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How to Design for Augmented and Virtual Reality

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How this course will help your career

What you will learn

  • How to design for AR and VR from novel and unique perspectives
  • The three keys to designing for this new medium: Storytelling, Imagineering, and Improvisation
  • How to enhance immersion in order to improve your users’ experience
  • How to create 3D personas to improve spatial navigation, layout, and content
  • How to incorporate the brain’s responses to 3D interfaces by taking visual, auditory, and kinesthetic interactions into account
  • Practical tips to avoid known UX problems when designing for AR and VR

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are quickly becoming huge areas of technology, with giants like Apple, Microsoft and Google competing to provide the next big AR or VR experience. Statista predicts that the worldwide user base for AR and VR will reach 443 million by 20251, meaning that it is becoming increasingly important for UX designers to know how to create amazing VR and AR experiences. Designing for 3D experiences will require completely new ways of thinking about UX design—and the question is, are you well equipped to tackle this new field of design?

The good news is that while AR and VR hardware and software is changing dramatically, UX principles and techniques for 3D interaction design will remain consistent. It’s just that new opportunities and sensitivities will present themselves to designers and developers. This course will give you the 3D UX skills to remain relevant in the next decade and beyond. You’ll be able to create immersive experiences that tap into the novel opportunities that AR and VR generate. For example, you will need to bring together key UX concepts such as emotional design, social UX, and gamification in order to create an immersive AR or VR creation.

AR and VR need to be easy to use in order to provide users with experiences that wow. Avoiding common usability mistakes and applying the principles of storytelling will help you carefully craft 3D experiences that delight, intrigue, amuse, and most of all evoke the response you intended. You’ll need to engage users in first-person narratives by making use of spatially dynamic UI’s, including gaze, gesture, movement, speech, and sound—often used in combination.

During the course, you will come across many examples and case studies from spatial and holographic interface designers. You will master how to create immersive 3D content for AR and VR that provides rich user experiences. The course offers exercises and challenges throughout, all aimed at helping you and/or your team practice your emerging or existing AR/VR skills. You will be taught by Frank Spillers, who is a distinguished speaker, author, and internationally respected senior usability practitioner with over 15 years of experience in the field.

Gain an industry-trusted UX Course Certificate

You earn a verifiable and industry-trusted Course Certificate once you complete the course. You can highlight them on your resume, CV, LinkedIn profile or your website.

Course Certificate

Our courses and Course Certificates are trusted by these industry leaders, who have taken up company memberships with the IDF:

Centure, Adobe, GE, IBM, Philips and SAP

Who should take this course

This course is aimed at designers, developers, and content creators who are looking to learn or enhance their skills when designing for AR and VR. Despite this being one of our advanced courses, it contains beginner, intermediate, and advanced material. Unlike other AR and VR design courses that dwell on introductory content, we quickly move beyond the basics in order to give you strategies and techniques to develop your 3D UX design skills.

This course will appeal to:

  • UX designers, interaction designers, and 3D UI designers keen on learning how to create immersive 3D content
  • Unity developers and 3D developers who want to to create user-focused experiences
  • Product managers interested in, or working with, the development of AR/VR products
  • Storytellers, content creators, and filmmakers who want to use their storytelling abilities to create engaging AR/VR content
  • Marketers interested in taking advantage of AR/VR technology in their marketing strategy
  • Creative designers, artists, and entrepreneurs who are looking to set themselves apart by tapping into the new market for AR/VR content

Courses in the Interaction Design Foundation are designed to contain comprehensive, evidence-based content, while ensuring that the learning curve is never too steep. All participants will have the opportunity to share ideas, seek help with tests, and enjoy the social aspects afforded by our open and friendly forum.

Learn and work with a global team of designers

When you take part in this course, you will join a global multidisciplinary team working on the course and the exercises at the same time as you. You will work together to improve your skills and understanding. Your course group will be made up of an incredibly diverse group of professionals, all of whom have the same objective—to become successful designers. It’s your chance to learn, grow, and network with your peers across the planet.

1 Statista, Forecast user base of the augmented and virtual reality (VR) software market worldwide in 2020 and 2025, by segment (in millions), 2018

Lessons in this course

  • Lessons become available at a schedule of one lesson per week.
  • Lessons remain open for you forever and have no deadlines.
  • There is no time limit to finish a course.
  • You have permanent access to your course material, answers, and classmates for the entire duration of your membership.
  • Estimated time to complete: 15 hours 38 mins spread over 7 weeks.

