A virtual reality–enhanced design thinking model for developing visual thinking and creativity skills in interior design education

Developing visual thinking and creativity skills is central to contemporary interior design education, yet studio-based instruction often provides limited opportunities for students to visualize, test and refine spatial ideas iteratively. This study developed and evaluated a six-stage instructional model integrating virtual reality (VR) with design thinking, termed the virtual reality–design thinking (VR–DT) model, and structured around empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test and reflection. The model was developed through a review of relevant literature and expert-informed design, refined through focus-group feedback and evaluated by the same expert panel for clarity, pedagogical alignment and feasibility. It was then implemented over six weeks in an undergraduate interior design course and compared with conventional studio-based instruction. Expert ratings indicated strong agreement on the model’s structure and classroom suitability. Post-intervention results showed that students in the VR–DT group achieved higher rubric-based scores in visual thinking and creativity skills than those receiving conventional instruction. The findings suggest that embedding VR within a structured design thinking process may support observation, spatial checking, feedback and creative refinement in studio-based design education.