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Spatial Computing UX Research and Design

Exploring multi-application management for AR, VR, XR, and spatial computing environments

Spatial Computing UX Research and Design

Public-facing article and prototype materials created to share findings from the spatial computing UX research.

As part of a Master's capstone project in Human Centered Design & Engineering, our team explored how users might manage multiple applications in spatial computing environments.

The project focused on tasks such as finding, opening, hiding, quitting, and switching between applications in AR, VR, and future XR systems. The result included research insights, expert feedback, live remote prototype walkthroughs, recorded video prototypes, a Medium article, and a YouTube video sharing the work with the broader spatial computing community.

Project details

Context
Master's capstone project
Field
Spatial computing, AR, VR, XR
Focus
Multi-application management, interaction design, research
Methods
Expert interviews, literature review, remote prototype walkthroughs, recorded video prototypes, collaborative sketching
Role
UX researcher, interaction designer, creative lead

/ 01

Challenge

Spatial computing introduces new interaction problems that traditional desktop and mobile models do not fully solve. The project explored how users might manage multiple applications in a three-dimensional environment.

The project explored how to:

  • Find applications.
  • Open and close applications.
  • Hide or reveal applications.
  • Switch between active and latent experiences.
  • Avoid clutter, occlusion, and interaction overload.
  • Support users across different levels of spatial computing experience.
  • The project also had to adapt when COVID-19 made in-person usability testing impractical.
Spatial interaction examples helped us evaluate how users might select, point, and manage objects across real and virtual environments.

Spatial interaction examples helped us evaluate how users might select, point, and manage objects across real and virtual environments.

/ 02

Role

I contributed across research, design, prototyping, and public communication.

My work included:

  • Participating in industry and expert interviews.
  • Reviewing AR and VR interfaces and interaction patterns.
  • Sketching and refining potential interaction models.
  • Leading design of the VR prototype.
  • Creating prototype scenes, images, videos, voiceover, and edited public-facing materials.
  • Supporting live remote walkthroughs by sharing what I was seeing inside the headset.
  • Contributing to the Medium post and YouTube video.
  • Helping translate research findings into clear design guidance.

/ 03

Approach

Studied existing spatial interfaces

We reviewed current AR and VR software, headset interactions, and spatial computing patterns. We gathered screenshots, notes, and examples to understand how different systems handled application management and interaction.

Interviewed subject matter experts

We interviewed people working in AR and VR to understand current challenges, likely platform directions, and unresolved UX problems.

Adapted the research approach

The original plan involved testing interactive prototypes in VR. When COVID-19 made that unrealistic, we shifted toward remote methods that could still communicate spatial interaction clearly.

This included live prototype walkthroughs over video conferencing, recorded video prototypes, and expert feedback sessions that helped us evaluate the concepts without requiring participants to be physically present with a headset.

The project was structured across research, ideation, expert feedback, prototyping, validation, and public documentation.

The project was structured across research, ideation, expert feedback, prototyping, validation, and public documentation.

Explored physical and spatial interaction

We sketched interactions, discussed them as a team, and often acted them out physically. This helped reveal which gestures or movements might feel natural, awkward, tiring, or difficult to repeat.

Created live and recorded VR prototype walkthroughs

I used tools including Microsoft Maquette and Unity to create prototype scenes that could be experienced, demonstrated, and recorded in VR.

Because in-person testing was not practical, we used video conferencing to share what I was seeing inside the headset with study participants. This allowed me to directly interact with the prototype during live sessions, demonstrate proposed interactions in context, and gather feedback while participants watched the experience unfold in real time.

We also created recorded video prototypes with voiceover so the concepts could be reviewed asynchronously by people who were not available for live sessions. This helped us communicate the interaction model more clearly and extend feedback beyond the people we could meet with directly.

VR prototype walkthroughs helped communicate application management concepts in context.

VR prototype walkthroughs helped communicate application management concepts in context.

/ 04

Outcome

The project produced research insights, design concepts, live remote walkthroughs, recorded prototype videos, a Medium article, and a YouTube video aimed at designers and technologists working in spatial computing.

The work helped clarify key considerations for multi-application management in AR, VR, XR, and MR environments.

/ 05

Public outputs

To share the work beyond the live research and review sessions, our team published a Medium article and produced a video overview of the project.

The Medium article summarized key considerations for designing XR multi-application management systems. The video helped explain the research process, prototype concepts, and proposed interaction patterns for people who were not part of the live sessions.

The team published a Medium article summarizing key UX considerations for XR multi-application management.

The team published a Medium article summarizing key UX considerations for XR multi-application management.

Read the Medium article

6 things you should know if you are designing the UX of an XR multi-application management system

Watch the project video

What this shows

This project shows the ability to investigate emerging interaction models, design in uncertain technical spaces, adapt research methods under constraints, and communicate complex UX concepts to both live and asynchronous audiences.

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