Visual Twin

Discover a grasping view of The Netherlands

My graduation project, in collaboration with fellow student Dirk van der Lep, involved the development of a tool within Unreal Engine for The Imagineers, a company specialized in visualizations and citizen engagement. The objective was to integrate visualizations and create a digital twin, with a focus on societal impact in the context of urban planning. Our project aimed to be relevant not only to project initiators but also to ordinary citizens. We combined our expertise in User Interface/User Experience and development to achieve this. The end result is an impressive product that brings together technical innovation and civic engagement.

The Project

Start 05-09-2022

How did it start and why

For our graduation project, Dirk van der Lep and I decided to join forces. Dirk focused on development, while I concentrated on design. Our goal was to develop a tool within Unreal Engine and explore how this contributes to societal impact in the context of urban planning. The Imagineers were enthusiastic about our proposal, and we began working on the graduation project.

Data Analysis

What is already there and how can it be improved

Even though it's now outdated, in the context of product development, understanding what the current and potential competitors offer in the respective market was crucial. Therefore, a competitive analysis was conducted, specifically focusing on the offerings of Digital Twins. Through a competitive analysis, a company can gain a clearer understanding of what the competitors are up to and anticipate potential future strategies.

The objective of this competitive analysis is to determine where The Imagineers' Visual Twin can distinguish itself in the market. This can be considered when making design decisions during product development.

The analysis of the competition matrix reveals that there is room for improvement in terms of price and range in the existing Digital Twins. This presents an opportunity for The Imagineers to improve on.


Customer focussed	+	++	++	??
Pricing	–	+	–	??
Quality	++	-+	+	??
Features	++	–	+	??
Environmentally oriented	+	++	—	??
User-friendly	++	–	+	??
Product range	+	+	–	??

Data Driven

Generating a world based on data

For Visual Twin, it was essential to meticulously construct the Netherlands based on real-time world data.

For accurate data, we utilized Cesium for Unreal. Cesium provided us with the capability to set up a detailed 3D world, allowing us to develop and position our own map layers.

To accurately represent the elevation of the world, I developed a tool that retrieves all maps from the Actual Height Map of the Netherlands (AHN). In this prototype, we opted to use AHN4, as AHN5 was still in production during the development phase.

Having accurate buildings in our 3D world was also of paramount importance. With precise height data and buildings, we could design solutions for things like solar panels, wind turbines, and other urban planning tools.

I obtained these detailed buildings through 3DBAG. 3DBAG generates 3D buildings with accurate height and roofs by converting information from the Cadastre into geometric shapes.

UI & UX Design

Make it user-friendly.

When creating the UI style for Visual Twin, the central focus was on designing a product that is useful, easy to use, desirable, recognizable, easy to navigate, and credible.

Several iterations were designed and tested based on these criteria, supported by design principles from the Universal Principles of Design, such as Hicks Law, Jakob’s Law, and Fitts Law. These iterations were developed to provide choices to the users.

To gauge the preferences of The Imagineers' employees, a Google Forms survey was conducted. The results were carefully analyzed and served as a guide in determining the final UI style for Visual Twin. The survey provided a precise understanding of the employees' preferences, aiding in the creation of a UI style that aligned with the expectations and preferences of the internal users.

How can we improve this?

Prototype UI and UX

After establishing the final style, a Figma prototype was developed to visualize the UI style. This prototype was distributed to the target audience for feedback and to determine if the style was clear and user-friendly.

To fully test the functionalities of the prototype, the decision was made to transition to Unreal Engine for a more realistic 3D experience. This was inspired by discussions with experts, including Thomas Geurink, a lecturer specializing in user interface and user experience. This decision ensured that the test results were more accurate and valuable.

Usability Test

Within this usability test, specific objectives were established, including evaluating navigation through the 3D world, object placement, and overall usage of the interface. These objectives were based on achieving an intuitive user experience and identifying strengths and weaknesses.

The test was conducted using qualitative methods, where participants were given tasks to perform while their interactions were observed and recorded. The results of these tests provided valuable insights, including positive feedback on user-friendliness and suggestions for further improvement.

With this feedback, final adjustments were made, focusing on optimizing the navigation interface, zooming in and out, object placement, and the use of the search bar. Improvements were made in the speed, clarity, and intuitiveness of the UI elements.

Demonstration

Conclusion Visual Twin

In conclusie is de Visual Twin een veelbelovende technologie die bij kan dragen aan de verbetering van bedrijfsprocessen en participatie. Het biedt bedrijven de mogelijkheid om complexe processen te simuleren en te analyseren, waardoor ze beter kunnen worden geoptimaliseerd in combinatie met burgerparticipatie. Door de groeiende interesse en het potentieel van Digital Twins, zal deze technologie zeker een belangrijke rol gaan spelen in de toekomstige industrie en bedrijfsontwikkeling.

The Visual Twin can be a tool that enables citizens to be more involved in developments. This way, people gain a better understanding of potential area changes. This allows for participation, discussions, and more engagement from the local community!