Strive to survive: Designing for immersive experiences
The challenges that we are to face as UX Designers in the ever evolving digital world
As designers, we are currently faced with the challenge of bringing our skillset to the physical world. This article delves into how we should adapt as professionals and will showcase some techniques and resources when it comes to prototyping an immersive experience. We will also touch on how to structure and communicate Information Architecture within a VR/AR/MR environment.
Our current design workflow: What we do today
Sketch
The process of ideating and sketching some potential solutions to a specific challenge
Wireframe
The process of arranging elements of an interface with the goal of forming a navigational and information narrative
Prototype
The process of forming all wireframes within an interactive experience that could be validated with clients/stakeholders.
Our current design workflow: The implications
Sketch
- We are sketching & perceiving at a flat surface.
- Paper sketches are flat and can’t communicate the real thing/experience.
Wireframe
- Our monitors are flat.
- We design a flat interface and a linear information architecture.
- 2D tools are flat and can’t translate properly for VR.
Prototype
- We design a 2D experience & test it on 2D devices.
- Programming a proof of concept in Unity for prototyping purposes is a big overkill.
The game changer
Sketch
As opposed to ideating on a piece of paper what will eventually become an interface experienced on a flat monitor we really have to sketch an experience in space when it comes to immersive design. When designing for the web on desktop and mobile, we had to come up with new metaphors for user actions like scroll, tap, etc. On the contrary, metaphors in an immersive experience are quite literal. Inherently, there are more choices in an immersive environment than a computer/phone screen could ever offer.
In VR, the environment is the user interface and vice-versa
Wireframe
Once it comes to arranging interface components in an immersive environment we have to think how to transfer those artifacts which are to be perceived spatially on a flat surface. Luckily, there are great designers such as Volodymyr Kurbatov who have already come up with a game changer.
Introducing the 360 Panorama Grid template — a holistic approach using a 360 panorama grid to align components to wide angle view.
And there’s also another iteration on this template — VR Sketch Sheet v2.0 done by Saara Kamppari-Miller which considers vertical head movement in addition to the horizontal head movement.
Prototype
Regarding prototyping, there are already various tools different in technique and approach that could help you out designing a low or high fidelity proof of concept.
Design-based
There are a number of tools that you could use in order to design a VR/AR prototype.
Pros:
- easy to design and handle
- no coding skills required
Cons:
- somewhat limited to low and mid-tier devices and experiences
- suitable for low to mid-fidelity interactions such as eye-gazing
Tools:
Code-based
There are tools out there which would be perfect for you if you know your way around coding.
Pros:
- useful for more sophisticated interactions using remotes
- useful for high-tier devices
Cons:
- coding skills required
- takes more time and more effort
Tools:
Further Reading & Resources
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Dobrian Dobrev
User Experience Designer; Speaker at UX conferences; Writer of publications on UX Design and Information Architecture; Teacher at New Bulgarian University;
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