Visualizing the data flow in virtual reality for training developers

The visual aids are powerful tools in learning, understanding, and retaining data, especially in the industrial sector. However, visualizing data for complex systems is an essential challenge as they need to address a discrete and large amount of data. When novice programmers develop these complex systems, they typically require further training on the data flow in order to understand the hidden meaningful patterns. The visualization of invisible data in virtual reality (VR) helps to explore these patterns and direct new avenues to develop a system in the real world. Thus, the presentation of complex data in a 3D visual form is crucial and effective. To accomplish this, this research study considers a case scenario of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) system based on Internet of Things (IoT). By definition, IoT is a multifarious connection of devices and data over the internet and thus, needs visualization. A better understanding of how visualization in 3D space can assist programmers to learn IoT concepts. In turn, this poses profound questions in the areas of virtual reality and human-computer interaction. Consequently, the aim of this study was to visualize IoT sensor data in a virtual environment and produce guidelines for programmers in order to help them better comprehend the data flow. Subsequent to this, the level of immersion required for an effective VR experience was also investigated. Overall, this study involved background research and an empirical study. The semi-structured interviews were conducted with the programmers and were handled as empirical evidence. This evidence was further analyzed qualitatively. As a result, the static visuals of IoT sensor data values helped the users to understand its flow. The visual clues both from abstract and skeuomorphic designs furthered the users understanding of the concepts. Accompanied by the text, necessary information about the concept was revealed to the end user. The analysis clearly highlights that visualizing in virtual reality enhances the experience by improving user awareness and user engagement level. In addition, this provides a more intuitive understanding of data flow and better recall of the observed relationships