How do you design AR for different domains and purposes, such as education, entertainment, and marketing?

1 Know your audience

The first step in designing AR is to understand who will use it, what they need, and how they will interact with it. Different audiences have different preferences, expectations, and abilities. For example, children may need more guidance and feedback, while adults may want more control and customization. You should also consider the context and environment where the AR will be used, such as indoors or outdoors, noisy or quiet, crowded or isolated.

2 Choose your format

The next step is to decide how to deliver the AR content, such as through a smartphone, a tablet, a headset, or a projector. Each format has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on the purpose and the budget. For example, smartphones are widely accessible and portable, but they have limited screen size and battery life. Headsets offer more immersion and realism, but they are expensive and bulky. You should also consider the type and quality of the AR content, such as 2D or 3D, realistic or stylized, static or dynamic.

3 Design your interaction

The third step is to design how the user will interact with the AR content, such as through gestures, voice, touch, or gaze. You should aim for intuitive and natural interactions that match the user's expectations and goals. For example, if you want to teach someone how to play a musical instrument, you can use gestures to mimic the movements of playing. If you want to entertain someone with a game, you can use voice to create dialogue and feedback. You should also consider the feedback and guidance that the AR content will provide, such as sounds, visuals, or haptics.

4 Test and evaluate

The final step is to test and evaluate your AR design, both during and after the development process. You should use various methods and tools, such as prototypes, user testing, analytics, and surveys, to collect feedback and data. You should also iterate and improve your design based on the results and insights. For example, you can use prototypes to test the usability and functionality of your AR content. You can use user testing to observe the user's behavior and satisfaction. You can use analytics to measure the performance and engagement of your AR content. You can use surveys to gather the user's opinions and suggestions.

5 Examples of AR design

To illustrate how these principles can be applied, here are some examples of AR design for different domains and purposes.

Education: AR can be used to enhance learning by providing interactive and contextual information, such as historical facts, scientific concepts, or cultural insights. For example, an AR app can overlay images and texts on a map to show the locations and events of a historical period. An AR headset can display 3D models and animations of human anatomy or chemical reactions. An AR projector can project cultural symbols and artifacts on a wall or a table.

Entertainment: AR can be used to create fun and immersive experiences, such as games, stories, or art. For example, an AR game can use the real world as a playground and challenge the user to find and collect virtual objects or characters. An AR story can use the user's voice and gestures to interact with the plot and the characters. An AR art can use the user's creativity and expression to create and share digital artworks.

Marketing: AR can be used to promote products or services by providing engaging and personalized information, such as features, benefits, or reviews. For example, an AR app can overlay images and texts on a product to show its details and specifications. An AR headset can simulate how a product or service would look or work in the real world, such as a car, a furniture, or a travel destination. An AR projector can display testimonials and ratings from other customers or influencers.

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?