental model”

88. Testing setup Raum 1 - Testdurchführung Raum 2 - Beobachtung Der „Rechner“ Moderator Proband Video Beobachter 1 Beobachter 2

91. That is the state of the art ... for achieving better usability

97. Discuss ...