A UX designer's initial experience in VR design

This article is a part of the experience shared by a VR team design director in the new field of design experience. I believe there are many designers who do not have the relevant experience on the one hand and want to enter the VR field to expand their skills and broaden their horizons. So I hope this article can bring you some guidance and help.

Well, this is still a VR exploration, from the actual experience of the designer's function; Compare the previous few, and slowly discover that there will be some important intersection among the things that are being summed up by today's design pioneers. By identifying these intersections, we may also be able to touch some of the key things before we actually enter the field. I personally do not have the ability to do any biased article, such as 3D, at the current stage, for most designers, including me, the full perceptual knowledge, and the gradual adjustment of the mode of thinking is more realistic and important. The author's personal introduction to the beginning of the original text has been condensed.

I am a product designer, a self-proclaimed user experience specialist, with responsibilities covering information architecture design, interaction, and UI design. I am currently a senior UX designer at a mainstream film and television production company, and the Web and mobile app products involved are two major aspects of the business and consumer markets.

Last year, I was transferred to a VR team in-house as UX design leader. Personally, I don't think I have enough qualifications to hold this position, after all, I have almost no background in the new information medium of VR. This article is a share of some of the experiences that I get when I start my design experience in this new field. I believe that there are many designers and I, on the one hand, do not have the relevant experience, on the one hand, also want to enter the VR field to expand their skills and broaden their horizons. So I hope this article can bring you some guidance and help.

　　Changes in the UI paradigm

Both designers and users, we have long been accustomed to the interface of two-dimensional screens, and are very good at these limited space in the face of multiple virtual windows at the same time processing a variety of task processes, because today's UI is mostly through visual metaphor to simulate three-dimensional depth, Users can intuitively understand the spatial location of different windows. Of course, the construction of visual hierarchy can not be separated from other factors, including interface size, contrast relationship, color, order and so on. However, although already mastered by people, today's interface will still be subject to the two-dimensional environment for the depth of the shape of space. This becomes obvious when I think about the essential difference between the traditional interface and the VR interface.

　　The New Dimension

VR introduces the third dimension "real" through the z axis into the virtual world. There is no so-called interface edge can constrain us, each direction of space and depth are infinite. In VR, we do not need to use the visual metaphor which is used to construct the spatial level in the two-dimensional interface, interactive objects can be freely distributed anywhere in three dimensions, people can understand the organization of elements in the shortest possible time, and deal with the materialized virtual environment directly according to the experience of real life.

In the VR world, designers can more accurately predict how people will interact with things and enhance the connection between the virtual world and the real world through a series of visual cues and interactive feedback, and people will eventually be able to manipulate content in the most natural and intuitive way. This also means that designers can gain more theoretical guidance from the basic principles of human cognition and behavior when considering the way the UI is designed. The key is how to make full use of virtual space to create the most consistent with people in the reality of the cognitive and behavioral patterns of interaction.

　　New User Scenarios

The change in user situations is also very obvious. We are now usually selective in our attention when using everyday equipment. Think about it, we can switch between app, window, tab and so on, we can pay attention to or leave the screen at any time as needed, and it is easy to be distracted by various factors, no matter what kind of equipment we are using, basically. When and how to use the equipment, we have to say.

In VR, the user is completely immersed in the virtual world: the stream of consciousness is closed in the HMD, the real world fades, you can not find the so-called export. The human-machine role swaps, the equipment, the content and the interactive experience occupies the absolute dominant position, once the user chooses to enter, then can only immerse wholeheartedly in therein. With this in mind, you will be better able to think about the experience design of VR products from the user's perspective.

　　Learn while doing

The above basic cognition is very important to the designer, but I still feel powerless in the actual work, face the challenge too much, certainly also learn a lot of things accordingly. We have always been accustomed to relying on the existing theory and best practice to guide design work, and now the situation is different, VR technology in recent years has been a rapid development, but in the corresponding experience design is still a long way to go. I spent a lot of time trying to find some practical VR interaction and interface design principles, but not much, only some documents from relevant companies, such as Google, Oculus, etc., as well as some of the design pioneers of the article. So we only learn while doing, and try to sum up their own thinking and practical experience.

