WSUS: A Novel Usability Metric Based on SUS for VR-based Tasks in Cultural Heritage Contexts

The proliferation of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies has significantly transformed the landscape of cultural heritage experiences, offering immersive and interactive access to historical and cultural content. However, the effective evaluation of user experience and system usability within these VR environments remains a challenge, primarily due to the unique demands and interaction paradigms they present. This paper introduces the Weighted System Usability Scale (WSUS), a novel adaptation of the traditional System Usability Scale (SUS) methodology, specifically tailored for assessing VR-based experiences in cultural heritage contexts. The WSUS method incorporates a weighted scoring system that accounts for the distinct aspects of user engagement based on the specific content of the experience, which conventional SUS does not adequately capture. Through a comprehensive study involving different groups of participants on a specific VR cultural heritage application, the WSUS methodology demonstrated a heightened sensitivity to usability issues related to cultural heritage contents. The results revealed that WSUS scores correlated significantly with users' overall satisfaction and perceived learning outcomes, highlighting the method's effectiveness in evaluating the nuanced dimensions of VR usability.