Ikigai’s Immersive VR Bias Training Platform
Most unconscious bias training explains the problem. This platform makes you feel it. A first-person VR experience built with Ikigai to turn awareness into genuine empathy.
The Client
Ikigai People Advisory Services is a consultancy focused on transforming workplace culture through strategic people development. They specialise in leadership coaching, inclusive organisational design, and human capital advisory. By combining behavioural science with practical business insight, Ikigai supports companies in building conscious, connected, and equitable work environments.
To elevate their unconscious bias training programme, Ikigai engaged Realm to translate theoretical learning into an emotionally engaging, experience-driven virtual reality training tool.
The Challenge
Although unconscious bias is widely acknowledged in corporate environments, training efforts often fail to deliver meaningful, lasting impact. Traditional formats such as workshops, presentations, and discussions tend to remain theoretical, making it difficult for participants to connect with the real emotional consequences of biased behaviour in the workplace.
Ikigai wanted to shift the approach from explanation to experience. Their goal was to develop a learning tool that could foster personal reflection and empathy by allowing users to embody the perspective of those affected by bias.
They envisioned a virtual reality training experience that could:
- Simulate realistic workplace scenarios that reveal unconscious bias in action
- Elicit emotional responses through audio, visual, and behavioural cues
- Support individual reflection through structured follow-up prompts and questions
- Offer adaptable and scalable modules for different clients
The initial rollout would include three scenarios: Mansplaining, disability bias, and exclusion through biased job criteria. Each scenario needed to be designed with enough emotional depth to provoke empathy while remaining grounded in everyday workplace realities.
The Solution
Realm provided end-to-end support across development, design, and consulting to bring Ikigai’s vision to life. Built in Unity and supported by Blender and Photoshop, the final product is a fully immersive VR training tool that blends narrative, interaction, and reflection.
Key elements of the solution included:
Onboarding and User Guidance
The experience begins with clear, accessible instructions to ensure users unfamiliar with VR hardware can comfortably navigate the environment.
AI-Driven Visuals and Voiceovers
All characters and dialogue were generated using AI, allowing the client to quickly update or create new scenarios without manual rework or recording. This modular approach supports easy expansion across diverse training needs.
Facial Expression and Animation System
Realm built a flexible animation system that interprets descriptive scripts to drive avatar expressions and reactions. This removed the need for traditional frame-by-frame animation and streamlined future content development.
Multisensory Immersion
Each scenario places users in the first-person perspective of someone experiencing bias, immersing them in realistic and emotionally charged situations:
- Users see a live display of their avatar’s face when they glance down at the VR controller, observing real-time facial expressions and emotional responses.
- Elevated heartbeat audio intensifies during key moments, paired with haptic feedback to simulate physical stress responses.
- After each encounter, colleagues’ reflections reinforce the emotional and relational impact of what occurred.
Integrated Learning Tools
After each scenario, an informational panel outlines the specific bias encountered. This is followed by a short quiz that encourages reflection and reinforces key takeaways.
The Results
The completed VR training tool enabled Ikigai to redefine how they deliver unconscious bias training, combining emotional immersion with structured learning.. Participants move beyond theory, experiencing workplace bias in a way that fosters empathy and reflection.
Ikigai now has a scalable and modular framework that allows them to:
- Rapidly develop new scenarios tailored to different clients
- Respond to specific HR challenges with customised learning experiences
- Present a compelling product to potential investors and partners
Initial feedback from the Ikigai team has been extremely positive. They view the platform as a powerful extension of their work and are preparing to introduce it to broader audiences through future collaborations and partnerships.
Partnering with Realm took our unconscious bias work from something people talk about to something they can truly feel. Together, we created an immersive experience that makes the unseen seen – sparking empathy, reflection, and real behaviour change. It’s a powerful way to connect with people on a deeply human level and to bring our work to life across clients and industries.
– Taya Buchanan, Alchemist at Ikigai People Advisory Services
Key Takeaways
- Immersive VR transformed unconscious bias training into an emotionally engaging, first-person experience.
- Realm’s modular animation and content system supports fast, cost-effective scenario creation.
- The solution bridges theory and empathy, helping organisations foster more inclusive workplace behaviour.
The project highlights the untapped potential of virtual reality and emerging technologies to transform learning and engagement in ways many organisations may not yet have considered. Its application in diversity and inclusion training is just one example of how versatile and impactful this technology can be across different contexts.
