GLUE VR

Collaboration in the Virtual Realm

Presentation

Design Guidelines

THE PROBLEM

Glue VR in its current state requires enhancement in core functionality to make it an application that users can efficiently use for virtual collaboration.

MY ROLE

As the UX Designer, I conducted necessary research to back design decisions, created deliverables, crafted paper prototypes, wireframes, and designs in Figma, and developed Unity prototypes that went through iterative testing to ensure a successful final output.

WHY?

Maximize Productivity & Enhance Collaboration

Efficiency is paramount in any collaborative environment. However, the current usability issues within GlueVR impede users from completing tasks swiftly and effectively. Navigating the platform to execute basic functions consumes valuable time and energy, diverting attention away from critical project objectives. By optimizing workflow processes and simplifying core functionalities, we aim to eliminate unnecessary barriers and empower users to achieve more in less time.

Effective collaboration is the cornerstone of successful project outcomes. Yet, the current complexities in GlueVR hinder users' ability to collaborate seamlessly. Difficulties in adding and inviting team members, as well as creating and managing teams, pose significant challenges to collaboration efforts. Without intuitive collaboration features, users struggle to engage with peers efficiently, leading to disjointed communication and suboptimal teamwork.

WHO?

The Design Collaborator & The Project Manager

The Design Collaborator:

Core Needs: Collaborative brainstorming environments, Simplified tools and interactions
Goals: Generate fresh and innovative ideas, Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams
Frustrations: Navigating VR tool learning curve, Balancing creativity with practicality in virtual environment, Overcoming issues with VR platforms
Importance: Enhances creativity, productivity, and collaboration experience, addresses frustrations, and meets core needs effectively.

The Project Manager:

Core Needs: Efficient communication and collaboration tools, Team management and organization, Project progress tracking
Goals: Facilitate efficient communication and collaboration, Manage team organization and roles effectively, Ensure timely progress using third-party apps within Glue VR.
Frustrations: Balancing stakeholder needs with varying VR familiarity, Managing remote teams across different platforms, Ensuring effective collaboration in VR
Importance: Improves team alignment, productivity, and project management efficiency, addresses frustrations, and meets core needs effectively.

DESIGN PROCESS

FINDINGS

Explore:

Users showed a willingness to explore different virtual reality collaboration tools.
Users expressed positive experiences with existing collaboration tools like Fig Jam and Miro, however expressed the desire for more immersion.
Users described the appeal of the novelty factor of VR and mentioned their experiences with feeling more creative and productive in VR.

Identify:

Users struggled to locate and discover the menu within Glue VR
Users encountered difficulties with grabbing objects and experienced unresponsive poke button presses.
Participants could not figure out how to edit/delete objects in the scene.
Users could not efficiently invite new users or create new teams.
Users expressed uncertainty about the function of some icons.

Recommendations:

Color Selection - Align with user sentiment to match other design apps.
Initial Menu Discoverability - Increase initial contrast of menu.
Icon Unfamiliarity - Add Hover Label Feedback to Icons.
Edit/Delete Objects - Recognition Over Recall: Provide users with a dedicated tool to select objects, rather than have them recall button press combinations.
Language Changing - Get rid of cycle & poke. Change to ray cast and list view for easy selection.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

Invite New Members Flow: During usability testing, 6/6 participants struggled with inviting new people to their teams. All participants took several minutes to complete this action, with the slowest participant taking around 7 minutes and giving up.

All users navigated the same incorrect way in the original experience, making the assumption that in Members you would be able to invite new users/members. By making this change and fixing the alignment with the user's mental model, the solution ensured that 6/6 participants were able to easily invite new members.

Create New Team Flow: Similar to the Invite New Members Flow, 6/6 participants struggled with creating new teams, taking several minutes to complete the necessary task.

4/6 users navigated the same incorrect way in the original experience, making the assumption that to create a new team, you would have to click on the team you are currently in, and then create, or change it from there.

Initial Menu Discoverability: 3/6 Users overlooked the Backhand menu, pointing out the low contrast with avatar skin and lack of button labels.

By ensuring that the contrast would be increased and adapt based on the avatar's complexion, it allows for easier discoverability of the initial menu.

Editing and Deleting Objects: 5/6 users were unable to edit and delete objects in the scenes. The inability to perform core functionalities that should otherwise be simple took away from the task at hand and caused the user frustration and stress.

By implementing a dedicated "Select Tool" for editing/deleting objects, it applies the UX principle, "Recognition over Recall," which minimized the cognitive load and allowed 6/6 users to easily figure out how to use the select tool.

Changing Language: 3/6 users had encountered errors, such as having to manually cycle through and cycling past the desired language, or incorrectly assuming the spacebar (Displays Language Name) was the correct way to change the language. This proves to be an issue for participants whose first language is not English, or for bilingual users who rely on utilizing multiple languages.

By implementing raycast interaction and a list view format, it allows for the user to easily select the desired language. 6/6 users were able to change language without any errors.

Uncertainty About Icons: In certain aspects, users expressed uncertainty towards the functionality of certain icons.

By implementing a visual label feedback when the user hovers over the icon, it allows for enhanced understanding of what each icon does.

Custom Color Module: Users expressed dissatisfaction towards the original custom color module, claiming it does not align with what they see in other applications. They expressed the desire to be able to save colors they created and view recent colors they have used.

By implementing these changes, it enhanced user sentiment across 6/6 users.

EVALUATION

6/6 users were able to edit/delete objects efficiently with times averaging around 9 seconds vs. giving up in the original Glue VR.

6/6 users were able to successfully Invite New Member and Create a New Team under 30 seconds vs. 2 Min 30 Sec - 6 Min 40 Sec (Gave up) in Glue VR.

6/6 users expressed 4 - 5 sentiment (satisfied - very satisfied) for all finalized design changes.

6/6 users were able to change type language with 0 errors vs. 3/6 users experiencing 1 or more errors in Glue VR.

CONCLUSION

The design proposals, backed by research, testing, and evaluation have proved more efficient and easier to use, in comparison to Glue VR.

These solutions can be tailored to fit other aspects of the platform, and can be used as guidance when adjusting VR collaboration applications in general.

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