Physical Factors: Real (external from XR) environment

Remember to keep in mind that the real physical environment still impacts the experience you’re creating within the headset. For example, the user may be wearing a headset in an environment where they’re sitting in a fixed chair with limited mobility. Or they may be in a crowded event setting, or a limited physical space at the workplace. Be sure to design with the physical environment of the consumer or target audience in mind.

TL;DR Do’s and Don’ts

Do

Understand the physical setting of the final installation location prior to designing the experience. Make it a topic of conversation during requirements gathering.
Include audio, haptic, and visual cues in order to communicate important information.

Don’t

Don’t design experiences that require a lot of unnecessary movements in a setting where the user has restricted space to move safely.
Don’t rely solely on sound, such as audible instructions, as a method of communicating important information.

Limited space

In some cases, your XR solution may need to be used in a limited space such as at an office desk, or a crowded convention floor. Or sometimes, your target audience may be confined with limited mobility such as during chemotherapy or another medical environment. Keep this in mind, and ensure the play space is designed so that things are in easy reach.

Noisy environments

Noisy environments can make it difficult to hear or concentrate, so include multiple methods of communication — such as audio, visual and haptics — and allow the user to progress the information on their own time.

Quiet environments

And sometimes the opposite is true, and you may need to ensure the solution you’re creating supports quiet environments where voice commands or loud sound effects would be disruptive. In this case, think of alternative types of input and feedback to keep people engaged and immersed in the experience.

Learn more

Transforming Reality: Using Virtual Reality to Treat Patients with Cancer by Katherine Malmo
Hyper Reality Experience by Tick Tock Unlock

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I’m an Immersive Tech UX Design Professional with over 22 years of experience designing for kiosks, websites, mobile apps and desktop software for many well-known and not-so-well-known companies.

I’m not speaking on behalf of or representing any company. These are my personal thoughts, experiences and opinions.