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Overview

This project is an immersive Fire Safety and Evacuation training experience designed for everyday employees across field and office environments. The goal was to transform a traditional, slide-based fire safety presentation into an engaging, scenario-driven virtual reality learning experience that improves recall, decision-making, and real-world readiness during emergency situations.

The original content began as a standard PowerPoint training, which was reimagined into a fully interactive VR simulation built in CenarioVR. This transformation allowed learners to move beyond passive instruction and instead practice situational awareness and evacuation decision-making in a realistic environment.

Critical Energy/Electric Infrastructure Information (CEII) and other sensitive organizational details were redacted to ensure compliance and confidentiality.

The training was designed to:

• Improve employee readiness during fire emergencies

• Reinforce evacuation procedures in a realistic, contextual setting

• Increase engagement and knowledge retention through immersion

• Support safety compliance training in a scalable format

Process

Content Analysis & Conversion from PowerPoint

The project began with an existing Fire Safety and Evacuation PowerPoint presentation. I conducted a thorough content review to:

• Identify key learning objectives and safety behaviors

• Extract essential procedural steps (alarm response, evacuation routes, assembly points, etc.)

• Simplify dense instructional text into action-based learning moments

• Reframe static content into scenario-driven decision points

This phase focused on shifting the training from “what to know” to “what to do in the moment.”

Instructional Design Strategy

To support an adult workforce with varying experience levels, the training was designed using:

• scenario-based learning principles

• experiential learning theory

• visual and spatial reinforcement of safety procedures

The goal was to simulate real-world urgency while maintaining clarity and psychological safety for learners.

Each VR segment was structured to:

• present a situation

• prompt observation and decision-making

• reinforce correct evacuation behaviors

VR Development in CenarioVR

Using CenarioVR, I built an immersive learning environment that allowed users to experience fire safety scenarios in a realistic 360° setting.

Key development activities included:

• structuring branching VR scenes for learner choices

• embedding instructional prompts and decision checkpoints

• integrating narration and on-screen guidance

• designing intuitive navigation for non-technical users

Asset Creation and Media Production

To enhance realism and engagement, I incorporated multiple media tools:

• Captured 360° environmental footage using an Insta360 Camera to build immersive workplace-style settings

• Developed professional narration using WellSaid Labs to ensure consistent, clear, and accessible voiceover delivery

• Edited and organized supporting visuals and instructional assets for seamless integration into the VR experience

These tools helped create a more authentic and engaging training environment that mirrored real-world conditions.

SME Collaboration & Stakeholder Communication

Throughout the project, I collaborated closely with subject matter experts and stakeholders via a dedicated Microsoft Teams channel.

This allowed for:

• real-time feedback on safety procedures

• validation of evacuation protocols

• iterative content review and updates

• alignment with organizational safety standards

SMEs provided critical insights into real-world emergency expectations, ensuring instructional accuracy and relevance.

Review, Redaction, and Finalization

Before final delivery:

• CEII and sensitive operational information were carefully redacted

• content was reviewed for compliance and safety accuracy

• VR interactions were tested for usability and clarity

• adjustments were made based on stakeholder feedback

The final experience was optimized for accessibility, ensuring employees could navigate the simulation without prior VR experience.

Deliverable

The final product is an immersive Fire Safety and Evacuation VR training simulation built in CenarioVR, designed to prepare employees for emergency response through experiential learning.