Project
001
Spectra HoloVisio
Futuristic holographic tool for real-time 3D interior design visualization and interactive customization.
For a class in grad school, we were tasked with envisioning a technology five years into the future. My team decided to explore the use of holograms in interior design, resulting in the project HoloVisio. Over an 13-week timeline, we conducted user research, developed low-fidelity prototypes, gathered user feedback, and iteratively created high-fidelity prototypes, testing and refining the design based on continuous user input. The goal was to build an innovative tool that enhances the interior design process through realistic 3D holographic projections.
Info
002
Role
Product Designer &
Researcher
Timeline
13 weeks
Tools
Figma
After Effects
Team
3 product designers
Overview
003
Problem
How might we empower users to visualize and personalize their interior design choices in a more immersive and intuitive way, bridging the gap between imagination and reality?
Outcome
We designed and developed a prototype for Spectra HoloVisio, a futuristic holographic interior design tool, over an 13 - week period. You can view the prototype and learn more about the project here
Uncovering Issues
004
User research —
findings & insights
To gain insights into user needs and preferences, I conducted 2 semi-structured interviews. Additionally, 89 individuals completed a comprehensive survey. Here are the key findings from this research.
52%
of the survey participants spend very little or a small amount of time on interior design.
When engaging in redesign activities, users tend to invest minimal time, finding the process either overwhelming or secondary to other commitments. This limited time investment often results in insufficient planning and suboptimal design outcomes.
61.8%
prefer a DIY approach to redesigning their spaces over seeking professional help.
A majority of respondents indicated they prefer to redesign their living spaces themselves (DIY) rather than seeking assistance from professional interior designers. The DIY approach allows them more personal expression and creative control.
64.0%
cite price as a major factor affecting their redesign efforts.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents indicated that price or cost considerations are a significant factor that affects them from redesigning their spaces or buying new furniture and decor items
Storyboard
005
Storyboard
Traditional interior design consultations often leave clients struggling to visualize designs. HoloVisio offers a solution by allowing clients to interact with 3D holographic projections of furniture and decor in their own spaces.
Ideation
006
Initial product design
The process of designing the eyeband involved meticulously drafting streamlined, structure-focused pen & paper designs for an eyeband that is comfortable to wear and fully equipped with all the necessary sensors and features. We explored various design concepts to ensure functionality and comfort, including over-the-ear, around-the-ear, and on-ear models.
Wireframes
007
Low fidelity — ideas & flows
We discovered a 360-degree VR sketch sheet and used a 360-degree panorama app to generate a 360-view of the prototype. This allowed users to experience the designs in a more immersive and realistic manner, helping them to better understand and provide feedback on the proposed interface. During the design process, we focused on several key features to ensure a user-friendly experience
01
Menu placement
We carefully considered the location of menus to ensure they were easily reachable and did not cause strain on the user's hand or shoulder during interaction.
02
Multiple menu visibility
When more than one menu was visible to the user simultaneously, we explored various layout options to determine the most intuitive and user-friendly arrangement.
03
Furniture placement and customization
We prioritized the ability for users to place furniture anywhere within the virtual space and lock the position and dimensions of each piece, enabling them to create personalized and precise interior designs.
04
Design with AI
Use of AI to expedite the process of designing the home.
05
360 degree view of the prototype
User Testing and Feedback - Low-fi
008
User feedback —
key findings
We tested low-fidelity prototypes with 11 users aged 22-35 in 15-20 minute sessions. Following are some key findings from the interviews.
Feedback Theme
Menu Preferences
Menu Visibility
Menu Focus
Innovation in Design
Dynamic Menu Positioning
User Quotes
"A dual-side menu would be more user-friendly."
"Minimize the menu when an object is selected."
"Blur the menu when it's not in focus."
"The Auto Design feature sounds exciting!"
"The menu should adjust based on how I'm interacting."
Design Implications
Explore different menu placement options (left/right, top/bottom, combination).
Implement a feature to hide or reduce the menu's visibility during object manipulation.
Add a blur effect or similar visual cue to indicate when the menu is not the active focus.
Prioritize developing the AI-powered Auto Design feature for space planning and idea generation.
Design a dynamic menu that changes position based on user behavior and context.
Final Designs
009
High fidelity — videos
For the high-fidelity prototype, we used Figma and Adobe Premiere Pro. To simulate the user experience of wearing the headband and interacting with the system, we recorded first-person videos and edited them in Premiere Pro. We created short videos showcasing various user interactions with the system, providing a comprehensive overview of the HoloVisio experience.
Welcome screen
Users are introduced to HoloVisio through an immersive first-person perspective video. This approach allows viewers to experience the welcome screen and basic touch interactions as if they were wearing the device themselves, providing a more authentic representation of the user experience.
Furniture placement – moving and locking gesture
Users select and place objects in their virtual space using intuitive hand gestures. The video demonstrates how to choose items from the menu, position them in the room, and lock them in place with a crossed-finger gesture.
Furniture placement – grab and pull gesture
Users can seamlessly select and place furniture using a natural grab, pull, and drop gesture. This innovative interaction breaks away from conventional methods, allowing for a more immersive and flexible design experience. The video demonstrates how users can intuitively drag items from the menu directly into their virtual space.
Disappearing menus – snap gesture
With a simple snap gesture, users can instantly clear all menus from their field of view. This feature allows for an unobstructed view of the designed space, enabling users to fully appreciate their creations without interface elements.
Auto design using AI
Users can leverage artificial intelligence to instantly generate complete room designs. By activating the AI feature, HoloVisio quickly analyzes the space and user preferences to create personalized interior layouts.
User Testing and Feedback - High-fi
010
User feedback — key findings & suggestions
We showed the high-fidelity prototype videos to 15 users aged 22-35 from diverse backgrounds. After watching the videos, they filled out a survey rating each interaction on a scale of 1 to 5.
86%
Rated the hand movement gesture interaction for moving objects as highly effective
57%
Mentioned gesture interactions or snap feature as their most liked feature
74%
Rated the AI auto-design feature as excellent
43%
Mentioned potential improvements related to background or environment customization
35%
Specifically mentioned the system would be useful for client interactions or frequent
Next Steps
011
Next steps - work on
feedback
Implement user suggestions to add wall color customization, multi-item comparison, and simultaneous item locking.
Refine the user interface based on feedback to enhance usability and intuitive interactions.
Develop a functional prototype that allows real-time user interaction for further testing and insights.
Conduct additional user testing with a larger, more diverse group to gather detailed feedback and validate design changes.