User Experience: AR vs 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

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 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.

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

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.