This study investigates the cognitive characteristics and transition flow of team mental models in virtual reality environments (VRE) compared to Zoom-based collaboration during fashion design problem-solving processes. Using the VRE platform Spatial.io as a case study, the study examines how virtual reality technologies influence the formation of shared mental models among collaborators. The objective is to identify key cognitive features that VREs offer to support problem-solving in multidisciplinary fashion design collaborations. The study employed a comparative experimental design, involving professionals from fashion design, marketing, and production. Participants completed the design concept generation tasks in both VRE and Zoom environments, all interactions were recorded and coded, with the analysis focusing on cognitive transitions, verbal dynamics, and collaborative behavior patterns across both environments. The results reveal that VRE fosters higher frequencies of environmental interaction (EI-EI), cognitive integration (CIM-CI), and planning to execution transitions in team interactions (PP-PIM), forming multidirectional feedback loops. These features enhanced dynamic adaptation to environmental stimuli. In contrast, Zoom-based collaboration relied heavily on linear verbal communication, with fewer cognitive transitions and limited structural feedback loops, thereby reducing efficiency in idea evaluation and execution in team interaction. The study highlights the potential of VREs to transform collaborative practices in fashion design by enabling immersive and multidimensional interactions, contributing to advancing digital collaboration strategies in creative industries, with implications for education and interdisciplinary innovation.

Abstract
I.􀀃 Introduction􀀃
Ⅱ.􀀃 Background
    1.􀀎 Multidisciplinary􀀎 problem-solving􀀎 in􀀎 fashion􀀎design􀀎 collaboration
    2.􀀎 Immersive􀀎 virtual􀀎 reality􀀎 environments􀀎 and􀀎collaboration
Ⅲ.􀀃 Methodology
    1.􀀎 Research􀀎 methodology
    2.􀀎 Participant􀀎 selection
    3.􀀎 Experimental􀀎 setting
    4.􀀎 Analysis􀀎
IV.􀀃 Results
    1.􀀎 Case􀀎 analysis
V.􀀃 Discussion
    1.􀀎 Distinctiveness􀀎 of􀀎 environmental􀀎 interaction
    2.􀀎 Effectiveness􀀎 of􀀎 information􀀎 integration􀀎 and􀀎transformation
    3.􀀎 Formation􀀎 of􀀎 cognitive􀀎 feedback􀀎 loops
    4.􀀎Formation􀀎of􀀎team􀀎mental􀀎models􀀎and􀀎limitation
Ⅵ.􀀃 Conclusion
References

• Eun Kyoung Yang(Assistant Professor, Dept. of Integrated Design, Yonsei University, Korea) | 양은경 (연세대학교 통합디자인학과 조교수) Corresponding author