　　Interactive mode

Today is still the early stage of VR, human-computer interaction forms different, it is difficult to establish a unified expectations. For everyday traditional devices with real screens, we know exactly what kind of interaction we use, including the mouse or touch, and so on. In VR, the input mode is still quite confusing. On the one hand, the cardboard nature of the low-end equipment in the shape and size of the specifications are very different, some will bring a button. High-end devices such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive have more sophisticated controls, such as Oculus's own Xbox One handle and Oculus Remote, as well as the need for additional Oculus touch for motion tracking; Vive control rods are used for gesture interaction, but we are not sure whether users will always use them. The difference in input devices makes it difficult to envision interactive patterns in a unified way, especially if your product needs to be geared toward more than one device.

You can choose to design at the lowest end of the device, focus on the visual orientation of the interactive mode, and also can be strictly around the high-end equipment planning. But for Cross-platform products, how on the one hand to ensure the basic experience of low-end equipment, while fully utilizing the technical conditions of high-end equipment to optimize the experience?

In addition, after entering the virtual world, users will not actually see the control devices they hold, the connection between input and output seems to be cut off. These are the practical issues that we need to take into account in our design.

　　Shu-Moderate

We all want the text content in the interface to be sufficiently contrast and readable, but the unique physiological and environmental factors of VR do pose new challenges for us. People expect the behavior patterns in the virtual world to be consistent with the real world, and any discrepancy between expectations and results can cause physical discomfort. For example, you are playing the virtual roller coaster, in the acceleration process, your brain has begun to accept the acceleration of the signal, but the body is not moving in real, which will lead to the emergence of vertigo symptoms. It is best to prepare the trash cans on the side when doing similar tests.

　　Anxiety, panic, perception of danger

People may feel unwell in certain state of the environment, such as too small or too open space, high, very bright or very dark place, and so on. A similar feeling can be felt for scary things or sharp objects in the environment. In addition, the proportional relationship between human and virtual environment will also have an impact on the comfort of experience, the greater the proportion of users themselves, they will feel confident and strong, conversely, there will be a feeling of depression and small. VR brings a completely immersed in the world, so the first time designers have the ability to fully control the user's use of the situation, the corresponding, we also have the responsibility in all aspects of the virtual environment to fully consider the way the presentation is reasonable.

　　Human work Science

We need to guide people to move around in the virtual world, so ergonomics is the same thing we have to focus on. Over the years, experience in the touch-screen field has taught us how to design intuitive gestures that are easy to detect, and VR requires us to move further. The virtual world has brought unlimited free space, people will usually look up and down around the world, in some hardware environment can actually walk up to explore space. It is difficult to predict the real environment in which users live, such as whether they are sitting or standing, and if they are the former, their bodies may remain stationary and may rotate with their seats. Standing or using gestures for a long time, or looking in a certain direction in an unconventional way, can cause fatigue and discomfort to the user's neck or body. As a designer, it is necessary to judge the most typical use situations of their products, and to guide people to interact with the virtual world in the most comfortable way.

　　Adjust the design process

So far, the biggest challenge I've ever faced is how to show the results of each phase of the design process to the team, including bosses, artists, engineers, and so on. Once upon a time, my routine workflow consisted of sketching on a whiteboard or paper, and then presenting the concept through sketch or axure, Invision, principle, and other tools. Sketches are an important part of any type of design effort to help us quickly explore and communicate ideas, especially for team collaboration scenarios. The next step is to burnish the idea in sketch and other tools, and then give life to it through a prototype. In VR, these logical steps are also indispensable, and we have many other problems to consider.

　　Design in reality, design for reality

In the 2D screen of the 3D World planning, this design environment and the actual use of the situation between the dislocation can easily lead to the concept of the target and the actual effect of the difference. The VR world has a depth dimension, we need to consider the distance between the interaction object and the user, and the rule that the object size varies with distance. The interface element is distorted or blurred because of the distance problem, which seriously affects the readability of the text content. So, for designers, it's best to find a way to preview the design directly in the virtual environment, but at the moment there is no ideal technology.

