Designing experience for users is everywhere. UX is a process of making things work and interaction design is applying interactions between humans and the digital interface, making it smooth, easy, seamless, and intuitive to use. UX could be applied to a tangible device, computer, software, mechanical equipment, gaming, etc.
With the effect of the covid pandemic, new artificial intelligence and mixed reality are changing the way we work and socialize. The world is in the process of transitioning into smart and fully digital technology. This must be a golden age for the digital market. Demands are increased with more new users and more new technologies leading UX to be one of the most important fields.
The future of a smartphone may not be a smartphone. The future of the market may not be a physical market. The future of user interactions may not be through screens. The future of money payments may not be in physical notes. We are in the era of merging digital assets into real-world assets. More people are into digital currencies and NFTs.
We are at the stage where designers are in the race to design user experiences using mixed reality and with all-new UX techniques or processes.
The METAVERSE
It’s worth remembering the fact that Mark and his team have already begun the process of creating a digital world called The Metaverse which can actually connect people virtually from anywhere.
AR and VR are not something new for gamers. However, it is new for other industries to adapt to that technology and scale their business. Many companies are very keen to enter the digital market. It’s interesting to know the fact that Mark has changed his company’s name to META just for one of its products “Metaverse”. The intention of creating such digital space is to trigger users to perform actions like buying, selling, playing, socializing, learning, or even living their life in a fully immersive way.
How to design user experience in the metaverse
Storytelling
Designs for the metaverse are involved many virtual characters and models. Storytelling must be made upfront with clarity on 3D assets and their characters. The storytelling has to be fully evolved with a clear understanding till the end of the process. The user/gamers are going to connect with each other through the virtual world. So, taking that into account, the user stories need to justify their purpose.
The designer needs to think about each and every interaction considering a 360-degree interaction experience in mind. The purpose of the designer is to design something that needs to work seamlessly and effectively. So, the designers no more need to work in a solo place or think about design from a 2D perspective. They have a wide range of assets and space to think and play and create more meaningful digital assets.
No more 2D Designs
We, as designers need to take a leap from 2D to 3D in order to learn to design for the metaverse. Most of us are well-acquainted with the current 2D design tools for designing the UIs such as Sketch, Figma, Adobe, etc. But to design for the future i.e. the metaverse, we need to take on the newer 3D modeling tools such as Tvori, or Gravity Sketch. These tools help us learn the fundamentals of 3D designing, modeling, and prototyping as these are going to become the most important tools in a designer’s arsenal in the future.
Focus on field research
The skill of observation is an essential skill that we need to master in order to design for this new surrealistic and immersive world. It is very important, as designers of a unique experience to understand how does your product behave in the different physical environments. This greatly impacts the usability of the product and governs how will it facilitate the experience of the metaverse for the user.
Reference sites:
- https://www.onething.design/ux-designing-for-the-metaverse/
- https://uxdesign.cc/tagged/metaverse
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/uiux-process-arvr-metaverse-daniel-marquez
- https://uxplanet.org/what-should-really-be-a-metaverse-26c562aab4c5
- https://www.theuxda.com/blog/how-online-banking-design-should-work-ux-case-study
- https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/silicon-valleys-metaverse-will-suck-reality-into-the-virtual-world-and-ostracize-those-who-arent-plugged-in/articleshow/88093551.cms
- https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-the-metaverse/
- https://writingcooperative.com/telling-a-story-vs-storytelling-2c7a52377e95
