Designing for Spatial Experiences: How To Get Started
From a human-centred approach to contextual interfaces and game engines, it’s time to re-think design.
Spatial experiences will change everything. The innovation of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality matches the socio-cultural impact of the telephone or the internet and it’s the designers that will be shaping this imminent revolution. Yet, many of these young creatives leave design school without the preparation needed for this monumental task.
For me, when I began studying graphic design at university it was all about iconic designers and their unique styles and it was often about form over function. I too tried to develop my own style and find ways to express it, so did everyone around me. When it wasn’t about style, it was about ideas. It seemed that ideas came easily to great creatives. But, again, the ideas were personal and based on the creator’s bias.
Now, I design spatial experiences at REWIND and the focus is very different — it’s not about me — the user rather than the creator is the focus. It’s a human-centred approach. When you put people and their problems at the centre and build out from there, that’s when you can create something that can really add value.
With spatial design, you have to think and express yourself in 3D and the physical space around the user is the interface. Up until now, we’ve interacted with computers via type or touch and a flat-screen, but the user interface (UI) for spatial computing is very different. Now my designs incorporate eye-controlled interactions, body or hand gestures, and voice controls.
If you are looking to make a pivot from graphic design to spatial design, here are five things I believe are important to know and consider first.
1. Draw on different design principles
At REWIND, we draw on many different disciplines for spatial design. We use a combination of user experience (UX), product, interior, game, experience, and visual design.
We need to carefully pick knowledge from these disciplines to fit our purpose and build on them. What do we know about lighting in interior design, and what happens when we introduce user interface elements? Why is architecture the way it is, and what happens when its physical constraints are lifted?
Everything we have done in the real world still applies, but it’s to be defined how they all work together in the best way for the intended use-case.
What is happening in the real world and how does our experience fit in it? How much space does the user have? How much would they want to move around? Have accessibility issues been considered? Is it safe for the user to be seeing this content at this time or is there more important real-world stuff to see? Is it intuitive to interact with and does it behave as expected?
We are working with new mediums and new technologies so there are many questions to be asked. By using different design disciplines, we have the best chance of finding the answers.
2. A good design provides value to people
William Morris said in 1880:
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
This statement can also be applied to design. Design should not try and create anything which isn’t useful or believed to be beautiful.
Finding the right problem to solve is a foundation for good spatial design. This means talking to the people facing the problem, understanding their environment, finding the root, and connecting the dots. This is what we understand as human-centred design. Whilst this is a bit of a buzzword, it shifts the focus from management decisions being based on features and budgets to being based on the needs of real people.
That’s why, when you watch Dragons’ Den, the innovators who have found solutions to everyday problems, problems they have encountered, nearly always receive investment. This is because they are experts in the problem they are experiencing, and that makes them the ideal person to solve it.
When REWIND was first tasked with re-imagining how esports tournaments could be spectated in the future with the WEAVR Consortium, I have to admit, I didn’t know much about esports. I had an idea of what I thought I would like, but as someone removed from that world, it was unlikely I was thinking like a real user.
To tackle this, we delved into the world of esports. We spent time at tournaments, conducted interviews, and gathered usage data through alpha and beta versions of the WEAVR app. We kept players involved throughout the process.
Involving users directly in the design process is far more insightful than any third-party research or questionnaire could be.
3. Spatial design should be contextual
A useful design is more important than ever for spatial technology. Even though it’s possible to have mixed reality content constantly available, it should only be shown when it is situationally useful to the user.
As Dieter Rams, the influential industrial designer said many years ago: “Less, but better.” This idea of filtered information was also expressed by Matt Miesnieks on the AR Show recently when he said that computers need to learn how to be polite and that means knowing when to speak and when to shut up!
And that’s the great thing about technology — it’s always learning how to be useful. When technology observes a user’s behaviours, routines, and actions, useful data and content can be served up at the right time and in the right context. For example, if you check the weather each morning before you leave the house, then you are notified of a rain shower at 8.30am. As you move to the front door, you are reminded to take your umbrella etc.
Through our human-centered approach, we learn when our spatial design is helping a user achieve their goals and when it is in the way.
4. Use the right tools for the job
With spatial design, you need to leave the comfort of two dimensions and think in three. You should also use tools that support it, my preference is Blender. Blender is a free 3D software that takes some getting used to, but it will make you feel like you have a superpower. There are plenty of free tutorials available, so don’t be afraid to get stuck in.
When I start a design, I block elements out to see how tall a person is, how much space they have around them, and how much of the world would be visible through their iPhone AR camera. This will help set up the boundaries within which to create the experience.
I also check how comfortable it is to view the content from an anatomical perspective, users holding up a phone to view content could get tired arms, so you have to take that into account.
If you have a VR headset, pop that on and immediately see what the setup is like, it’s much better than trying to imagine it.
After blocking out the scene, you can load Figma graphics and free 3D models into it (I also like using Sketchfab for quick prototypes). Once you’ve found comfortable positions and sizes, everyone can see what we’re working towards.
Once you’ve created multiple scenes, you have a storyboard.
If a picture speaks a thousand words, then a prototype speaks a thousand pictures.
To truly design the experience, it needs to feel fluid, smooth, and intuitive. Part of your job as a designer is to make things as clear as possible, so start trying out some easy tools like Tvori or Adobe Aero for quick wins.
These platforms will give you the ability to test your ideas and communicate them. But, easy always means limited, so I do encourage you to take some real time to learn basic UE4 or Unity. These game engines are the two most used tools in the industry to create a final immersive experience. You can solve design issues you didn’t even know you’d have when you were drawing this up in your mind. Does the text box stay static or does it face me? When does it appear? What’s the best way to interact?
5. The best way to learn about immersive technology is by trying it out
If you’ve reached this point in the article, then it’s time to get your hands dirty! I’d be lying if I told you I had figured out everything about how to design for spatial technology, but I found the best way to learn is by doing.
To talk about design for spatial technology is to dream with your eyes open. And that’s how a designer should approach it.
Have fun and remember: put the user at the centre of the design process, think about context, and don’t be afraid to try something new.
