DAVID
COBBINS
Creative Producer. Technology Researcher. Content Developer.
David Cobbins is a Research Project Leader and Creative Producer at the University of Southern California’s Institute for Creative Technologies, where he develops Department of Defense training experiences and extended reality interactions that improve decision-making and interpersonal skills. He also leads creative media development and experimental narrative work that makes complex technology tangible.
He pairs narrative design with human-centered research to prototype next generation modalities of storytelling. Projects include interactive characters, layered spatial reading, and data-aware scenes that adapt to the user.
The portfolio below spans Army, Air Force, and Navy programs, moving from concept to validated prototypes while advancing XR practice and narrative craft. David holds degrees from the University of Southern California and the University of Wisconsin.
Training Applications, Products & Projects
01.
Digital Interactive Victim Intake Simulator (DIVIS)
DIVIS is an immersive training system that uses virtual humans and branching dialogue to help investigators practice trauma-informed victim intake interviews in a safe, repeatable environment. Scenarios model real-world complexity, rapport-building, evidence capture, policy constraints, and documentation.
David Cobbins served as Co-Project Leader and creative producer, shaping the training goals and user experience end-to-end. He led narrative design and dialogue authoring, directed UX and interface prototypes, and coordinated stakeholders.
02.
Leaders Enhanced & Applied Doctrine System (LEADS)
LEADS turns Army doctrine into playable decision exercises within an interactive game. Users plan and fight scenarios across echelons with a living Common Operating Picture (COP), staff battle rhythm, and branching injects tied to FM 3-0/6-0. LEADS tracks decisions, timelines, and effects to generate an After Action Review (AAR).
David Cobbins served as co-project leader and creative producer. He co-developed the concept, authored multi-domain scenarios, and directed UX for the COP, staff workflows, and AARs. He coordinated SMEs and unit partners, defined data capture and evaluation, and guided prototypes that integrated narrative, doctrine, and mission-ready interfaces.
03.
Emergent Leader Immersive Training Environment (ELITE)
ELITE is a conversation-based training system that uses virtual humans to build leadership and communication skills. Learners practice tough conversations in branching scenarios, get real-time coaching on rapport and tone, and receive data-driven AARs. ELITE is deployed across the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Navy. An ELITE completion certificate is a required prerequisite for attending Army Warrant Officer School.
David Cobbins served as Project Leader and Creative Producer. He designed scenarios, authored dialogue, and directed the UX conversion of ELITE from a desktop application to a web application. He oversaw study design and metrics to ensure ELITE translated evidence-based communication practices into improved performance.
04.
Captivating Virtual Instruction for Training (CVIT) - SDCR
CVIT is a learning-science framework for modernizing distributed learning with modular scenario-based lessons. It transforms the Army’s 40-hour supervisor course by converting it into an ALMS-integrated, web-based program of targeted lessons that typically take 10 hours or less. Pretests and graded practical exercises adapt to each learner. The result: tens of thousands of hours saved, millions of dollars conserved, and thousands of soldiers trained each year.
David Cobbins served as Creative Project Leader, defining UX, shaping narrative scenarios, and designing gamified treatments of Army content.
05.
DiasterSim
DisasterSim is a game-based training tool where trainees step into a joint task force staff role coordinating Department of War humanitarian assistance and disaster relief after a major natural disaster. Thus experience builds rapid decision-making for complex, coalition operations and has transitioned to DoW use.
David served as the Creative producer and UX lead. He supported scenario design and information flow, shaped interface patterns for staff coordination and reporting, and aligned training objectives with measurable outcomes to strengthen decision quality under time pressure.
Extended Reality Research & Projects
01.
Adaptive HMD Interfaces (AHMDI)
AHMDI is an applied research effort to make Augmented Reality headsets mission-aware and uncluttered. Using a command-center use case, the team created a prototype for adaptive UI on 3D terrain that fuses multi-source data and surfaces the right cues at the right time based on user context and task load.
David Cobbins served as Creative Producer, defining the UI grammar for adaptive overlays, authoring scenarios in Unity, and co-directing UX prototyping. He also contributed to the design and data analysis of a user study comparing adaptive vs. non-adaptive interfaces in mixed reality under high cognitive load.
02.
Asynchronous Annotation Embedded Environments (A2E2)
A2E2 explores world fixed annotations in mixed reality so teams can mark, share, and consume geospecific insights in the environment much like collaborators edit a shared document. The project fuses user observations with existing intelligence and analytic methods, then studies how spatial presentation affects performance.
David Cobbins serves as the Creative producer. He helped shape scenarios, UI concepts for world fixed overlays, and evaluation design to assess benefits over conventional screens.
03.
Sharing a Common Operating Picture Across Echelons SCOPxE
SCOPxE is a research effort supporting the Army’s next-generation C2. It investigates how mixed reality can present a role-aware, security-aware Common Operating Picture across distributed command nodes and devices like IVAS and 3D displays. This research involves mapping pain points with C2 stakeholders, prototyping visualization and interaction models by warfighting function, and aligning requirements to improve situational awareness and decision-making in Large Scale Combat Operations.
David Cobbins serves as the Creative producer
and UX lead. He helps translate stakeholder needs into role-scoped Mixed Reality views, define interaction patterns for cross-echelon COP sharing, and guide prototypes that test data integration, visualization, and usability against real C2 workflows.
Other Interactive Projects & Research
01.
Virtual Research Navigator (VRN)
VRN pairs two components to improve research literacy and enrollment. First is Zippy, an interactive AI agent that answers families’ questions in real time.
Second is Zippy & Ava, a scripted animated series that models clear conversations about consent, privacy, and participation. Together, the agent personalizes guidance while the videos deliver consistent explanations.
David Cobbins served as Creative producer and lead writer. He led character and episode development, coordinated with a third-party animation company to produce the videos, and helped design the agent flows so Zippy can respond to concerns and serve the right clip at the right moment.
02.
Virtual Acquisition Career Guide (VACG)
VACG is a webapp featuring mentoring and a help-desk system for the Army Acquisition workforce. ELLIE, an interactive virtual human, delivers personalized career advice and guidance. VACG draws on ICT’s SimCoach and RoundTable technologies for web-based virtual humans and interaction design tools.
David Cobbins served as Creative producer and UX lead. He shaped dialog flows and interaction patterns for ELLIE, coordinated content with ASC policies and career pathways, guided prototypes, and supported transition to the Federal Government.
03.
The Credit Serfs
The Credit Serfs is a narrative driven AI music project that blends custom voice models, generative composition, and stylized video to release songs, visualizers, and short films as one cohesive art world. Each release combines scripted story beats with AI assisted production, vocals, arrangement, and videos.
David Cobbins served as the Creator and producer. He defined the concept and visual identity, wrote and refined prompts and lyrics, directed the music and video pipeline, and coordinated collaborators to deliver polished singles, videos, and live ready assets.
