Virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays allow designers to work in embodied ways within virtual environments. Yet despite growing industry interest, little is known about how VR supports or constrains 3D design workflows, leaving questions about its practical value. We explored the experiences and workflows of using head-mounted displays for 3D design through a 12-week study with 55 senior design students. Participants completed questionnaires, produced design projects, and kept journals, which we analyzed. Our results show that VR is viewed as a powerful design tool, where embodiment and spatial interaction underscore design as an immersive experience in its own right. VR excels in freehand design and sketching, but struggles with precision and complexity. However, VR can flexibly fit into broader workflows, where designers move fluently between VR and non-VR tools and activities. We present considerations for integrating VR into design processes, particularly how VR integrates with traditional 3D design tools and activities like sketching.
ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems