Samenvatting

When emergencies occur in any kind of workspace, the personnel need to be adequately trained to respond correctly to the ongoing situation. The main problem with almost every type of training simulation is the amount of money that needs to be spent on simulating the real potential emergency.
Connec2 is a device-agnostic multi-user virtual reality platform which is developed by The Virtual Dutch Men. The Virtual Dutch Men wants the know what the opportunities are to expand this platform with extra functionality to increase the user base.
This thesis finds out if and how a training simulation can be added as an extension to Connec2 so it can function as a method to reduce the limitations occurring with currently used training methods. The Connec2 platform as well as currently used emergency training methods were analyzed. It showed that for Connec2 to function as a full training simulation it should enable the user to create, adjust and test emergency plans in an immersive environment and it should contain protocol training exercises.
The conducted research showed that existing Virtual Reality Based Training can solve the limitations with physical exercises like the high costs in the preparation of the execution of an exercise or the lack of immersion. However, these virtual reality exercises come with different limitations like uncertain skill transfer and they often have a high technical barrier. Virtual Reality based training also often lack the multi-user functionality.
This thesis shows that a training simulation added to Connec2 can function as a possible market filling product due to its multi-user functionality. The other limitations like uncertain skill transfer can be assured with the use of observational learning and high cognitive and high physical fidelity. Multiple iterations of a tabletop exercise have been developed and tested which showed that the consistency of mechanics, reducing the displayed information and adding proper visual feedback results in a better usability of the training simulation. Good usability of the system helps to reduce the technical barrier.