A Pilot Implementation and Usability Evaluation of a Database-Supported VR/BIM-Based Communication and Simulation System for Healthcare Design

This study presents the development and pilot implementation of a Database-Supported VR/BIM-Based Communication and Simulation (DVBCS) system designed to enhance design comprehension, stakeholder engagement, and decision-making in the early planning stages of a disaster hospital in Jordan. The system integrates database-structured BIM models, a real-time visualisation environment built with Unreal Engine, and a semi-immersive VR projection setup to provide interactive walkthroughs and workflow simulations. A pilot usability evaluation was conducted with 10 participants, including five healthcare professionals and 5 members of the architectural and engineering team. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, observations, and guided discussions during the VR sessions. Results indicate that the DVBCS system improved users' understanding of spatial configurations, facilitated clearer communication, and supported more efficient identification of design issues compared with traditional design communication methods. Participants reported high satisfaction with the system's visual clarity, interactivity, and usefulness for collaborative review. However, the study also identified limitations related to hardware costs, required training, and the small sample size. As a pilot study, these findings are preliminary but demonstrate the potential of VR/BIM-supported approaches to strengthen communication and reduce design errors in healthcare planning. Future research should include larger samples and controlled comparisons to validate the system's effectiveness further.