Some of the most talented engineers around me came up with some kind of alternative, but there was no one I could make up for. One way we find the only approach to the ideal is to use a set of 2D rendered footage into the PSD template to simulate the 360° view, and then put the file into our own Oculus app to see how mockup is performing in the virtual world. It's good to practice, especially when it comes to considering element distances, but it's all lame.

The PSD template file we used to do the background

In VR, even a two-dimensional planar object, such as a panel, requires a different approach than we have always known. I personally feel that although people are already familiar with the interface of panel form in reality, it is strange to put such 2D objects into VR to carry the human-machine interaction. 3D objects are highlighted in space, the lack of a dimension of the information Panel in such a world would appear nondescript. Even if such a panel is designed to be concave so that any part of its surface is equidistant from the user, it is still not possible to fundamentally alter the crappy experience caused by dimensional differences.

The interface elements in the VR world should make people feel real and natural, as if they were part of the virtual environment themselves. This requires that the designer must have good sense and control ability to the geometrical space. Without any 3D experience, it is not easy to do this, especially in the absence of adequate and sophisticated design tools at the moment.

　　New tools (at least for me)

When I first started to touch software on 3D modeling and animation, I wanted to find a simple solution that was best for me. But the reality is not so ideal, although there are many powerful tools on the market, but for the total lack of 3D experience, the learning curve is very steep. I spent some time to learn the relatively lightweight some of the SketchUp, is generally fine, but in the actual combat is still difficult to ensure timely design delivery. Other mainstream tools, such as Maya or CINEMA4D, are more powerful, but more complex and difficult to grasp quickly for beginners.

Unity and Unreal engines provide a magical stage where you can preview and debug directly while you are on the HMD side of the design, but some people are prone to serious discomfort. In any case, to master any of these tools, you now need to squeeze in considerable time and energy to learn. My personal situation is hard to guarantee, so I'm still using the workaround mentioned earlier.

No matter how you build the design process in the actual work, it is necessary to test and iterate as soon as possible. As a designer, to immerse yourself in the VR world as much as possible, to fully feel the experiences of the target environment, to get used to it, and to cultivate an instinctive general understanding. There is a saying in our team: "To engage in VR, let VR do you first".

　　Look forward

In order to adapt to change, to create a good 3D product, the design team needs to carry out the necessary expansion, the introduction of other fields of professionals. There is no doubt that the power of art design, gaming and video production is what we need to absorb. Conceptual artists are good at conceiving and setting up the stage, and 3D designers and animators are responsible for injecting vitality into concepts and materials, while engineers need to make the world a reality. The identification of new functional roles and cooperative relationships is very important for the exploration and practice of VR products at present.

With the rapid development of science and technology and the rapid evolution of equipment, it is not strange for our designers to learn new knowledge and expand the range of skills, but this time, we will have to face more challenges than any time in the past, and the areas that need to be touched may be completely unfamiliar. Then again, it's enough to be exciting and everyone is in a boat.

　　A bright future.

I personally suggest that you move towards the new field with an open mind. As a new information medium, VR is far from mature, design paradigm has not yet been established, we need to explore too much, because of the lack of existing standards, we can encourage ourselves to use the creative more freely, try some unique design patterns. It would be great to be a pioneer in such a new and promising field.

There are, of course, a lot of things to learn, but that doesn't mean that the skills we've mastered over the years will become worthless in the VR world. On the contrary, I personally think that designers are one of the best suited to stride forward in a new field. Over the past more than 40 years, our function has been exploring and learning in the field of human-computer interaction and graphic interface, and also has a high degree of sensitivity to human psychological and behavioral characteristics, equipment characteristics and so on, these are our valuable capital to explore the new world. The initial user of VR enters the 3D world with the long accustomed 2D interface operation habit, so it is not a bad thing to explore the new design paradigm incrementally based on the experience of 2D interface design at least at the present stage. Next, we need to gradually develop a sense of telepresence and immersion, and introduce the user to the exciting new interactive paradigm. In the end, we all have a common goal, that is, through our design to give full play to the power of the 3D world, to provide users with the best product experience.

I personally look forward to this day.