Embedded Files
Overview
Overview
AR provides a large opportunity to engage and immerse a user into a scene or environment when compared to 2D alternatives like webpages or mobile apps. This page serves to explore how the user experience is altered with the addition of different user interactions and AR capabilities. The underlying question is how can AR become more desirable to use when compared to a web alternative. The user experience interactions for the experiment have been implemented using Unity.
Comparison of User Experience for AR and Web
Comparison of User Experience for AR and Web
To begin, a basic overview of AR vs Web capabilities for user experience. With AR, it is important to note the need to have a HMD while for the web, users likely already have a device to use, either a phone or a laptop. Users are also likely more familiar with the web interfaces while AR can have more of a learning curve as it is less familiar.
The below study explores an AR application adding additional layers of immersion, and overall visual enhancements in order to further engage the user to understand if this helps the user choose AR over Web. The user may not always find AR preferable to Web and the study also includes if there are specific scenarios where one platform is preferable to another.
Study Overview
Study Overview
The study consisted of 10 responders and the numbers, unless labeled otherwise, represent the average response. The responders were asked on a scale from 1 (very low) to 5 (very high). To begin, users were asked to complete an activity in AR and an activity on the Web. Both activities operated on similar data, bird migration and sighting data, but presented data in different ways. The AR experience focused on immersing the user through each season of bird migration for a specific location, including 3D models of birds, particle systems, bird audio, and ability to navigate through the seasons. The numbers highlighted in yellow in the table below are to signify the higher number between AR and Web.
The Web activity consisted of exploring an online bird migration website for a specific location, to see the bird species in that area. For more information on the study, please visit this wiki page.
Further Understanding User Experience
Further Understanding User Experience
Users were asked, how much they would have to be paid to use the AR visualization and the Web visualization again. Below are the ratios of their responses where the left number represents AR and the right is Web.
Even with higher enjoyment and immersion scores, responders reported they would need to be paid more to repeat the AR experience than the Web experience with 5 responders reporting so while 2 reported they would need to be paid more to repeat the Web experience. 3 responders reported they would be willing to do both activities again for the same amount.
One user noted that they would need to be paid more for repeating the AR experience because they are unsure if there was any value in repeating the exercise as they think they have already seen everything. This is a key portion to consider with AR and user experience and understanding how your users would be able to or not be able to have a unique experience each time.
Key Takeaways on User Experience
Key Takeaways on User Experience
When focusing on user experience and the key elements that make AR more desirable, where AR stands out, compared to the web, is in immersion and enjoyment. A strong visualization in AR is only one portion to consider when trying to enhance user experience. Audio plays a large roll in incorporating another of the user's senses and deepening the layer of immersion. For more information about audio, specifically spatial audio, please reference this wiki page.
A visualization allowing for users to have control over changing elements like the season or the scale of an object are also reported to increase immersion. For more information on users changing scale and placement of game objects, please reference this wiki page.
While adding many elements can aid in enhancing the user experience, it can also contribute to a user feeling overwhelmed and/or unable to focus on the data being presented to them. This is an important balance to be aware of and user testing helps in understanding the balance.
Enhanced User Experience leading to better data understanding
Enhanced User Experience leading to better data understanding
When comparing users' ability to remember the data they saw in a visualization in AR and on the Web, users were able to remember more information about the AR experience.
Additional Questions to Consider
Additional Questions to Consider
How repeatable is the experience?
This helps in understanding if the user experience will be the same in each iteration, if it will increase, or decrease.
Is this visualization of data useful and meet the user's needs?
The data present in a visualization could be what the user is looking for but if they wish to have more control over the visualization and/or alter the data, it is important to understand their wants to have the experience reflect them.
User Experience in AR Research Studies
User Experience in AR Research Studies
User experience in AR/VR is widely studied and documented within scholarly research papers. Below are a list of papers that explore user experience in AR/VR to provide additional background and support to this topic.
User Experience Design with Augmented Reality (AR) by Stefan Stumpp, Tobias Knopf and Daniel Michelis
Do VR and AR versions of an immersive cultural experience engender different user experiences? by Isabelle Verhulst, Andy Woods, Laryssa Whittaker, James Bennett, and Polly Dalton
Evaluating Usability and User Experience of AR Applications in VR Simulation by Jérémy Lacoche, Eric Villain, and Anthony Foulonneau
Augmented Reality Versus Web-Based Shopping: How Does AR Improve User Experience and Online Purchase Intention by Fatemeh Zare Ebrahimabad, Hamidreza Yazdani, Amin Hakim, and Mohammad Asarian
Added by: Colby Rees (2025)
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse