Exploring User Experience and Risks of VR in Museum Exhibits : A Case Study of 1238: The Battle of Iceland

Abstract: This thesis investigates the User eXperience (UX) and risks associated with Virtual Reality (VR) technology in museum exhibitions. The study builds upon the Hybrid Museum Experiences: Theory and Design by Løvlie, Sundnes et al. (2022) and adopts the User eXperience in Immersive Virtual Environment (UXIVE) Model developed by Tcha-Tokey et al. (2018). The aim is to analyse the interplay between Flow, Presence, and Experience Consequence in VR experiences and assess the impact of computational skills on user engagement. Additionally, the study evaluates the effectiveness of VR exhibits in addressing common risks. Findings indicate a positive correlation between experience consequence and flow, as well as suggest a potential influence of computational skills on flow, and highlight the significance of presence in fostering engagement and immersion. The VR exhibits effectively mitigated the common risks, as reflected in positive participant feedback. This research contributes to enhancing UX in VR museum experiences and provides insights for designing immersive exhibits while managing associated risks. Further research is recommended to validate the study's inferences and delve deeper into the influence of computational skills on flow.