Early prototypes and tech demos of VR headsets were not accustomed to user comfort and it was not a priority. The technology is often rejected by consumers due to comfort issues. Safety issues should not be underestimated either, as users often attempt rapid movements and miscalculate distances when wearing a headset. Until we have a successful design of comfortable and safe VR headsets, the role of UX designers is to guide the user through XR safety concerns and encourage reasonable distances and minimum play area reminders.

Affordance, signifiers, and feedback

The role of the UX designer here is to communicate to the user how items can be interacted with. For example, a text pop-up over a drawer that reads "Open me".

The UX designer answers questions related to the play area, seated vs. standing, and orientation assistance. The virtual environment is the core driver of the user experience and design decisions regarding its spatial nature determine its storytelling nature.

The designer should consider the user's situation, their physical or mental abilities, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and the sociological impact of the design.

Storytelling & Gamification

Guiding the user, eliminating the friction, giving incentives, and paving the way for a satisfying and meaningful user experience are important parts of designing in extended reality environments because users are often disoriented, confused, or unclear about the objectives of the product.

Visual & Audio & Haptics

Sensory input options open up a rich toolbox for directing and orchestrating a user's experience through visual clues, audio navigation, as well as haptic feedback using the motion controllers.