What are the best AR UX research tools and technologies?

1 AR UX Research Challenges

Conducting AR UX research presents several challenges that are not experienced in other domains, such as having to consider the physical context and environment of the user, as well as their cognitive and emotional state. It is also difficult to capture and analyze the user's behavior and feedback in a natural and unobtrusive manner without interfering with the AR experience. Moreover, there is a complexity to measuring the user's satisfaction, engagement, and trust in the AR system, as well as its usability, functionality, and performance. Furthermore, there are no established standards or best practices for AR UX research yet due to the field still evolving and experimenting with new methods and techniques.

2 AR UX Research Tools and Technologies

In order to effectively overcome the challenges associated with AR UX research, a combination of tools and technologies must be used to collect, process, and interpret data from various sources and perspectives. Eye tracking devices, such as those integrated into AR headsets or attached to smartphones or tablets, measure the user's eye movements, gaze direction, and pupil dilation to gain insight into attention, interest, and cognitive load. Biometric sensors worn as wristbands or embedded into AR headsets measure the user's physiological responses to indicate emotional state, arousal, and stress. Motion capture systems use cameras or wearable sensors to capture body movements, gestures, and postures that can reveal interaction patterns, preferences, and comfort. Spatial audio systems create realistic soundscapes to enhance the user's sense of presence and immersion. Mixed reality capture systems record and stream the user's AR experience from a first-person or third-person perspective so that behavior and feedback can be observed and analyzed in real time or later.

3 AR UX Research Methods

AR UX researchers can apply various methods to evaluate and improve their AR products, such as user testing, heuristic evaluation, co-design, and analytics. User testing involves tasks, scenarios, questions, or surveys to assess usability, functionality, and user satisfaction. Heuristic evaluation involves inspecting the AR product against a set of predefined criteria or guidelines to identify and fix any usability problems or design flaws. Co-design involves involving users in the design process of the AR product from ideation to prototyping to evaluation. Analytics involves collecting and analyzing quantitative data from the AR product to measure its effectiveness, efficiency, and quality. Tools used in these methods include checklists, ratings, or comments for heuristic evaluation; sketches, storyboards, mockups, or low-fidelity prototypes for co-design; and Google Analytics, Firebase, or Flurry for analytics.

5 AR UX Research Resources

If you are looking to learn more about AR UX research tools and technologies, there are a variety of resources available. UX Planet provides a comprehensive guide to AR UX research, while the Nielsen Norman Group offers insight into AR user experience research methods. Tobii Pro has an ultimate guide to eye tracking for AR UX research, and Empatica provides information on how to conduct biometric research. Xsens has a case study on motion capture for AR UX research, Bose has a primer on spatial audio for AR UX, and LIV offers a tutorial on mixed reality capture for AR UX research.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?