Lesson 0: Welcome and Introduction

To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 43 mins.

  • 0.1: Welcome and Introduction (4 mins)
  • 0.2: An introduction to IDF courses (14 mins)
  • 0.3: How to earn your Course Certificate (4 mins)
  • 0.4: Expand your network and grow your skills in our online forums (6 mins)
  • 0.5: Meet and learn from design professionals in your area (1 min)
  • 0.6: Gain Timeless Knowledge Through IDF Courses (11 mins)
  • 0.7: Mandatory lessons vs. Optional lessons (2 mins)
  • 0.8: A mix between video-based and text-based lesson content (2 mins)

Lesson 1: Getting in the Space (3D UX)

To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 2 hours 15 mins.

  • 1.1: Imagination Is What It's All About (5 mins)
  • 1.2: The Challenge for 3D Interaction Design (7 mins)
  • 1.3: AR/VR/MR Distinctions (12 mins)
  • 1.4: Designing for Presence (19 mins)
  • 1.5: Discussion Exercise (5 mins)
  • 1.6: First 30 Seconds Experience (10 mins)
  • 1.7: Discussion Exercise (5 mins)
  • 1.8: Exploring Spatial Interfaces (21 mins)
  • 1.9: Storytelling Essentials (13 mins)
  • 1.10: Improv Essentials (18 mins)
  • 1.11: Discussion Exercise (5 mins)
  • 1.12: Imagineering Essentials (15 mins)

Lesson 2: Getting familiar with 3D UIs

To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 44 mins.

  • 2.1: Specifying Your Experience Design Plan (14 mins)
  • 2.2: Discussion Exercise (6 mins)
  • 2.3: The Reality of Your User's Brain in 3D (18 mins)
  • 2.4: The Reality of Your User's Brain in 3D: Gaze & Gesture (15 mins)
  • 2.5: The Reality of User's Brain in 3D: Voice (8 mins)
  • 2.6: Your Designer's Brain in 3D: What You Need to Know? (12 mins)
  • 2.7: Transitioning From 2D UI's to 3D UI's (27 mins)
  • 2.8: Discussion Exercise (5 mins)

Lesson 3: Designing 3D Story Flow

To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 2 hours 2 mins.

  • 3.1: Storytelling in VR & MR: 7 Essential Musts (22 mins)
  • 3.2: Exercise (15 mins)
  • 3.3: Discussion Exercise (5 mins)
  • 3.4: Use Narrative Essentials (29 mins)
  • 3.5: Plotting Asynchronous Narrative (18 mins)
  • 3.6: Developing Your Personas (20 mins)
  • 3.7: Discussion Exercise (5 mins)
  • 3.8: Designing Around Hardware and Technology Limits (7 mins)

Lesson 4: How to Wireframe 3D Interactions

To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 2 hours 36 mins.

  • 4.1: Developing Your Interaction Models for VR, MR, AR (25 mins)
  • 4.2: Holographic Interface Storyboarding Techniques (22 mins)
  • 4.3: Wireframe Example: The Document Reviewer (4 mins)
  • 4.4: Wireframing Immersive Interactions (56 mins)
  • 4.5: 3D Wireframing Tools (18 mins)
  • 4.6: 3D Prototyping Activity (26 mins)
  • 4.7: Open Discussion (5 mins)

Lesson 5: Social VR and Collaborative Virtual Environments

To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 16 mins.

  • 5.1: 5 Important Social UI Characteristics (22 mins)
  • 5.2: Communication, Coordination and Collaboration (19 mins)
  • 5.3: 3 Tips for Better Social UX (14 mins)
  • 5.4: Social VR: Facebook Case Study (15 mins)
  • 5.5: Discussion Exercise (5 mins)

Lesson 6: Bringing It All Together

To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 3 hours 36 mins.

  • 6.1: Designing Your 3D Experience (59 mins)
  • 6.2: Defining Spatial Interactions (30 mins)
  • 6.3: Spatial UI Considerations (25 mins)
  • 6.4: 3D Navigation (22 mins)
  • 6.5: Designing Immersive Content (15 mins)
  • 6.6: Holographic UI Design (36 mins)
  • 6.7: Gamification for Any Immersive Experience (23 mins)
  • 6.8: Discussion Exercise (5 mins)

Lesson 7: Validating Your 3D Experience

To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 26 mins.

