From: cyberoid@u.washington.edu (Robert Jacobson) Subject: Re: DESIGN: cybersurveys Date: 19 Dec 1995 12:18:23 GMT Organization: University of Washington, Seattle From: cyberoid@u.washington.edu (Robert Jacobson) In article <30D1002E.69EC@arch.su.edu.au>, creeper wrote: >I'd like to know if anybody knows about surveys made after a full >immersive experience in a VR or hyper environment. (such as: how was >it? did u feel like dreaming? was it like rooting? was it >trascendental? was it nothing more than an LSD bog?) It seems that >this thing called cyberspace is not field for such studies :-? In 1994, after showing the "Port of Seattle Central Waterfront Development" in a monster VET we built at A/E/C SYSTEMS'94, we distributed cards to about 400 visitors soliciting their impres- sions and opinions. The most common reaction, reflecting our culture's prevalent instrumentalism, was that the experience was a good one and when would it be available on PCs? Sigh. That's how profound they got.... Once, however, showing the "Giza Plateau" in backroom VET, we were graced with a visit from Japanese engineers representing a construction company. They didn't speak any English, but they were clearly agitated after taking a tour. I asked their trans- lator to ask them what was up. "The experience," she reported after speaking with them, "was awe-inspiring." They nodded and indicated a welling up within them, from their diaphragm. I suppose transcendence is as good a goal as anything. This was one of those serendipitous moments that keeps us plugging along searching for ways to create better experiences and meaning. Bob Jacobson Worldesign Inc. Seattle