PiPo - XR Hand Widget
RESEARCHER / DESIGNER • META QUEST / XR
How to Enhance Networking Experiences with Mixed Reality?
CONTRIBUTION
Researcher
UI/UX Designer
SKILLS
User Research
Interaction Design
Prototyping
TOOLS
Figma
Bezi
TIMELINE
4/2024 - 5/2024
1 month
OVERVIEW
PiPo is an innovative networking hand widget designed to facilitate more efficient, engaging, and fun interactions at networking events. The widget includes features for profile scanning, personalized invite messages, and a visualized networking graph, enhancing the way professionals connect and remember their interactions.
CONTRIBUTION
Design Research and User Understanding
To ensure PiPo met the needs of networking professionals, I conducted thorough user research. This included::
1. Interviews and Surveys: Engaging with professionals to understand their networking habits, challenges, and preferences.
2. Persona Development: Creating detailed personas representing the diverse backgrounds and networking needs of users, from newcomers to seasoned professionals.
Interaction Design and Prototyping
We designed PiPo to streamline networking tasks through intuitive interactions. Key elements of my contribution include::
1. Profile Scanning: Implementing an easy-to-use feature for scanning and retrieving professional profiles.
2. Invite Messages: Designing a system for sending personalized invites that remind users where they met.
3. Networking Graph: Developing a visual networking graph to help users track and find contacts efficiently.
DELIVERABLES
PiPo Widget
Designed to help users scan profiles, send personalized invites, and manage their networking graph using Meta Quest, Meta Smart Glasses, and Apple Vision Pro.
CONTEXT
Challenges in Networking
Traditional networking methods can be cumbersome and inefficient, often relying on physical business cards and notes. PiPo aims to address these challenges by leveraging AR technology to create a more streamlined and engaging networking experience.
Future Concept
We imagine a world where the hardware part - the smart glasses are accessible for people to networking.
With PiPo in glasses, you won’t need a personal assistant to remind you who’s the person standing in front of you, and you can better find what you two in common and are looking for, without taking your phones out.
PROBLEM
DEFINITION
Together with the team, we identified key problems in current networking practices and developed PiPo to address these issues through XR-enhanced interactions.
Inefficient Networking Processes
Traditional methods of exchanging business cards and remembering details about new contacts are cumbersome and prone to human error, leading to missed opportunities and inefficient follow-ups.
Overwhelming Amount of Networking Data
Professionals often feel overwhelmed by the volume of information they need to manage during and after the networking, such as contact details and meeting contexts, which makes it challenging to organize and utilize this data effectively.
Lack of Engaging Networking Tools
Current networking tools lack engaging features that make interactions memorable and meaningful, resulting in a less impactful networking experience.
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Understanding Networkers
To design an effective networking widget, we conducted comprehensive research to understand the target audience:
1. Literature Review: Analyzing existing research on networking practices and XR technology.
2. User Interviews: Conducting interviews with professionals to gather insights on their networking needs and preferences.
3. Persona Development: Creating detailed personas to represent the diverse backgrounds and networking needs of users.
4. Flow Refining: In order to walkthrough the user scenario and map out the features to design, we created the storyboards to refine the workflows.
5. Storyboarding: Based on the workflows, we then confirmed PiPo include the below features:
Profile scanning, Invite sending, Invite receiving, and Network managing.
PROTOTYPING
Flow Refining
We created storyboards to map out user scenarios and refine workflows, confirming the core features of profile scanning, invite sending, and network managing.
UI Design in Figma
Based on the defined features, we designed the UI in Figma, ensuring consistency and adherence to XR design guidelines.
Interactions in Bezi
We used Bezi to design interactive prototypes and conducted initial testing, addressing technical and accessibility issues to refine the prototype for usability testing.
TESTING
Goals & Criteria
We targeted professionals who frequently attend networking events, selecting 5-10 users with varying familiarity with AR technology. The criteria included their experience with smart devices and networking habits.
Methods
We assigned tasks to users and used the think-aloud method to capture their experiences. After completing tasks, users filled out a survey and participated in in-depth interviews.
Task Analysis
We conducted usability testing with 5 participants from diverse backgrounds, recording success metrics and qualitative feedback for each task.
Task 1: Scan a Professional Profile
Task 2: Exchange Digital Business Cards
Task 3: Create and Retrieve a Secret Note
Task 4: Send Follow-up Communication
Testing Results
Feedback highlighted areas for improvement, such as interaction preferences and UI design.
ITERATION
Usability Issues
Based on feedback, we mapped out problems and prioritized urgent usability issues, including:
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On-boarding Guide: To help users place the screen correctly.
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Refined UI Icons: For better clarity. Since the former version icons are confusing and may indicate different meanings based on user feedback.
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Clickable White Ball for Buttons: To improve interaction ease by making the components more clickable through objects due to current technical issues.
Higher Fidelity
We refined user scenario walkthroughs and guidance, leading to improved success rates and a more engaging user experience.
FINAL DESIGN
Interactive Prototype
The final interactive prototype is available on Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro, offering people a taste of how future XR networking experience might look like.
Exhibition & Next Steps
Our final design was displayed in Meta Quest 3 for people in the design studio exhibits. Our next steps will be leveraging the widget with more 3D and engaging UI design, and making it more efficient and accessible.
KEY
TAKEAWAYS
Enhancing Networking Experiences
PiPo successfully made networking more efficient and engaging for professionals by leveraging AR technology. Positive feedback highlighted its potential to transform traditional networking methods.
Collaborative Design Process
Continuous collaboration and iterative design were crucial in developing a user-friendly and practical networking tool.
Addressing Real-World Networking Challenges
By understanding the real-world challenges faced by professionals, PiPo provided practical solutions that were both innovative and effective.