User Research for Mixed Reality Device - Microsoft HoloLens
For confidentiality reasons and a non-disclosure agreement signed by me, I can't show details about research studies - process and results - here. This page addresses steps taken to plan and execute research for various types of studies.
"Microsoft HoloLens is the first fully untethered, holographic computer, enabling high-definition holograms to integrate with your world. Unlock all-new ways to connect, create, collaborate, and explore."
Source: Official Microsoft HoloLens website
"Microsoft HoloLens is the first fully untethered, holographic computer, enabling high-definition holograms to integrate with your world. Unlock all-new ways to connect, create, collaborate, and explore."
Source: Official Microsoft HoloLens website
Goal - Observe internal and accessible users use multiple capabilities of the the mixed reality device in various settings to understand the obstacles in learning to use a one-of-a-kind product. Study virtual reality interaction models, applications and relevance to provide context and perspective, in order to respond with useful, simple and organic design solutions
My role - User Researcher & Content Specialist
Stakeholders involved - Researchers and PMs from various Microsoft product teams (Skype, Cortana, Edge etc.), graphic designers, voice designers, senior engineers, content managers, lab technicians Tools used: MS HoloLens, MS Excel, studio recording devices, VR recording devices, telemetry data |
Goals of Augmented Reality
Belonging to a team that worked on the product in its earliest form, we had very elaborate and ambitious goals for the user experience of the HoloLens -
- Inclusive from start to finish: It would identify every user from different backgrounds of life and allow each of them to select between consistent set of options, enter and exit safely and not compromise on their privacy
- Physical safety and comfort: Let users explore the product's possibilities through simple and pleasant bodily communication. Studying the effect it has on the users' head, eyes, ears, nose, neck and hands was one of the biggest goals, as a researcher.
- Maintain user wellness: Besides physical security, ensure stability of blood pressure, sleep, eyesight, appetite and attitude
- Intelligent: Understand and guide users' journey helping them learn about the world of AR/VR through aesthetically pleasing visuals and sounds
- Mindful of medium restrictions and interactions: Use conventions and easy learning techniques to help users easily adapt to virtual reality and perform tasks they couldn't have imagined before
Usability Testing for Learnability and First Interaction
- Planned and facilitated a series of in-lab usability tests to observe how users "learn to the use" the product for the first time (after being introduced to it by friends, colleagues, news articles etc.)
- A new study was launched every two weeks to observe users' reactions and capture success, ease of use and satisfaction rate with each passing design and build iteration
- Closely collaborated with graphic designers and software engineering leads to convey user feedback and provide recommendations for improvements in the form of detailed findings reports
Source: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/gaze
Source: https://discuss.getsol.us/d/48-multi-touch
Source: https://discuss.getsol.us/d/48-multi-touch
Calibration Studies
- Ran a series of usability tests to observe how users perform device calibration and orient their body conditions to set up the first time experience
- These studies were also research experiments to study the success rate of left vs right hand users in performing tasks
Benchmarking Studies
- Ran tests and interviews as part of a larger benchmarking study to understand how experienced users progressed with time, when asked to perform certain tasks
- Tasks: Switching on the device, changing settings, entering username and password, using MS Edge to do online shopping, using the virtual keyboard and using MS Skype
- Metrics like success rate, time to complete and error rate were captured precisely and maintained in a large Excel sheet, to compare with readings from previous versions
- Other subjective metrics: Levels of confidence and difficulty
Source: https://www.sitepoint.com/getting-started-with-microsoft-hololens-development/
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjNLviVC_Qw
Source: https://www.windowslatest.com/2018/02/09/developer-installs-full-windows-10-arm-raspberry-pi-3/
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjNLviVC_Qw
Source: https://www.windowslatest.com/2018/02/09/developer-installs-full-windows-10-arm-raspberry-pi-3/
Evaluating Success of Different Input/ Interaction Methods
- Conducted a range of studies to closely observe user interaction with the HoloLens using one or more of the options available -
- Gaze: Moving the cursor with movement of the head
- Hand gestures: Using two or more fingers to perform tasks like a computer mouse
- Speech: Direct commands given to the HoloLens using a set of keywords understood by it
- Clicker: Introducing an external hardware to replace hand gestures
- Captured user feedback about aesthetic, emotional, engaging and motivating qualities with each method
- Worked closely with engineers and graphic designers to work on findings and improve accuracy, usability and inclusiveness
- Integration with MS Cortana (Microsoft's artificial intelligence assistant) was also studied as a potential interaction format