Mixed Reality Social Home Decor

Mixed Reality UX/UI • Concept Design

The Problem

The goal of Visage was to explore how a social and home decor app could function in a mixed reality environment, where users could share, customize, and experiment with designs.

The key challenges of the project included:

• Visualization and Sharing
  How could users visualize and share their ideas in real-time?
• UI Interaction with Real or Virtual Objects
  How would the user interface dynamically interact with real-world objects (e.g., scanning and overlaying designs on existing furniture) or cast virtual elements into the scene?
• Balancing Accessibility and Elegance
  How can the experience be approachable and intuitive for anyone, making it simple for new users to navigate the app?

Research

The research phase of the project began by examining how current social media and virtual home decor apps engage users and foster interactivity.

• Social Media Apps: Popular platforms like TikTok leverage gamification to boost user engagement, using likes and follower counts create a sense of accomplishment while using features like stitches and duets to make it easy to follow trends. Another key aspect of modern social media is the personalization of feeds.
• Home Decor Apps: Companies like Ikea have embraced virtual tools to enhance the shopping experience. For instance, Ikea Kreativ allows users to visualize how furniture might look within virtual layouts.

The key takeaway is that the merging of gamification and personalization can create an immersive experiences that would drive user engagement and a sense of satisfaction. But there was also dangers in this, since the same dopamine driven features could lead to addiction and poor mental health effects. There was also the worry of security and privacy, as you would essentially be scanning your home into storage.

Example of the Ikea Kreativ user interface

The Design Process

The design involved several stages, from sketching, wireframing, and high-fidelity prototyping. Initially, the project was more focused on home decor, but as feedback through user testing was incorporated, the social aspects gained more emphasis.

• Early Wireframes: Focused on furniture placement and the visuals of the home designer.

Early sketches of the user interface for furniture interactions

• First Iteration: A modern, greyscale UI was chosen, inspired by existing mixed reality and social media designs. Feedback revealed that the grey-on-grey color scheme was too subtle and led to adjustments for better visibility and emphasis on social features.

• Final Iteration: Refined UI interactions, clearer button labels, and improved social feed functionality based on user feedback. The user flow was made more intuitive, and new design elements were added to make sharing and customizing easier.

Figma components view of the second iteration of design

Images of the user flow, starting from the top-left and going row by row, left to right

The Results

The Visage project was mostly successful in combining social media dynamics with a virtual home decor experience in a mixed reality environment, showcasing a way for users to interact, customize, and share designs. This project highlighted the following key takeaways:

• User-Centered Design is Key: Iterative feedback cycles proved vital in refining the app's design, ensuring it was clear in defining what makes it unique: the social sharing aspect of the app.
• Clarity in Flow and Wording Matters: Clear button labels and intuitive navigation significantly improved the user experience, highlighting the importance of concise and understandable wording.
• Combining Social and Practical Features: Integrating social interaction with home decor tools, like saving and customizing designs from others, created a unique experience in mixed reality.

Final rendered images of the user interface in a room, following the user flow