Using HTA and UML in Analysis and Design Phases for a VR-Based Nursing Lab

Due to interruptions in the learning process at different universities inPalestine either because of the political situtaation or the COVID-19 pandemic,distance learning is becoming an adopted approach during academic semesters indisaster management planning for such universities. Consequently, differentLearning Management Systems (LMS) are supporting synchronous and asynchronousteaching modalities. However, distance learning has some obstacles fornursing students who need to acquire skills taught in a real nursing laboratories.Among the possible solutions that can alleviate such an issue is virtual reality(VR) technology. This study aims at analyzing and designing a VR system(NursingXR) that provides training and assessments to nursing students of fundamentalsof nursing lab courses in their undergraduate programs. The study presentsa hybrid approach which utilizes the Multimedia Development Life Cycle(MDLC) along with Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) and Unified ModelingLanguage (UML) diagrams. The outcome is then used to provide the necessaryinformation to VR developers in the implementation phase of the project. To validatethe proposed requirements and HTA and UML diagrams, a prototype wasdeveloped based on output from analysis, design, and data collection phases. Resultsshowed that the proposed hybrid approach is valid to develop VR applicationsin the medical domain.