TY - JOUR
T1 - Designing the metaverse
T2 - A study on inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and safety for digital immersive environments
AU - Zallio, Matteo
AU - Clarkson, P. John
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - The metaverse, a digital immersive environment in which people interact by using immersive technologies, is shaping a new way for people to interact and socialise. Forecasts predict that by 2026 a quarter of the population will spend at least an hour a day in the metaverse. This projection requires the consideration of several challenges and opportunities that will influence the design of the metaverse. A qualitative ethnographic study with industry experts was carried out to explore the social impact of the metaverse through the lens of inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and safety with the goal to identify directions business have to undertake. The results indicated the vast nature of future research questions that will need to be answered and facilitated the creation of good practices for designing an inclusive, accessible, safe metaverse that guarantees equity and diversity. These good practices are a starting point to develop a narrative, spark conversations, brainstorm questions and eventually provide answers for designing a metaverse as a place for people that does not substitute the physical world but complements it.
AB - The metaverse, a digital immersive environment in which people interact by using immersive technologies, is shaping a new way for people to interact and socialise. Forecasts predict that by 2026 a quarter of the population will spend at least an hour a day in the metaverse. This projection requires the consideration of several challenges and opportunities that will influence the design of the metaverse. A qualitative ethnographic study with industry experts was carried out to explore the social impact of the metaverse through the lens of inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and safety with the goal to identify directions business have to undertake. The results indicated the vast nature of future research questions that will need to be answered and facilitated the creation of good practices for designing an inclusive, accessible, safe metaverse that guarantees equity and diversity. These good practices are a starting point to develop a narrative, spark conversations, brainstorm questions and eventually provide answers for designing a metaverse as a place for people that does not substitute the physical world but complements it.
KW - Augmented reality
KW - Digital immersive environment
KW - Diversity equity inclusion
KW - Inclusive design
KW - Metaverse
KW - Virtual reality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141927188&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tele.2022.101909
DO - 10.1016/j.tele.2022.101909
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85141927188
SN - 0736-5853
VL - 75
JO - Telematics and Informatics
JF - Telematics and Informatics
M1 - 101909
ER -