Toward Efficient Academia-Industry Collaboration: A Case Study of Joint VR System Development

Abstract

Collaborative academia-industry development and evaluation of<br/>virtual reality (VR) systems is a mutually beneficial opportunity<br/>to investigate VR technology in a real context and conduct user<br/>studies with target users. However, such collaboration is rarely<br/>performed due to variations in project pace and work methods. In<br/>this article, we introduce the process of action research on joint<br/>design, development, and evaluation of a collaborative VR system<br/>to address industrial needs. The paper further presents employees’<br/>subjective opinions and perceived value of industrial VR applica-<br/>tions and reflects on their involvement throughout the process. The<br/>article concludes with a process-oriented framework for remote<br/>academia-industry collaboration, supported with practical sugges-<br/>tions on how to support this collaboration. Our experiences reveal<br/>the methods and advantages of remote collaboration in all phases<br/>of the process and signify the efficiency of the remote framework<br/>for academia-industry collaboration, especially relevant in the light<br/>of the COVID-19 pandemia