Human-Centered Research for Avatars


Aleks Krotoski from the University of Surry and Mark Bell from Indiana University discuss best practices for performing survey research in virtual worlds like Second Life. One key affordance of doing research in virtual environments is the ability to capture reams of data, not just from the avatar, but also the environment itself. Aleks (SL: Mynci Gorki) suggests researchers try to focus on the data they really want, since you can capture more than you need. Mark Bell (SL: Typewriter Tackleberry) announced a new SL HUD-based survey tool his team has created to simplify data collection while preserving the immersion of the environment. Both suggest that researchers approach campus IRB groups early on in the process to help ensure plenty of time for answering their questions about the environment.
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