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[Case 01]

Designing Calm: UX Guidelines for Therapeutic VR

Healthcare / Mental Health

Enhancing Therapeutic VR Experiences

Nature-Inspired Virtual Environments

[Project Overview]

My thesis explored how UX design principles can improve therapeutic virtual reality experiences for patients in hospital settings. Focusing on NaturalVR — a relaxation and well-being application — I analysed user needs, conducted usability research, and identified design opportunities to enhance engagement and comfort. The outcome was a set of practical UX guidelines to support future development of therapeutic VR solutions.

[Problem Statement]

Hospital environments often generate stress, anxiety and discomfort. The NaturalVR application had usability, content and interface clarity limitations that reduced its therapeutic potential. The challenge was to rethink the experience to improve comfort, accessibility and clinical effectiveness, while generating guidelines for future therapeutic VR solutions.

[Industry]

Healthcare / Mental Health

[My Role]

UX Researcher & Designer

[Platforms]

Meta Quest 2 (VR)

[Timeline]

October 2024 – July 2025

Scientific Article Soon!

Scientific Article Soon!

[Persona 1]

Rute Oliveira

Adult Hospitalized Patient

Adult hospitalized patient on medical leave. Experiences frequent anxiety and mood fluctuations during hospital stays.

Age: 37

Location: Porto

Tech Proficiency: Moderate

Gender: Female

[Goal]

Reduce stress during hospitalization

Experience calm & relaxation

Access an easy-to-use VR solution

[Frustrations]

Lack of natural stimuli

Little control over VR experience

Physical discomfort with the headset

[Process]

[01] User Research

Literature review on biophilia, SRT, ART

Session with 15 mental health professionals

Observations of 19 hospitalized patients using NaturalVR

[01] User Research

Literature review on biophilia, SRT, ART

Session with 15 mental health professionals

Observations of 19 hospitalized patients using NaturalVR

[01] User Research

Literature review on biophilia, SRT, ART

Session with 15 mental health professionals

Observations of 19 hospitalized patients using NaturalVR

[02] Insights

Need for greater user control (clear navigation, feedback).

Importance of multisensory stimulation (sound, humanized voice, potential olfactory input).

Interface needed changes before adapting to clinical context.

[02] Insights

Need for greater user control (clear navigation, feedback).

Importance of multisensory stimulation (sound, humanized voice, potential olfactory input).

Interface needed changes before adapting to clinical context.

[02] Insights

Need for greater user control (clear navigation, feedback).

Importance of multisensory stimulation (sound, humanized voice, potential olfactory input).

Interface needed changes before adapting to clinical context.

[03] Design Solution

UI redesign based on Nielsen + VR-specific heuristics.

Creation of personas, empathy maps, and customer journey maps.

Development of UX guidelines for usability, accessibility, and therapeutic personalization.

[03] Design Solution

UI redesign based on Nielsen + VR-specific heuristics.

Creation of personas, empathy maps, and customer journey maps.

Development of UX guidelines for usability, accessibility, and therapeutic personalization.

[03] Design Solution

UI redesign based on Nielsen + VR-specific heuristics.

Creation of personas, empathy maps, and customer journey maps.

Development of UX guidelines for usability, accessibility, and therapeutic personalization.

[04] Testing & Iteration

Heuristic evaluation by two researchers.

Usability testing with 19 participants (UEQ + direct observation).

Iterative refinement based on qualitative and quantitative results.

[04] Testing & Iteration

Heuristic evaluation by two researchers.

Usability testing with 19 participants (UEQ + direct observation).

Iterative refinement based on qualitative and quantitative results.

[04] Testing & Iteration

Heuristic evaluation by two researchers.

Usability testing with 19 participants (UEQ + direct observation).

Iterative refinement based on qualitative and quantitative results.

[Outcome]

Highly positive usability results (UEQ > 2.5)
Identified key improvements for user comfort & control
Created UX guidelines for future therapeutic VR solutions

[Key Learnings]

User control is crucial

Empowering users reduces anxiety and increases therapeutic comfort.

User control is crucial

Empowering users reduces anxiety and increases therapeutic comfort.

User control is crucial

Empowering users reduces anxiety and increases therapeutic comfort.

Multisensory design enhances therapy

Humanized audio and natural stimuli amplify relaxation and engagement.

Multisensory design enhances therapy

Humanized audio and natural stimuli amplify relaxation and engagement.

Multisensory design enhances therapy

Humanized audio and natural stimuli amplify relaxation and engagement.

Empathy drives better solutions

Collaborating with patients and clinicians results in more effective solutions.

Empathy drives better solutions

Collaborating with patients and clinicians results in more effective solutions.

Empathy drives better solutions

Collaborating with patients and clinicians results in more effective solutions.

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