The Island Labs design team was tasked with designing a fully immersive kitchen design and creation experience for HoloLens 2, specifically targeted towards kitchen sellers. The current process involved using an iPad app to design the kitchen before presenting it on the HoloLens 2 (Microsoft’s MR headset), which could be cumbersome and distracting. Our goal was to simplify this process by allowing users to design and build the kitchen entirely within the HoloLens 2. The project included extensive storyboarding, creative problem-solving and working closely with developers to develop POCs.
Propose a concept for a fully immersive kitchen design and creation experience specifically designed for the HoloLens 2. The target audience for this experience were kitchen sellers who would use the application to create and present designs to their clients. At the time, users were forced to juggle multiple devices to design a kitchen, using an iPad app to create the design before presenting it on the HoloLens 2. Our goal was to simplify this process by allowing users to build and design the kitchen entirely within the headset, enabling them to stay focused on the task at hand.
Designing for XR and HoloLens 2 is a unique challenge as every interaction, from object selection to object editing, has to be carefully implemented with a certain logic. Unlike with other applications, there are no established style rules or best practices, making this an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of mixed reality design.
To kick off the project, the team conducted research on both XR and flat apps to see what we could learn from existing solutions. This research helped us identify potential design opportunities.
To be honest, this part of the process was mostly three designers in a room either waving their hands around, walking slowly around our test kitchen or engaging in serious discussions by the whiteboard. Through these activities, we explored a range of ideas and worked to refine our concept.
After agreeing on a concept, we needed to get it down on paper so we could communicate it to the rest of the team. Together, the design team created an extensive storyboard covering all interactions that needed to be built.
Following approval of the storyboard, the team worked on designing the UI for the menus our concept demanded. I was responsible for designing the style selector, which allows users to change the materials of the kitchen cabinets. This also included logic behaviors for editing styles globally versus individually, resetting styles, and a filtering system for available styles. With the designs in place, we began prototyping to test the functionality of our designs.
The design team worked closely with developers to create proof-of-concept features, testing and refining the concept to ensure that every detail felt intuitive to use. Have you ever thought about which joint of your virtual hand should anchor a loading bar? To find an answer and spare you the trouble, I tested ten different loading speeds for said loading bar. Should you be able to see your finger cursor through a hologram? Our answer: yes.
Given the technical constraints of developing for XR (for the time being), we had to be mindful of unique limitations and work creatively to overcome them.
Through this project I gained valuable insights into the unique challenges of designing for mixed reality, including how to communicate design ideas effectively and which interactions translate well into the realm of mixed reality. Working closely with developers gave me an even deeper understanding of the technical constraints associated with designing for XR.
