Visual Vocal App

Mobile 3D design meetings

Interaction Architect: Visual Vocal

ROLE: Headed overall interaction design, created mockups, and visualized future directions; (visual design by Michele McMullen)
CHALLENGES: the mobile app had to both present a traditional 2D interface for browsing projects and a cutting-edge mobile VR view that included multiple scenes, annotations, and visual surveys. In addition, the app had to support both users who were authenticated and users who received real-time invites. The networking system often kicked people out of meetings so we needed easy ways to get people back into meetings.
SOLUTION 2D: To overcome server latency the UI supported concurrent actions and had very clear indications for tasks required of the client An invite code, the Vv, was put front-and-center as a way to securely share invites and integrated with the device's sharing system.
SOLUTION 3D/VR: Gaze+dwell was used for selection; subtle but salient timing visual cues helped users understand when and how the context was about to change
TOOLS: Adobe XD, Illustrator, SketchUp
IMPACT: Major AEC sales, patents, and Series A funding

An early version of the project download and share interface that I designed

Architects start with detailed CAD data from apps such as Revit or Autodesk
They then create high resolution photo-realistic renderings using tools such as VRay
These 360 panoramas are then imported into the web authoring portal, arranged, and annotated to form a story
Clients can then browse immersive stories via a phone, where they are presented with design variations and can weigh in on important decisions

Making the unfamiliar, familiar

The interaction needs for a mobile VR app are much different than for a dedicated tethered desktop experiences. I am consumed with figuring out how to make mobile VR apps work immediately, out-of-the-box, and in an environment rife with distractions, interruptions, and compromised concentration. I have also been applying my repertoire of 3D interaction expertise to provide rich interactions, even when there are no hardware hand controllers and with severely limited graphics performance.

Designed overall user flow for web portal authoring environment
Designed user flow and primary element relationships within immersive mobile VR app
Drafted and review all legal documents (TOS and patents)
Wrote and edit business development documents
Managed task tracking and priorities for overall product design
Mentored visual design
Lead long term planning and strategy for design directions

Yoked Menus

Teleport Rotation Tuning

Spring-loaded Peeking

Gaze-based Object Placement

View Sharing

Design Process

Distinguishing UI from content

I evaluated how animation, color, and rendering style can create a new visual language for UI, especially when underlying content can be of any type.
I found a balance between salience and minimizing distraction.
I explored how UI controls and indicators can adapt both size and depth to accommodate content that has arbitrarily varying depth.

Multi-user interaction

I helped to mesh the rich body of research in collaborative systems with the new needs of mobile VR.
I focused on how to let users know what information they are sharing and how to let them pass baton to other participants.

New user guidance

I designed a series of sequences to assist in onboarding new users while highlighting key product features.

I designed several alternatives for how story authors could adjust the depth of the UI within the 3D space

I tried many different arrangement for the overlay menu, each with attention to visual hierarchy. In the end, a large area had to be reserved in the center for a list of variations

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