How do you guide user attention in VR?

1 Use contrast and motion

One of the simplest and most effective ways to guide user attention in VR is to use contrast and motion. Our eyes are naturally drawn to things that stand out from the background, such as bright colors, sharp edges, or dynamic movements. You can use contrast and motion to highlight key objects, characters, or events in your VR scene, and make them more noticeable and attractive to the user. For example, you can use a contrasting color scheme to make an interactive button pop out from the environment, or use a moving character or particle effect to indicate a point of interest or a direction to follow.

2 Use gaze and head tracking

Another way to guide user attention in VR is to use gaze and head tracking. Gaze and head tracking are the methods of measuring where the user is looking and how they are orienting their head in VR. You can use these data to create adaptive and responsive VR experiences that react to the user's attention and behavior. For example, you can use gaze and head tracking to trigger events, animations, or sounds when the user looks at a specific object or area, or to adjust the level of detail, lighting, or sound based on the user's focus and distance.

3 Use spatial audio

A third way to guide user attention in VR is to use spatial audio. Spatial audio is the technique of creating realistic and immersive soundscapes that match the 3D environment and the user's position and movement in VR. You can use spatial audio to create auditory cues and feedback that can attract, direct, or inform the user's attention in VR. For example, you can use spatial audio to create a sound source that guides the user to a hidden object or a new location, or to create a dialogue or narration that provides context or instructions to the user.

4 Use affordances and signifiers

A fourth way to guide user attention in VR is to use affordances and signifiers. Affordances are the properties of objects that suggest how they can be used or interacted with, such as shape, size, or texture. Signifiers are the visual or auditory clues that indicate the affordances of objects, such as labels, icons, or sounds. You can use affordances and signifiers to make your VR objects and interactions more intuitive and discoverable, and to guide the user's attention to the most relevant and meaningful ones. For example, you can use affordances and signifiers to make a door handle look and sound like it can be grabbed and turned, or to make a lever look and sound like it can be pulled and activated.

5 Use social cues and feedback

A fifth way to guide user attention in VR is to use social cues and feedback. Social cues and feedback are the behaviors and expressions of other characters or agents in VR that can influence the user's attention and emotions, such as eye contact, gestures, or facial expressions. You can use social cues and feedback to create more engaging and realistic VR interactions and scenarios, and to guide the user's attention to the most important and relevant ones. For example, you can use social cues and feedback to make a character look and smile at the user when they approach them, or to make a character frown and shake their head when the user does something wrong.

6 Use testing and analytics

A sixth way to guide user attention in VR is to use testing and analytics. Testing and analytics are the methods of evaluating and measuring the effectiveness and impact of your VR design and techniques on the user's attention and experience. You can use testing and analytics to collect and analyze data on how the user behaves, reacts, and feels in your VR scene, such as where they look, what they interact with, and how they rate their satisfaction and immersion. You can use testing and analytics to identify and improve the strengths and weaknesses of your VR design and techniques, and to optimize your VR experience for user attention and engagement.

7 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?