Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/user-experience-interaction-design-augmented-virtual-mixed-extended-reality
In the rapidly evolving landscape of augmented, virtual, and mixed reality (AR/VR/MR/XR), designing intuitive and engaging user experiences is paramount. Coursera’s ‘User Experience & Interaction Design for AR/VR/MR/XR’ course, the second in the ‘XR for Everybody’ specialization, offers a comprehensive and practical approach to mastering this critical skill.
This course is an excellent starting point for anyone looking to dive into XR creation. It begins with a broad overview of the entire XR design process, demystifying the journey to becoming an XR creator. The instructors clearly outline what goes into building compelling XR experiences and provide actionable advice on how to get started.
The syllabus is thoughtfully structured. The first module, ‘XR Design Process,’ draws an insightful analogy to filmmaking to establish key requirements, setting a strong foundation for practical application.
Moving into ‘Design Thinking, Ethics, and Guidelines for XR,’ the course emphasizes the importance of a design-thinking mindset. It delves into building empathy with users, ethical considerations in XR design, and best practices. The inclusion of design critique techniques and collaborative design jams prepares learners for real-world problem-solving. The honors track’s first exercise, critiquing an existing XR application, is a fantastic way to immediately apply theoretical knowledge.
The course truly shines in its practical prototyping modules. ‘Storyboarding & Physical Prototyping for XR Experiences’ champions the power of paper and sketching, encouraging rapid ideation. The transition to physical prototypes using templates and dioramas, enhanced with AR techniques, provides a tangible feel for XR concepts without the immediate need for complex digital tools. The honors track exercises here, involving storyboarding and physical prototyping of a design concept, are invaluable for developing a tangible project.
Finally, ‘Digital Prototyping & Evaluation of XR Experiences’ bridges the gap between physical and digital. It introduces tools that allow for the creation of initial VR/AR experiences without coding, and even explores immersive authoring directly within XR environments. Crucially, it covers user experience evaluation techniques and user study design, culminating in advice on building an XR portfolio. The final honors track assignment, a digital prototype and peer review, solidifies learning and hones essential feedback skills.
Overall, ‘User Experience & Interaction Design for AR/VR/MR/XR’ is a highly recommended course for aspiring XR designers, developers, or anyone interested in the future of human-computer interaction. It strikes an excellent balance between theoretical understanding, ethical considerations, and hands-on practical application, equipping learners with the tools and mindset to create impactful XR experiences.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/user-experience-interaction-design-augmented-virtual-mixed-extended-reality