Chapter 1: Welcome to the XR Revolution

The age of Extended Reality (XR) has officially begun, and its influence is expected to expand significantly over the next decade. Picture life in 2030, where virtual reality is already becoming more mainstream thanks to platforms like Facebook's Oculus Quest. Concurrently, augmented reality tools such as Microsoft's HoloLens are solidifying their technological foundations. The future of XR is indeed thrilling, and this article will delve into contrasting traditional and contemporary design methodologies, translating our insights into actionable design strategies.

What is Extended Reality (XR)?

XR is a collective term encompassing all immersive technologies, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality. These technologies enhance our perception of reality by integrating elements from both the virtual and physical worlds. Although AR, VR, and mixed reality share some characteristics, each has distinct objectives and technological underpinnings.

Differences in UX Design for Digital and XR Products

User experience (UX) principles are universal and can be applied to a variety of objects, even as simple as scissors. The iterative workflow we typically follow—defining the product, conducting research, analyzing, designing, and validating—remains the same for XR products. However, the effectiveness of this iterative process can vary when comparing XR experiences to conventional digital applications.

The seamless transition from low-fidelity to high-fidelity prototypes, along with established developer handoff practices, has catalyzed a shift toward agile product design. To adapt this proven methodology to XR products, we must scrutinize the unique challenges in the XR prototyping process. Developing an XR prototype requires specialized technical skills or support from a development team, making it a more complex undertaking.

To enhance the efficiency of UX design in digital XR products, we must identify and address potential limitations. One approach is to implement the double diamond method, a crucial principle of UX design.

Approach: The Double Diamond Framework

The double diamond model represents the two phases of research and design, highlighting divergent and convergent thinking. The first diamond focuses on problem identification—diverging to discover the issue and converging to define it. The second diamond encompasses ideation, exploring various ideas (divergent), honing in on the best solutions, implementing them, and testing (convergent).

The critical space between the two diamonds—after defining the problem but before finding a solution—is particularly vital for XR development. This stage is often seen as the problem statement, setting the stage for the design process and summarizing the research phase. If we neglect the conditions of the XR environment at this juncture, we may encounter significant challenges later on, especially concerning efficiency.

So, how can we tackle this issue? One promising methodology is Object-Oriented UX (OOUX), which can effectively bridge this gap.

Utilizing Object-Oriented Design in Spatial Computing

To address specific design challenges in XR, we can adopt an object-oriented perspective. This approach emphasizes the digital 3D objects that populate the spatial XR environment, contrasting with the traditional task-oriented models that utilize storytelling and use cases.

Object-oriented user experience centers on the objects that users interact with, drawing inspiration from object-oriented programming. Why is OOUX particularly effective? When creating XR products, understanding how users perceive and interact with objects is paramount. For example, when someone enters their home, they instinctively look for objects to engage with, such as placing their keys in designated spots or retrieving water from the fridge. Given that spatial computing is inherently object-focused, OOUX cognitive models often align with real-world XR objects, making this approach highly relevant.

OOUX's versatility allows it to transcend traditional UI/UX models that are limited to 2D screens, making it applicable across various platforms.

Transitioning from Research to Design

As we move from research to design, Sophia Prater, the pioneer of the OOUX methodology, employs a framework known as ORCA to categorize objects, relationships, calls to action, and attributes.

Using ORCA enables us to outline our UX design process for XR products:

1. Object Discovery: Utilize research to identify key objects for your product.
2. Object Characterization: Define the attributes and metadata for these objects.
3. Define Object Relationships: Analyze the roles and interactions between different objects.
4. Prioritization of Objects: Streamline complexity by focusing on essential features.

While OOUX is predominantly used for web and mobile app design due to its capability for rapid low-fidelity wireframing, its high level of abstraction makes it adaptable to XR platforms. The benefit of OOUX in the XR domain lies in its natural alignment with digital objects and their intended functionalities.

Resources for Further Exploration

1. OOUX Happy Hour: Enterprise OOUX: Prioritization, Business Process Modeling, and Libraries (Visit article).
2. UX Best Practices for Extended Reality (Visit article).
3. Book by Cornel Hillmann — UX for XR: User Experience Design and Strategies for Immersive Technologies (Goodreads Link).

Much Love!

The first video offers a comprehensive introduction to XR development, guiding you through creating your first virtual reality app.

The second video discusses how generative AI can make XR creation more accessible, providing insights into modern design tools and methodologies.