Immersive Engagement in Five Steps w. Sarah DiLeo

Watch the recording here:

https://futurespaces.com/recordings/immersive-engagement-in-five-steps

Introduction: Why Immersive Experiences Need a New Approach

In an era where audiences are bombarded with digital and physical stimuli, how can designers create immersive experiences that truly resonate? The answer lies not in overloading the senses, but in fostering deep engagement, inclusivity, and shared participation.

Sarah DiLeo, a leader in experience design, recently shared insights from two years of research, revealing a new framework for immersive experiences—one that shifts focus from spectacle to connection. This blog explores her findings, highlighting how to design experiences that are engaging, inclusive, and unforgettable.

1. Rethinking Immersion: More Than Just Spectacle

• Traditional definitions of immersive experiences focus on sensory overload (big screens, sound, VR, AR).
• However, true immersion isn’t about how an experience looks—it’s about how it makes people feel.
• The key to success? Engagement and participation—designing experiences where people feel included and invested.

2. The Five-Stage Framework for Meaningful Engagement

Sarah’s research identifies five key phases that make an experience truly immersive:

1. Awareness: Making People Notice

• People won’t engage with what they don’t know exists.
• Designers must actively invite participation—whether through signage, marketing, or strategic placement.

2. Willingness: Overcoming Hesitation

• Even if people notice an experience, they ask: “Is this for me?”
• Clear visual and interactive cues help guide users past uncertainty.

3. Connection: Creating a Sense of Belonging

• Engagement only happens when people feel a meaningful connection to an experience.
• Immediate, visible feedback encourages users to stay engaged.

4. Investment: Sustaining Engagement Over Time

• People co-create the experience through their interactions.
• Personalization, gamification, and progressive storytelling keep users invested.

5. Sharing: Extending the Experience Beyond the Moment

• The strongest experiences leave users wanting to share what they’ve encountered.
• Social sharing, digital extensions, and word-of-mouth drive lasting impact.

3. The Three Core Design Elements for Sustained Engagement

To support the five-stage journey, Sarah highlights three critical design principles:

1. Invitation: Making Engagement Feel Personal

• Explicitly invite people in—never assume they will engage naturally.
• Think beyond physical space: integrate digital extensions and pre-event marketing.

2. Instruction: Clear, Accessible Guidance

• Many people hesitate to engage because they don’t understand how.
• Clear and intuitive instructions, whether through text, visuals, or live guidance, lower the barrier to participation.

3. Response: Immediate and Meaningful Feedback

• Users must see their impact in real-time to feel truly immersed.
• The experience should evolve based on interaction, ensuring a dynamic, engaging journey.

4. Why Shared Experiences Are the Future of Engagement

• Humans crave connection and communal moments—this is what drives emotional resonance.
• Immersive design isn’t about just placing people in a cool environment—it’s about creating shared meaning.
• "A great story invites everybody in." – This principle applies across all forms of immersive storytelling.

5. Actionable Takeaways for Experience Designers

If you’re designing an immersive experience, here are key strategies to consider:

✅ Apply the Five-Stage Engagement Model to structure user interaction.

✅ Incorporate Invitations, Instructions, and Responses to sustain engagement.

✅ Design for Co-Creation—allow participants to shape the experience.

✅ Ensure Immediate and Meaningful Feedback to maintain immersion.

✅ Encourage Sharing to extend impact beyond the moment.

Conclusion: A New Era of Immersive Experiences

The future of immersive design is not about spectacle—it’s about connection. By shifting focus from passive consumption to active participation, designers can create experiences that are more inclusive, engaging, and long-lasting.

As Sarah DiLeo’s research reveals, the best immersive experiences don’t just surround people—they invite them in, make them feel seen, and inspire them to share.

Call to Action:

Are you designing immersive experiences? How do you foster engagement and participation? Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with us to continue the conversation! 🚀