Exploring the Usability of Virtual Reality as a Tool to Assess Collective Non-Technical Skills: The Case of Team Communication During a Collaborative Task

Background In any technical field, Non-Technical Skills (NTS) complement the work activity. Communication is one of these essential skills, required in any activity involving social and professional interaction. These communication skills are crucial especially in high-risk industrial environments. This collective and social NTS can be a contributing factor in many workplace accidents. Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly crucial to be able to act on this skill, starting with its diagnosis and objective assessment. Aim This study presents an assessment of this specific NTS through a Virtual Reality (VR) simulation. The VR scenario used involve a team solving of a collective task under time pressure. This virtual environment has been designed to match the anxiety-inducing, high-risk industrial context. Method N = 59 participants were included in the study and divided into 12 groups. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to assess the overall groups’ performance. This mixed data will be analyzed and presented to compare team communication when performing a time-pressured collaborative task in an immersive environment. First, we will analyze the quantitative performance data using the k-means unsupervised clustering method guided by principal component analysis (PCA). Verbal data were then studied to account for differentiations in the communicative skills mobilized and which will characterize each of the clusters. Results Three distinct clusters emerged, each representing different performance patterns. Analysis of the verbal data revealed that these clusters correspond to varying levels of communication skills. Conclusion Virtual reality simulation is an effective tool for assessing group communication, and can be an effective training tool combined with structured debriefing.