SSI-VR Lab
VR Design
UX Design
3D Animation
Psychology
VR Social Interactions
VR simulation design and UX design for social psychology research at the SSI-VR Lab
Project Overview
At the SSI-VR Lab, I contributed to the development of immersive virtual reality experiences for social psychology research on racial bias and interracial interactions. I designed culturally representative 3D avatars, user interfaces, and spatial environments for VR simulations. I produced character animations using both motion capture data and keyframe techniques to enhance realism and emotional engagement. These animated simulations were then tested through structured usability evaluations to improve interaction quality, reduce cognitive load, and ensure participant engagement.
Role
VR Simulation & UX Designer
Research Assistant
Timeline
January 2025 – June 2025
6 Months
Team
Lab
Tools
iClone
Character Creator
Rokoko Studio
Figma
Reallusion hub
Unity
ShapesXR
Meta Quest (ODH)
Disciplines
Behavioral Research
Spatial Design
3D Animation
Motion Design
Character Design
Usability Evaluation
Contextual Inquiry
Interaction Design
Information Architecture
Context
Racial bias and stereotype threat are complex psychological challenges that are difficult to observe and ethically replicate in real-world settings. To address this, the SSI-VR Lab developed controlled virtual reality environments that simulate interracial interactions, enabling researchers to study participant behavior and evaluate the impact of bias reduction strategies.
Challenge
The design challenge was to create culturally authentic and emotionally engaging VR experiences that supported rigorous research protocols while remaining intuitive and comfortable for participants. This required balancing psychological validity with inclusive, human-centered interaction design to ensure meaningful data collection without compromising user experience.
Design Solution & Impact
To support the lab’s mission, I translated complex research objectives into immersive design solutions by creating onboarding flows, refining interaction timing, and aligning VR tasks with study protocols.
I designed intuitive interfaces, responsive avatars, and spatial layouts that guided participants through complex scenarios with clarity and minimal friction. Iterative testing and design refinement helped streamline the experience for both participants and researchers. .
25%
improvement in task completion rate
40%
reduction in onboarding & training time
70%
increase in animation realism & cultural engagement
30%
increase in user engagement
Research & Discovery
To ensure the VR experience was both immersive and user-centered, I conducted multiple rounds of usability testing focused on spatial navigation, task flow comprehension, and emotional engagement.
Usability Testing
Methods
VR simulation usability tests with think-aloud protocols
Behavioral observations and cognitive walkthroughs
Market and gaming sector trend analysis
Navigation success
Onboarding comprehension
Metrics
Engagement and comfort levels
Interaction clarity
Insight 01
Insight 02
Insight 03
Users struggled with spatial orientation during early interactions
Participants responded more positively to avatars with natural movement and facial expressions
A need for clear onboarding UI and task feedback loops emerged
Pain
Points
For Research Participants
High cognitive load when learning VR interfaces
Discomfort with unfamiliar VR technology
Difficulty focusing on research tasks due to technical distractions
Lack of cultural representation in existing VR avatars
For Researchers
Need for culturally authentic character representations
Requirement for precise data collection without technical interference
Challenge of maintaining scientific validity while ensuring user comfort
Limited VR content suitable for social psychology research
Design opportunity
"How might we create immersive VR experiences that enable meaningful social psychology research while ensuring participants feel comfortable, represented, and engaged?"
User research
KEY INSIGHTS
To uncover user needs and identify barriers to effective participation, I conducted user interviews, competitive analysis and a focused literature review. These user-centered research methods surfaced key behavioral and psychological insights that directly informed the simulation’s interaction design, onboarding strategy, and avatar creation.
1. Cultural Authenticity is Critical
"When avatars don't look like real people from my community, it breaks the immersion and makes me question the research validity."
- Research Participant
Insight: Participants need to see authentic representations of diverse ethnicities to maintain engagement and trust in the research process.
2. Simplicity Drives Focus
"The more complex the VR interface, the less participants focus on the actual research scenario."
- Lead Researcher
Insight: Intuitive interfaces are essential for maintaining focus on research objectives rather than navigation challenges.
3. Progressive Disclosure Reduces Anxiety
Participants with limited VR experience showed 60% higher stress levels when presented with complex interfaces immediately.
- Observation
Insight: Gradual introduction of VR concepts significantly improves user comfort and data quality.
Ideation & Strategy
Cultural Authenticity
Cognitive Ease
Design Principles
Progressive Disclosure
Research Validity
Accessibility First
Design Process
01
Character Design
Designed 15+ culturally authentic avatars with varying age, gender, and ethnicity profiles
02
3D Animation
03
VR Interface
Phase 01
Character Design
I focused on creating culturally authentic 3D avatars that reflected the social contexts of the study. The design process combined ethnographic research and iterative collaboration with psychology researchers to ensure realism and cultural accuracy.
