McMaster x St. Joe
MY ROLE
Product Design (Research)
TIMELINE
8 months
10+ Interviews
100+ hours research
The Challenge
Workplace violence in hospitals is rising, but traditional Code White (de-escalation) training is passive, outdated, and fails to emotionally engage staff. Healthcare professionals needed realistic practice — not just theory — to stay safe and respond with confidence.
Opportunity
How might we reimagine safety training using immersive VR to simulate real-world Code White scenarios — in a way that feels human, interactive, and scalable?
What We Did
Research
Conducted 10+ stakeholder interviews (nurses, doctors, mental health workers)
Ran 100+ user research interactions via surveys, observations, and debriefs
Attended 8-hour CPI de-escalation training to map pain points firsthand
Collaborated with McMaster’s educational experts to embed best practices in learning design
Design Approach
Designed first-person, emotionally realistic training in Unity
Prototyped 3 escalating scenarios: de-escalation, disengagement, restraint
Used storyboarding, voiceovers, and realistic hospital settings to boost authenticity
Prioritized inclusive character design and psychological safety cues
The Final Product
A movie-like VR training tool that teaches frontline workers how to safely navigate aggressive situations — through immersion, practice, and reflection.
Features:
Lifelike characters with natural behavior and tone
Three progressive response paths
Real-time decision-making and feedback
Designed for single or group sessions using Viroo VR platform
Outcomes & Impact
Engagement: Users reported feeling more immersed and emotionally prepared
Confidence: Staff showed better recall and responsiveness compared to traditional training
Stakeholder buy-in: Hospital leadership backed further development
Recognized by design faculty and educators for innovation in experiential learning