Xpan

York University's Risk and Insurance Studies Centre (RISC)in Ontario, Canada, is a global Think Tank that leads research in Risk Management and Insurance with the aim towards a sustainable future.

TheRISC conducts important research that facilitates dialogue between academia, private industry, the public sector, and government bodies.

Housefires represent one of the most common emergencies experienced by Canadians, however only a tiny percentage of the population has experienced this in their lifetime. In studying people's readiness to purchase extra protection in the event of a fire, the scholars at RISC hypothesized that people would be more willing to purchase this insurance after exposure to a housefire. However, this is a difficult situation to safely create and replicate, even in a controlled environment.

Choice experiments, along with responses to a set of survey questions based on hypothetical situations, are widely used in economics to elicit consumer preferences or valuations that are not observed. The problem is that choice experiments are subject to hypothetical bias - the potential error that arises in our choices because we are faced with a hypothetical rather than an actual situation.

Research shows that using Virtual Reality (VR) can simulate a potentially dangerous experience in a repeatable, safe, controlled environment, as well as attenuate the bias associated with choice experiments. York University entrusted Xpan's team of creatives to develop a VR experience that would further their efforts with risk research.

Xpan's credo was brought to life as we developed the right VR solution for York University's RISC Department:

• We dream big - The goal was to create an experience that was as realistic as possible with a very limited budget. Our strategy was to limit the number and complexity of interactions as well as scenes so priority could be given to the elements that needed the most realism - fire, smoke, and the emergency sequence.
• We keep it real - Our main consideration was to ensure that the experience was real enough to stimulate an emotional response, but not so real as to cause physical, mental, or emotional trauma; balancing the two was tricky!
• We've got your back - This project's minimal funding and exceptionally tight timeline meant our team needed to mobilize quickly and efficiently to be able to deliver what York's RISC Department needed. With creativity and teamwork, the project came in on time, and on budget.
• We love what we do - The highlight of this experience was the use of spatial audio. A well-timed scream to instill the urgency of a real housefire, along with the sound of a person's heartbeat increasing, both added to the realism of the scenario.

RISC's VR housefire simulation obtained funding support from eCampus Ontario and procured Oculus Quest devices from the Centre to deliver the experience for up to 20 participants at a time in a tethered environment.

The experiment involved approximately 120 subjects who completed a survey asking them to rate their willingness to pay for added fire protection on their insurance policies. After a period of six to eight weeks, the subjects experienced the VR simulation and then took the same survey to measure the change (if any) in their responses.

Xpan Interactive developed the simulation as a holographic environment using Unity as the graphics engine. The Xpan and RISC teams used an agile workflow and active collaboration to make the concept a reality and bring the housefire scenario to life.

The VR scenario was delivered as a three-minute simulation of someone experiencing a housefire. The length of the simulation accurately represented the average time a person has to escape a housefire. Using a combination of visual and audio effects, the simulation was very effective in testing. It created an authentic impact on users, eliciting the intended fear response, while preserving the physical and psychological safety of the participants.

See a compressed recording of the simulation in action:https://vimeo.com/711651305

Glencoreis one of the world's largest globally diversified natural resource companies. Founded in 1974 as a trading company, Glencore has grown to become the leading producer and marketer of commodities, with operations comprising of approximately 60 mining, metallurgical and oil production assets. From metals and minerals to energy products and marketing, Glencore seeks to minimize their impacts on the environment and communities.

Potential risks related to the Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs) are especially well-known, providing industry experts with many valuable lessons, along with years of practical experience and expertise to help mitigate the risk of such failures.

Glencore challenged Xpan to create a digital learning solution that would harness this expert knowledge and provide it to those who play an important role in securing the stability of tailings dams. Glencore also wanted this learning solution to help employees follow legal and regulatory requirements based on their jurisdictions to ensure the protection of the environment and communities surrounding such facilities.

Our Xpan credo was at the forefront of our minds during every stage of this project:

• We dream big - This course captured the best thinking from a collection of world experts on TSFs. It is the only known program of its kind in the industry and is one of the most comprehensive technical training academies Xpan has produced.
• We keep it real - This project involved a complex group of stakeholders who came together from across multiple contributing companies, cultural contexts, languages and priorities. Our Xpan team thoughtfully facilitated the sharing of best practices from these diverse entities to produce a curriculum that remained true to Glencore's mission of elevating industry standards.
• We've got your back -With the considerable size and complexity of this project, it's not surprising that many changes and interruptions happened along the way. Our Xpan team skillfully assisted Glencore in navigating the process to produce a learning solution that upholds their unwavering commitment to developing competency in their organization.
• We love what we do - We incorporated advanced animations and unique presentation modes to represent the technical concepts in interesting and engaging ways. We were thrilled and honoured to win the Silver Brandon Hall Group award for this important project!

Glencore has taken the lead in managing its Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs) around the world by partnering with Xpan to create the Tailings Manager Academy (TMA), an international, online, university-style learning experience.

The TMA is a place where Glencore employees can build on their existing knowledge and skills and increase their ability to make correct decisions in the design, construction, operation, monitoring, and maintenance of TSFs. A detailed curriculum covers aspects of TSF management, and industry best practices, and provides Glencore employees with the information they need to successfully apply Glencore's high safety standards.

The TMA curriculum has been developed entirely by Xpan in collaboration with a global panel of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from Glencore, Hatch, and Klohn Crippen Berger across 5 continents. The TMA course material is divided into three certificates, designed for the three main employee groups at a TSF:

1. Operators and technicians
2. Dam owners, managers, and accountable executives
3. Responsible persons and engineering staff

The TMA program reflects eLearning best practices, integrating proven instructional design and adult learning principles, with a multimedia approach to create engaging and interactive learning experiences. The modules follow a university-style model and present theory in discrete sections and topics, in a linear, asynchronous format.

Customized interactivities and knowledge checks were designed and included to help the learner retain knowledge of key topics and concepts. Expert moments are included as video segments, allowing subject matter experts to share knowledge that can only be obtained through years of specialized field experience. Learners also have access to handbooks that support the material and their learning. Lastly, end-of-module assessments and a final exam confirm the learners' mastery of content.

The program achieved overwhelmingly positive reviews and won a silver Brandon Hall Group award for custom content in 2022.