Show, Don’t Tell: The Power of Visualisation in Immersive Technologies

For over a decade, I have worked in immersive technologies, creating pre-rendered and real-time visualisation models to inform communities, stakeholders, and government ministers. Whether it’s a major infrastructure project or a small urban redesign, I have seen firsthand how the right visualisation leads to the right conversations. If you want people to ask the right questions, give them the truest representation of what you are doing.

In civil construction, CAD drawings are the foundation of planning and design. However, they are just a representation, one that can be difficult to interpret for those without a technical background. Today, most CAD designs come from 3D modelling software like Rhino, SketchUp, or Revit, but even these can be hard to grasp on a 2D screen.

A 3D model provides a far more intuitive perspective. In virtual reality (VR), stakeholders don’t just look at a design, they stand inside it. They can observe, explore, and truly understand how a space functions. This leads to better feedback, smarter decision-making, and fewer costly mistakes.

One of my projects involved a multi-stage platform at a train station. A key concern was accessibility—how would disabled passengers navigate the space? Instead of relying on diagrams and explanations, we used 3D visualisation to demonstrate all possible paths through the station. This allowed stakeholders to experience the routes themselves, ensuring every detail was considered.

One of my personal stories involved a security barrier with a glass panel. During a VR walkthrough, security personnel asked if the model reflected the exact height of the barrier. Since the VR simulation was calibrated to real-world scale, the answer was yes. Seeing this in context, they realised the glass would obstruct sightlines, leading to a critical design change before fabrication. This prevented costly rework and saved thousands.

There is an upfront cost to 3D production, but it is minimal compared to the price of construction errors. When a design isn’t fit for purpose, changes become expensive, disruptive, and frustrating for all involved.

With 3D visualisation, you can rapidly design and iterate, test different layouts, and explore variations before anything is built. This provides transparency to stakeholders, allowing them to engage with the design process rather than reacting to a final product that doesn’t meet their needs.

With the rise of AI-generated imagery and video, it’s easier than ever to create a polished render. But visualisation is more than just a pretty picture. It’s about who and why, not just what, when, and where.

Currently, I am exploring ways to use AI masking to enhance simplified 3D models, automatically adding detail while maintaining clarity. But no matter how advanced technology becomes, the real value of visualisation is in building connections. It allows people to engage with a project, understand its impact, and provide meaningful input.

This was especially clear in the Batemans Bay bridge replacement project. The existing bridge was beloved by the community, but it needed to be replaced to improve traffic flow and maritime access. Through visualisation, we didn’t just present a new design, we facilitated conversations, addressed concerns, and helped manage expectations. This made the transition smoother, with the community feeling heard and involved.

Visualisation is not just a game, a render, or a video. It’s a tool that shows what is possible and why it matters. Whether in architecture, urban planning, or civil engineering, the ability to see, experience, and interact with a design before it is built is invaluable.

By showing, not just telling, we create better projects, stronger engagement, and more informed decision-making. And that makes all the difference.

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