Without Screens And Buttons: User Experience And Virtual Reality

Virtual reality has been around since the mid 1980’s, but around that time technology was yet limited. It was the arrival of smartphones, gaming consoles, and other modern gadgets that really augured the future of virtual reality.

 

Image source: theguardian.co.uk

VR is a new medium for user experience designers. Shifting from block phones to touch-screen smartphones, virtual reality is an entirely new thing. How will a person get a meaningful user experience without tangible screens and buttons?

UX designers work with the 3D architect to set-up the design. They work in coordination to develop a spatial layout that will fit the VR experience.

There are three kinds of VR experiences, according to www.creativebloq.com:

-Hyper immersive or emotion-based: VR that engages users to control using their senses;
-POV documentary: live-action experiences that transport users to places that they cannot physically reach;
-Gamified experiences: users are given a task to compete with time, enemies, and other external forces

All these three experiences lack haptic movement, since the VR gadget is positioned in a user’s head only.

Image source: polygon.com

How will UX improve given these technical constraints?

Designers must consider movement, haptic and audio feedback, and user abilities when creating interfaces for operating VR. VR experiences, menus, and other UI elements must be displayed at the same depth as the user’s target. Contents like texts have to be in a 3D environment to be at par with VR’s complex design.

Photon Infotech is the world’s largest and fastest growing provider of omnichannel and digital experiences. Visit this Facebook page for updates on omnichannel strategies for enhanced user experience.