Mixing Realities: Combining Extended and Physical Reality in Co-Creative Design for the Galley of the Flying-V

Abstract

This thesis explores combining Extended Reality (XR) with traditional co-creation methods to construct a unique and integrative design facilitation method named XR+. The XR+ method is intended to be used at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to aid in the process of innovative cabin design. However, the method is not limited to cabin design and can be applied to various design cases.

This method came to be by uniting a multitude of factors, namely: The Flying-V aircraft, galley design, traditional co-creation methods and the immersive potential of XR technology. The choice to work with the Flying-V aircraft as a case study was intentional. The absence of a predefined galley design presented a unique opportunity to develop and test the XR+ method. 

Design, in this study, leans heavily on the collective problem-solving capabilities brought to the table by participants when engaging in co-creation. This is key for addressing issues too complex for individuals alone. It resonates with the insights of Sanders & Stappers (2006), who highlighted a shift in the design process towards collective, future-oriented design practices. Given that XR has gained significant popularity in recent years and found its way into the design world, it seems pertinent to explore how this technology can be combined into a method with these collective, future-oriented design practices. The first step for this was taken by DLR in a paper exploring XR for the cabin design process. 


The journey towards a design method combining co-creation and XR were significantly influenced by collaborating with KLM cabin crew. In total, five co-creation workshops were held, each dedicated to galley design for the Flying-V, and each serving as an iteration to refine and integrate the XR+ approach within co-creation methodologies. 

The workshops highlighted the unique strengths of both traditional co-creation and XR. As part of traditional co-creation, participants found physical elements, like blocks, easy to use and effective for initiating conversation and generating ideas. Once these initial concepts were built using 1:20 scale physical objects, the immersive environment of XR was introduced to further explore these concepts on a 1:1 scale. After immersing in XR, practical aspects of the initial physical design were brought to the forefront. Additionally, XR created a new spark of engagement and new creative possibilities were opened up, especially when participants took turns being in XR, creating a sense of curiosity in the non-immersed participants and wanting to be part of the immersion. Taking turns immersing led each participant to build on to the idea of the previous participant, each participant ‘hitchhiking’ onto each others’ ideas.

It was found that where idea generation stops in the physical world, it continues in the virtual world—highlighting the unique strengths of both traditional co-creation and XR.
The conclusion of this research presents a guide for DLR and other design stakeholders to integrate XR+ into their design processes and to use as an add-on to their current practices. 
Integrating traditional co-creation elements with XR stimulates ideation, deepens understanding of user needs, and leads to the discovery of innovative design solutions.