Interaction design explorations of mixed reality

Abstract

This project is a research project in cooperation with UNITiD, with an intention of exploring the guidelines of MR interaction design.

With in the project, MR(Mixed Reality) refers to a digital overlay on the real world, with the virtual content anchored in and interactive with the realistic objects. As it is a newly published technology with outbreaking yet unfamiliar features, the guidelines of MR design is under heated discussion. With this background, the research project is intended to define the design concerns as well as practical design methods of MR interactions.

Referring to the design concerns, the project looks into the construction of the spatial interface, and categorizes the interface elements into three layers according to the distinct functions as well as target users. The three layers include the public layer, the personal layer and the HUD layer. As the three layers have different positions, content, formats and design concerns, a design tool, namely the three-layer template, is developed. The three-layer template helps to categorize the interface elements, and consider the three layers not only separately but also as a whole. The three-layer template can fit in the use flow and swiftly visualize the interface design.

On the other hand, prototyping methods of diverse level of fidelity are explored during the project. Throughout the visionary assignment process, four prototyping methods have been implemented, namely physical mock-up, three-layer template, visual flow and testable mock-up. These prototyping methods make it possible to illustrate the design ideas swiftly and vividly, in order to support communication and presentation, and thus assist the design iteration.

To evaluate the design concern of three layers and the design method of prototyping, the research is conducted along with a visionary assignment in order to simulate a practical design assignment. The visionary assignment is a collaborative working space for city planning sessions with different stakeholders.

The topic is decided because it is one of the areas in which the MR technology has most potentials, and the collaboration space is a genre in which typical interface formats are involved. In the end, a basic proposal is made for the visionary assignment, with the basic use flow and interface design.

Qualitative research is included with MR developers, interaction designers and end users of the visionary assignment as participants. The results are analyzed to evaluate and support the research. With the prototypes of design variations, insights can be concluded that the navigation is more intuitive and easy when the interface content correlates with proper layers.