  • 7.1: Evaluating Your Design (19 mins)
  • 7.2: Discussion Exercise (6 mins)
  • 7.3: Measuring Presence (23 mins)
  • 7.4: Tools for Evaluating VR/AR Experience (15 mins)
  • 7.5: Inclusive Design: Accessibility, Gender, Localization (24 mins)

Lesson 8: Course Certificate, Final Networking, and Course Wrap-up

To be scheduled.

  • 8.1: Course Evaluation (1 min)

Learning paths

This course is part of 3 learning paths:

  • Interaction Designer
    Interaction Designer
  • UI Designer
    UI Designer
  • User Researcher
    User Researcher

    • How others have benefited

    Laura Gieco

    Laura Gieco, Australia

    “The course was a great introduction for me to the world of VR/AR. The instructor is very engaging, knowledgeable and gives lots of examples from the real world and his own experience. I also enjoyed doing the in class exercises and little challenges. Definitely helped me to learn how to think when designing VR/AR.”

    daksh sahni

    daksh sahni, United States

    “Loved the multi modal teaching method—video, exercises and assignments. The community in the course was also very strong and everyone contributed a lot—I learnt a lot from other peers as well. The instructor is very effective, knowledgable and really hit on the topics that I needed to learn in this course! In fact, I have been interviewing and some of the answers to the questions the hiring managers asked me came from what I learnt in this course.”

    Vera Dragilyova

    Vera Dragilyova, United States

    “It is an honor to be part of your organization, and I am looking forward to growing and contributing to the field, thanks to the information, courses, and advice that your organization provides.”

    See other reviews of the IDF

    How to advance your career with IDF courses

    1. Attend lessons at your own pace

      Each week throughout the course, you get access to a new lesson, but you can move through the lessons at your own pace. This means you can learn before you leave for work, or in between breaks — in as little as 15 minutes per day.

    2. Network online and offline

      Network with your fellow course-takers online, through discussion forums inside lessons. You can also connect with your peers offline via IDF’s Local Groups. Local Groups connect you with other designers around your city who share the same passion in UX design as you.

    3. Advance your career

      Get a verifiable and industry-trusted Course Certificate once you’ve scored at least 70% on a course. Highlight your Course Certificates on your résumé, your LinkedIn profile, or your website to showcase your newly mastered skills.

    Start advancing your career now

    Become a member to take “How to Design for Augmented and Virtual Reality”. Take any other IDF UX courses at no additional cost. Take a concrete step forward in your career path today.

    Advance your career now

    Frequently asked questions

    Courses

    I missed the enrollment date and now the course is closed. Will I have any opportunity to take the course in the future?

    Don't worry if you missed the course. We will re-run it shortly. One of the reasons we continually open and close courses is to be able to control the classroom size.

    Networking is a large part of our value proposition, so we want just the right number of people inside the courses. That is also why we display the "XX % percent booked" on our course icons.

    We’ll re-schedule the course and make it available for sign-up on https://www.interaction-design.org/courses in only about a week (or perhaps a little bit longer). The actual start date of the course will be a few weeks after sign-ups begin too. We’ve found that this is the best way to maximize flexibility and convenience for everyone, especially you as you put your course program together.

    Can I take more than one course at a time?
    Yes, you can take all the courses you would like. For example, if there are 30 active courses, you can enroll in all 30 courses at the same time and move from one to the other as you please.

    There are no further charges once you’ve paid for your membership.

    Please note: If you have a student membership, you can take a maximum of two courses at the same time. As a student, you can thus still take all the courses you would like – free of extra charges – just as long as you finish them (or drop them) so that you don’t have more than three ongoing courses at the same time.
    Do I have to be online at an exact time to study?

    No. You can set your own study schedule. There are no "live sessions" or "webinars" since our members are from all timezones around the world. We are a truly global community – with members in every single corner of the world.

    Thus, once you are enrolled, you can take all the time you want to complete a given course. Every "classroom" in each course will never close, so you’ll have permanent access to your classmates and your course material (as well as your own answers).

    Will I receive a Course Certificate?

    Yes. Every time you complete a course, you get an industry-recognized Course Certificate. There is no limit to how many Course Certificates you can earn during your membership. You will also receive a 3-step guide on how to include your Course Certificate on LinkedIn and in your résumé/CV.

    You can see an example of a Course Certificate at the bottom of the Course Catalogue.

