What’s missing in XR? …people

Image generated using Midjourney | Prompt: “person in a retail window display wearing an apple vision pro in a crowded plaza while people walk past and point dystopian reality”

Originally posted on Medium by Ripon DeLeon & Matt Wilson

We’re constantly exploring the intersection of physical-digital realities and one thing we’ve repeatedly noticed is a lack of consideration for the physical environment when designing XR (“Extended Reality” encompassing VR/AR) experiences. The focus is often on the novelty of technology and assumed adoption. Little to no thought is given to the entirety of a person’s experience when using that technology. Our experiences aren’t limited to the visuals beamed into our eyes, but rather the totality of our senses and therefore all those senses need to be considered when crafting an immersive experience.

XR creators need to extend HCD (Human-centered design) principles beyond digital into the physical spaces that people occupy. HCD centers the development of experiences on users, not technology. Novel tech allows for novel experiences but those experiences still need to be rooted in human behaviors; aligning with the participants frame of reference and understanding of how one typically interacts with the world around them.

As a case study, we point to an experience we previously developed, Project Haven. A VR storytelling pod deployed in public environments that established a physical space for participants to comfortably transition into a digital world. This takes form as a safe, semi enclosed space, allowing visitors to pause and reorient before and after experiencing immersive stories without feeling on display or disconnected from their environment.