A theoretical model of wayfinding in virtual environments: Proposed strategies for navigational aiding

This paper proposes a theoretical model of wayfinding that can be used to g uide the design of navigational aiding in virtual environments. Based on an evaluation of wayfinding studies in natural environments, this model divid es the wayfinding process into three main subprocesses: cognitive mapping, wayfinding plan development, and physical movement or navigation through an environment. While this general subdivision has been proposed before, the current model further delineates the wayfinding process, including the dist inct influences of spatial information, spatial orientation, and spatial kn owledge. The influences of experience, abilities, search strategies, motiva tion, and environmental layout on the wayfinding process are also considere d. With this specification of the wayfinding process, a taxonomy of navigat ional tools is then proposed that can be used to systematically aid the spe cified wayfinding subprocesses. If effectively applied to the design of a v irtual environment, the use of such tools should lead to reduced disorienta tion and enhanced wayfinding in large-scale virtual spaces. It is also sugg ested that, in some cases, this enhanced wayfinding performance may be at t he expense of the acquisition of an accurate cognitive map of the virtual e nvironment being traversed.