Interactivity and Spatiality - Experiences of Modelling Real Work Places as Virtual Places in a VR Collabortive Environment

In this paper I will discuss interactivity and spatiality, including the relationships between virtual places and work places. The paper reports some initial experiences of using a virtual reality (VR) tool for collaborative modelling. The aim was to investigate how well this technology could support participatory design of work environments. In a pilot study a group of researchers carried out an experiment of long distance collaborative design in a virtual environment. Interactivity and spatiality are important aspects that need to be considered in connection with emerging new technologies. In the experimental study the virtual environment represented a real work place quite satisfactory. The participants apprehended the virtual place as an interaction space for designing and communicating ideas in a smooth and unconstrained way. This initial work lays the basis for further research about future work places and use of new information technology, in a context of distributed work and various work environments including virtual places