Tools
Gender, age, and ethnic diversity across avatars
VR-optimized technical specifications
Workflow
Conducted ethnographic research to understand facial features, skin tones, and cultural markers
Collaborated with psychology researchers to ensure non-stereotypical representation
Researched anthropological principles for authentic representation
Developed 3 base character archetypes with 5 iterative variations each
Applied mesh-level refinements for facial accuracy and realism
Verified cultural authenticity with stakeholders
Optimized characters for VR performance
Impact
15+ culturally authentic avatars created
Strong participant identification and increased immersion
Stereotype mitigation through research-backed character design
Design Process
01
Character Design
02
3D Animation
Created 50+character animation scenes with 70% improvement in human-like realism
03
VR Interface
Phase 02
3D Animation
To enhance avatar realism and expressiveness, I produced over 50 character animations using a combination of motion capture and keyframe animation. These animations were designed to simulate natural communication and social interaction within VR.
Tools
Technical specifications
Keyframe Animation
Workflow
Created custom animations from scratch using iClone’s Motion Layer and Timeline Editor
Designed key body movements and poses with precise control over pacing and transitions
Animated facial expressions using Face Key Editor to convey emotion and intent
Used Body Puppet Editor to layer expressive full-body gestures and dynamic motion
Synced voice lines manually using AccuLips for realistic lip movement
Face Key Editing
Body Puppet Editing
Motion Capture
Workflow
Captured full-body movement using Rokoko Smartsuit Pro
Cleaned and processed mocap data in Rokoko Studio
Applied mocap to avatars in iClone
Refined animations with Motion Puppet and Face Key Editor
Used AccuLips for voice sync and lip movement
Motion Capture Data
Impact
50+ animations wirh 70% improvement in human-like realism
Significantly enhanced participant immersion
Reduced distraction and increased behavioral authenticity in VR simulations
Design Process
01
Character Design
02
3D Animation
03
VR Interface
80% improvement in user comprehension with 40% reduction in training time
Phase 03
VR Interface
I led the design of both user interfaces and spatial environments for the VR simulation, ensuring a seamless onboarding experience and a cognitively efficient interaction flow aligned with research conditions.
Tools
Design Highlights
Created intuitive VR interfaces positioned naturally within 3D space to optimize immersion, clarity, and interaction flow.
Designed guided onboarding flows using progressive disclosure to reduce anxiety and support first-time VR users.
Implemented gaze, gesture, and voice input to support flexible, accessible user control in immersive environments.
Designed 5 VR environments using spatial psychology principles to support natural movement and social interaction.
Ensured high usability with high-contrast modes, real-time visual feedback, and low cognitive load interfaces.
Maintained consistent UI behavior across all simulation scenarios to support ease of learning.
Interactive Pop-up Menu Redesign
Impact
80% improvement in user comprehension
40% reduction in onboarding and training time
Architected 5 immersive environments which are research-validated
Testing
To validate our design decisions, we conducted over five iterative usability studies with a demographically diverse group of participants. Each round was structured to capture both objective performance data and subjective user experience insights.
Methodolody
Pre-study Survey: Assessed prior VR experience, familiarity with cultural contexts, and comfort levels.
Task-Based Testing: Participants were asked to perform navigation, interaction, and comprehension tasks within the VR simulation.
Think-Aloud Protocol: Participants verbalized their thoughts in real-time to surface usability issues
Post-study Interview: Gathered deeper qualitative feedback and suggested improvements.
Biometric Feedback: Tracked stress and engagement levels to supplement subjective feedback.
Findings
80%
preferred gesture-based navigation over controller-only input
45%
reduction in onboarding anxiety through progressive disclosure
70%
increase in engagement due to culturally authentic avatar representation
Usability Testing
Outcome
To validate our design decisions, we conducted over five iterative usability studies with a demographically diverse group of participants. Each round was structured to capture both objective performance data and subjective user experience insights.
Quantitative Metrics
Qualitative Feedback
“The avatars felt authentic and familiar. It made the experience more comfortable.”
— Research Participant
“The interface was simple. I could focus on the task, not the tech.”
— Study Participant
“Participants didn’t need much training and that’s a huge win for our research flow.”
— Lead Researcher
Animation Integration Walkthrough
Reflections
This project showed me that great VR design goes beyond usability —
it’s about cultural respect, psychological safety, and invisible support for meaningful experiences.
Lessons
Cultural research is essential for authentic, inclusive design.
Progressive disclosure eases user anxiety and builds confidence.
In research-driven contexts, the best design is the one users don’t notice.
With Principal Investigator Dr. Valerie Jones Taylor at the Research Lab
Working at the intersection of UX and behavioral science taught me the real power of design to amplify empathy, reduce bias, and make technology feel human.
This experience reinforced that ethical, inclusive, and research-informed design isn’t just good practice, it’s non-negotiable.
