<![CDATA[T1: Requirement analysis]]>Modeling environments in Mixed reality is still an emerging technology with few applicative results to be used as a solid basis. Previous researchers have proposed mixed reality environments for visualization and exploration of virtual models, however editing is still limited and considered only in few automotive scenarios. Virtual reality technologies is seen by architects as an interesting communication and presentation tool which could allow experimenting several design alternatives and identify possible design problems earlier in the design process. However, it is neither ready nor adapted to suit their needs looking to the current state of the technology.

This task has three different goals organized into different subtasks. First, to identify the benefits of mixed reality and user needs in the architectural field considering their workflow (Subtask 1.1). Second, to define which editing and modeling operators are need during a design review and how they can take advantage of interactive procedural techniques to increase their efficiency during the modeling tasks (Subtask 1.2). Finally it will define the interaction metaphors and user scenarios more adequate when considering the user needs, preference, domain and skills within a mixed reality visualization environment such as stereoscopic tabletop or head mounted displays (Subtask 1.3). This task will start with the kick-off meeting of the project and the research team will define the exact procedure to be used, traditional Human-
Computer Interaction Task Analysis techniques will be used to gather the relevant information from target users which are architects. This will include the profiling of the user, the analysis of the architectural proposal workflow, the observation of “typical” users when performing specific tasks such as modeling, the review of site survey information and the creation of mockups. A set of interviews with final users will be performed and questionnaires of site survey information and the creation of physical mockups. The analysis will include user requirements, performance and recommendations for the tasks of the project and a set of metric goals to be assessed during the user evaluation task.

This task will result in a Technical Report containing a detailed analysis of the possible usage and scenarios of mixed reality in the architectural workflow and highlight which editing operators should provide more benefits for architects when reviewing a virtual model with clients or other designers. In addition, we will analyze the possibility of procedural modeling using grammar descriptions to create or edit new buildings and also the arrangement between them during the 3D modeling phase comparing with the existing CAD tools used during the conceptual phase of an architectural project proposal. By analyzing the different media used in site survey, we will identify the visualization requirements for our mixed reality scenario. Regarding the interaction, this task will identify the user scenario and interaction metaphors more adapted to the architect requirements. To support the design of the interaction metaphor, we will study how architects create and edit a physical mockup, identifying the various steps and tools included in the mockup conception. We will also analyze how architects use their application to visualize the scene, and which navigation metaphors are more adapted to the design review task.

]]>