Foundational XR Design
This project is my first VR case study to explore the future of human-centred VR design. I applied a design thinking process to tackle a design challenge and enhanced VR experience accessibility through prototypes.
My Role
UX Design
Usability Test
Prototype
XR
Team
Personal Project
Date
Dec 2023
Design Challenge
How might we improve the movie streaming experience at home by bridging the potential of an emerging VR technology and UX design?
SME Interview
Daniel
XR Designer @ Bezi
To get a better understanding of how UX designer should approach to XR world, I reached out to XR designer on LinkedIn to conduct SME interview.
Insight: The conversation gave me great insight about the design decisions and how to approach this unique challenge of 3 dimensional user experience.
Competitive Analysis
<Spatial>
02.
Laser Pointer
Utilised controller buttons, vibrates on hover.
Glass and fade-out effects in 360° videos.
I studied interaction systems of existing VR content focusing on the human-centred design. The goal is to identify some commonly used interactions.
01.
Touch & Press
Used both direct touch and controllers. The colour changes on hover, and it clicks with a pushback effect after 1-2 seconds.
<YouTube VR 360 °>
<Big Screen>
03.
Grab & Laser Pointer
changes colour on hover. Interact by grabbing and shaking popcorn.
FOV Research
Human Eyes
210° FOV
I conducted further research on current VR headsets, with a focus on the Field Of View (FOV).
OculusVR RIFT DK
90° FOV
SONY HMZ-T2
45° FOV
Insight: I noted that there is still no headset that perfectly matches the human field of view and considered the potential for future advancements.
Initial Prototype
I created user interface using Figma and implemented interactions using Bezi and Oculus Quest 2 for testing.
Step 01. High-Fi Prototyping
Step 02. Body Rigging
Prototype in Bezi
Usability Testing
Testing in Meta Quest 2
Then I tested the initial prototype using the Meta Quest 2.
The UI follows my head
Insights:
- User sometimes prefers a fixed screen.
- Initially struggled with the controller; preferred using hands.
- Watching movies with VR headsets is not optimal yet, due to their size and weight, making prolonged use uncomfortable.
Iterations: Felt the necessity for a screen-lock button through usability testing. Also, I contemplated ways using direct touch instead of the controller.
Prototype
Enhanced the immersive movie streaming experience by using AI-generated virtual backgrounds.
Next Steps
As my first XR project, I investigated various VR headsets, interaction methods, and points of view (POV), engaging in discussions with diverse experts in XR. Through the project, I directly witnessed the vast potential for development in the field of XR and this has inspired me to delve deeper into this field. My next steps include:
1. Enhancing Accessibility Through Direct Touch
Despite the current device's update limitations, I attempted to increase accessibility through direct touch. Unfortunately, this feature has not been implemented due to device constraints. In the future, I aim to test and implement the direct touch functionality through prototypes.
2. Exploring Interaction Diversity
Actively incorporating various interactions discovered through research, such as laser pointers and grabbing, to enrich the user experience further.
3. Segmenting User Testing
Segmenting user testing into distinct steps to understand specific issues users face at each stage. This approach will guide a more UX-focused design for each step of the project.
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