ISO/IEC TR 23842-1:2020 provides guidance on human factor considerations for using VR content in learning, education, and training environments. It is relevant where organizations need a technical reference to evaluate how virtual reality content may affect user interaction, task performance, and overall usability. As a supporting document in the ISO/IEC TR 23842 series, it helps teams align technical review, documented evaluation, and risk management activities when planning or assessing VR-based content for instructional use.

ISO/IEC TR 23842-1:2020 standard overview

ISO/IEC TR 23842-1:2020, titled Information technology for learning, education and training - Human factor guidelines for virtual reality content - Part 1: Considerations when using VR content, focuses on practical considerations for applying VR content in educational and training settings. Its scope is best understood as guidance for usability, user interaction, and implementation choices that affect technical assessment and operational consistency. For procurement, engineering documentation, and compliance workflows, it can support a more structured review of how VR content is selected, tested, and validated.

Applications of ISO/IEC TR 23842-1:2020

Organizations may use ISO/IEC TR 23842-1:2020 when evaluating VR content for training simulations, learning platforms, and other instructional systems where user experience and human factors influence outcomes. It is useful during product evaluation, verification activities, and technical validation of VR-based learning materials. Teams involved in content development, system integration, or laboratory evaluation can use it to compare design choices, assess user suitability, and support consistent testing workflows across different deployment scenarios.

Why ISO/IEC TR 23842-1:2020 matters

This document matters because VR content used in education and training can introduce usability and safety-related risks if human factors are not considered early. ISO/IEC TR 23842-1:2020 helps support conformity assessment preparation by giving teams a common reference for technical review and quality workflows. It can also improve procurement decisions by clarifying what to examine in a VR content solution before adoption, helping reduce implementation risk and improve interoperability between content, devices, and intended learning objectives.

• Supports human-factor review of VR content used in learning and training contexts
• Helps structure technical assessment, verification activities, and documented evaluation
• Useful for procurement teams comparing VR content against compliance and usability needs
• Assists with risk reduction, quality assurance, and operational consistency in deployment