Bopp Ibar, María-JesúsMora Serrano, Francisco JavierProboste M., Mahiasdel Arco, AlbertCervera, MiguelMuñoz La Rivera, Felipe2026-04-222026-04-222026-04-10COMPEL (2026)0332-1649https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12254/7590Purpose – Engineering education, particularly in complex fields like electromagnetism, faces a significant challenge in conveying multiphysics systems. Traditional methods fall short in building deep, intuitive understanding. The purpose of this paper is to address this “cognitive interface challenge” by presenting a novel conceptual framework for creating human-centric, interactive learning environments to bridge this gap. Design/methodology/approach – This paper details a methodology of interdisciplinary knowledge transfer. The proposed conceptual framework is derived from a multi-year analysis of best practices in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations sector, which has already developed mature solutions for navigating complex three-dimensional digital twins. Findings – The primary contribution is a formal four-stage methodological framework for developing human-centric virtual environments. This model moves beyond traditional tools to create interactive systems based on defined cognitive goals and proven interactive design paradigms, providing a new, robust method for the computation and mathematics community. Research limitations/implications – As a conceptual paper, the primary implication is the need for empirical validation of the proposed four-stage framework. Future research should focus on implementing and testing the framework’s effectiveness against traditional methods in controlled educational and professional settings.enAtribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 3.0 Chile (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 CL)Virtual worldsHuman-computer interactionEngineering educationComputational electromagnetismVideo game technologyArtificial inteligenceHuman-centered learningArticlehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3683-4993https://doi.org/10.1108/COMPEL-11-2025-05672054-5606