    I have answered questions in a lesson; when will they be marked/graded?
    We do the marking/grading in so-called "sprints," where we sit down and do all the marking/grading in one go. Your answers will be graded approximately two weeks after you submit your work. 
    We do this because it is much more efficient than doing one little step every day. It's part of our lean/agile work philosophy, and that approach to efficiency is one of the factors that keeps our membership prices so incredibly low.
    We are doing it to save you money and as part of our mission to lower the cost of high-quality design education.
    I have updated my name, but my course certificate is not updated — how can I change it?
    Once you update your name, the certificate will be updated automatically in the next 48 hours. 
    I have started the course/lesson later than the specified date, are my answers still going to be marked?

    We will be marking answers for as long as there are active members. Therefore, even if you are the only person taking a lesson at that particular time, your answers will still be marked.

    How are courses graded?

    Open-ended questions are graded by our experts and course instructors - not by machines.

    That's one of the reasons why our Course Certificates are credible and recognized by industry leaders.

    I started a course after the official start date; for how long will I have access to the course materials?

    Regardless of when you have enrolled on a course, you will have access to the course materials for the entire duration of your membership. So, if you pay for a one-year membership, you will have access for one year, renewing your membership for a second year means you will have access for two years, and so on.

    New lessons are starting before I have had the chance to complete all aspects of the previous lesson(s); am I going to be locked out of these unfinished lessons?

    No, you will not be locked out of any lesson or course. You will have access to all course materials throughout your membership, so there is no pressure to keep at the same pace as the specified lesson release dates.

    All we recommend is that you try to stick to the same schedule as other participants. The reason is they may have moved on to other lessons, thereby meaning you could miss out on the social aspects of the course(s). However, we anticipate that there will be a constant flow of participants working through different lessons and courses, so overall you are unlikely to miss out. We will also be running all courses again — so there really is no rush.

    Are course certificates awarded on a specific date?

    No; you can generate your certificate as soon as you attain at least 70% of the total course points.

    When will I receive my Course Certificate?

    Course certificates will be given to participants when they have scored more than 70% or more of the total course points. For example, if a course contains ten lessons each with ten questions, you will receive a course certificate when the instructor has awarded you at least 70 points (70% of the total course points).

    There is no specified time that certificates will be awarded — instead, they are given to participants as and when they have answered all questions, even if this is long after the official end date.

    How do I add my Course Certificate to my LinkedIn profile?

    Below is a step-by-step guide on how to add your IDF course(s) to your LinkedIn profile:

    1. Log in to your LinkedIn account, then go to your profile.
    2. On the right, in the Add profile section dropdown, choose Background and then select the + next to Licenses & Certifications.

    3. In the following fields add:
      • Name – Course name
      • Issuing organization – The Interaction Design Foundation
      • Check the field “This credential does not expire”
      • Issue date - Input the date written on your certificate (e.g., May 2019)
      • Credential ID – Your membership ID number (it's written on your certificate)
      • Credential URL: Input the certificate URL provided on your course page

    4. Click on the save button.

    Congratulate yourself!
    You’ve made a great accomplishment by earning your course certificate, and now the world knows about it!

    How do I add the IDF Membership Certificate to my LinkedIn Profile?

    Below is a step-by-step guide on how to add your IDF membership certificate to your LinkedIn profile:

    1. Log in to your LinkedIn account, then go to your profile.
    2. On the right, in the Add profile section dropdown, choose Background and then select the + next to Licenses & Certifications.

    3. In the following fields add:
      • Name – Membership Certificate
      • Issuing organization – The Interaction Design Foundation
      • Check the field “This credential does not expire”
      • Issue date - Input the date when you joined our community (e.g., May 2019)
      • Credential ID – Your membership ID number (it's written on your certificate)
      • Credential URL: Input the certificate URL provided on your profile page
    4. Click on the save button.

    It is as simple as that. Now, anyone who visits your profile can see your certificate!

    How much will I have to pay for the courses?

    As a member, you can take as many courses as you want with no additional costs. This means you only have to pay our membership fee to take an unlimited number of courses. There will be no further charges on top of the membership fee, no matter how many courses you decide to take.

    Do you provide mostly beginners' or more advanced courses?

    We provide courses for all levels of mastery and accross the full spectrum. If you’re new to design, you can start from our beginner courses and progress all the way up to our advanced ones. If you’re an established designer, on the other hand, you will find some of our lower-level courses provide a good refresher—and the advanced ones, a bit of a challenge.

    How long does it take to complete a course?

    Once enrolled in a course, you will gain access to a new lesson each week, which you are free to complete without any deadlines and no end date, either.