ImmerJM: A 3D Design Tool for Creating User Journey Maps based on Immersive Virtual Environments

Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) have demonstrated substantial potential in user research. However, the integration of IVE into Journey Map (JM) creation remains unexplored, as traditional JM creation still predominantly relies on 2D data. To bridge this research gap, we integrated IVE into the JM creation process, aiming to explore the potential of applying IVE in the JM creation process. Through a formative study with design experts ($\mathrm{N}=14$), six design goals were identified, reflecting designers' expectations for incorporating IVE into JM creation. Based on these goals, we developed ImmerJM, a tool that enables designers to analyze and document user journeys directly within immersive 3D environments. We conducted a comparative evaluation with User Experience (UX) participants ($\mathrm{N}=20$) to assess the JM creation process of ImmerJM against a traditional screen-based method. The quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed key improvements (e.g., phase-based JM mapping) in journey process and outputs. Our findings suggest that ImmerJM advances JM methodologies by leveraging spatial immersion, offering crucial implications for future JM creation and broader UX design practices involving IVE technologies.