PPE Training Simulation

PPE Training Simulation

Immersive VR training that teaches electrical technicians to select and equip Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) correctly in a high-risk scenario, using a realistic digital twin of a datacenter changing room.

Overview · Problem & Goals · Research · Design Process · Solution · Results · Learnings

Project Overview

Client

Confidential industrial company (Arc Flash / NFPA 70E training)

Team

UX Designer, Unity Developers, 3D Artists, Product Manager, Product Owner, Industry Experts (client side)

ROLE / Responsibilities

UX Designer

  • Interaction model design (highlight, grab, equip)
  • Onboarding and task selection flow
  • Wrist UI logic (status, PPE checklist)
  • Tooltip rules and timing
  • User flows, wireframes, storyboard
  • Application Design Document (ADD)
  • UX QA + iteration with dev team
  • VR accessibility considerations for beginners

Tools

  • Figma
  • Unity
  • Teams
  • Azure
  • Blender
  • Microsoft 365

Duration

8–10 weeks | 2021

Problem statement

Technicians must follow strict PPE procedures to stay safe during high-risk electrical tasks, but traditional training is mostly theoretical. The company needed a VR module to teach the correct PPE sequence in a realistic, distraction-heavy environment that mimicked true conditions.

Goals

  • Train correct PPE order (NFPA 70E)
  • Mirror real datacenter changing-room conditions (noise + layout)
  • Support first-time VR users with clear onboarding
  • Provide intuitive interactions and real-time feedback
  • Maintain low cognitive load with a simple wrist UI
  • Demonstrate XR potential for future training modules

Research insights

Methods

  • Industry expert interviews
  • Analysis of PPE procedures
  • Benchmarking VR onboarding patterns
  • Internal testing with VR beginners

Key insights

  • The real environment is loud → must mimic distractions
  • PPE order must be enforced to prevent unsafe habits
  • Users need constant PPE status visibility (no mirrors allowed)
  • Teleport is the safest locomotion for this audience
  • Tooltips and timing cues reduce hesitation in VR beginners

User personas

Persona 1:

An electrical technician working in a high-risk environment. Needs clear guidance, low cognitive load, and realistic environmental noise. Main constraints: no VR experience, limited training time, and the need to feel confident their PPE is correct before a hazardous task.

Design process

1 Discovery

Mapped real procedures, gathered expert input, and identified constraints of Quest 2 and VR beginners.

2 Ideation

Sketched flows for onboarding, task selection, PPE interaction, wrist UI, and tooltip behavior.

3 Flows & wireframes

Defined structure, PPE sequence, instructional hierarchy, and interactions through wireframes and user flows.

4 Prototyping

Created a Unity prototype to test highlight behavior, grabbing, snapping, and wrist UI accessibility.

5 Testing

Internal UX QA and guerrilla tests to validate clarity of interactions, onboarding, and environmental noise.

6 Iteration & handoff

Refined timing, cues, and flows; delivered ADD, wireframes, and UX guidance to development and art teams.

Visual journey

Wireframes

Structure of onboarding, task selection, PPE logic, and wrist UI.

Interaction Prototype

Unity test validating highlight → grab → equip → ghost object → wrist UI.

Final Experience (Implemented by Dev/Art)

Digital twin environment, tooltips, and wrist menu following UX logic.

Validation

Internal QA and expert feedback shaping instruction placement, timing, and sequencing.

The solution

Key features

  • Teleport locomotion
  • Realistic noise + environmental cues
  • Highlight → grab → equip interaction
  • Ghost objects for missing PPE
  • Wrist UI with real-time status
  • Task selection lobby
  • Tooltip system for correct usage
  • Summary screen for correctness

Technical decisions

  • Full VR for immersion
  • Floating panels for clarity
  • Lightweight assets optimized for Quest 2
  • No mirrors → wrist UI as solution
  • Strict PPE ordering logic

Results & impact

Results

  • Technicians could complete PPE flow without assistance
  • Realistic distractions increased training authenticity
  • Interaction clarity validated through internal testing
  • XR training approved for future expansion

Impact

  • Reinforced safety procedures
  • Improved recognition of correct PPE order
  • Provided scalable model for future VR training modules

Key learnings

  • VR beginners require extremely clear guidance
  • Environmental noise can be an intentional training tool
  • Wrist-mounted UI is more intuitive than expected
  • Timing and cues drastically improve flow comprehension
  • Early prototypes save time in later development

Next steps

  • Add scenario-based tasks
  • Integrate LMS tracking
  • Expand to multiple PPE categories
  • Introduce performance scoring and feedback
  • Enable multi-step training journeys

Confidentiality note

This case study is a reconstructed summary created under NDA. It excludes all proprietary client content, and any visuals shown are my own prototypes or placeholder examples.