User Experience & Interaction Design for AR/VR/MR/XR from Coursera

This second course in the XR for Everybody specialization looks at how to design new user experiences for XR technologies. The course provides learners with a design thinking mindset and equips them with a fundamental toolbox for creating XR applications using rapid prototyping. It starts with a broad overview of the complete XR design process, discussing different paths to becoming an XR creator, what is generally involved in making XR experiences, and how to best get started. The course then emphasizes design thinking, critiques, and ethics while introducing guidelines and user-centered techniques like design jams. The second half of the course introduces a variety of methods and tools for prototyping both physically and digitally including on the XR devices themselves through immersive authoring.

The course has an honors track that guides learners through creating their own storyboard, physical prototype, and digital prototype of an XR experience. You will work on exercises that allow you to practice your design skills and also build XR technologies into your workflow by working with specific templates and new digital tools that allow you to preview physical prototypes on AR/VR devices.

What's inside

Syllabus

XR Design Process

This module will provide you with an introduction to XR design and development. When I say design, I usually mean user experience design or interaction design. Some designers have quite specific definitions of each of those terms, but I think of them broadly as forms of design focused on the creation of new user interfaces. While I think of many parts of this course as providing the theory and background to XR design, I will focus on the practical aspects of XR creation. I will start by making an analogy to filmmaking to establish key requirements, before going on to talk about the main steps part of a larger process and how to get started with doing XR. As we are just getting started, this first module does not have an honors track component associated with it. The honors track will start in the second module.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides hands-on experiences that allow learners to develop skills in designing and prototyping XR experiences

Taught by Michael Nebeling, an experienced XR designer and educator

Emphasizes design thinking and user-centered techniques, which are essential for creating effective XR experiences

Offers an honors track that provides additional support and opportunities for learners to develop their projects

Covers a wide range of topics, from the XR design process to prototyping and evaluation techniques

Requires learners to have access to XR devices, which may be a barrier for some

Reviews summary

Practical xr design thinking & prototyping

According to students, this course provides a strong foundation in User Experience and Interaction Design for XR technologies. Learners particularly praise its practical approach, emphasizing design thinking and rapid prototyping methods, especially the valuable focus on physical prototyping. The course is noted for covering ethical considerations and guiding students through building an XR portfolio. While some find certain digital prototyping tools could be more current, the instructor's clear explanations and the hands-on exercises make it highly beneficial for aspiring XR designers, offering a holistic overview of the design process without deep technical coding.

Broad overview suitable for aspiring XR designers.

"This is an excellent primer for XR design, but it’s not a deep dive into advanced technical implementation."

"As a beginner, I found the pace just right for grasping the fundamentals of XR design."

"For experienced UX designers, it’s a good introduction to XR specifics, though some basic concepts may be familiar."

Core principles are strong, but some tools need updates.

"While the design principles are timeless, I found some digital tools are a bit outdated in recent iterations."

"I appreciated how the instructor occasionally updated content to reflect new trends, keeping it somewhat fresh."

"The course provides a great framework, but for practical job application, I'll need to research more current software solutions."

Instructor provides clear explanations and engaging content.

"The instructor made complex XR design concepts easy to understand and was very passionate."

"Lectures were well-structured and provided excellent examples relevant to the XR field."

"I found the explanations extremely helpful, especially for someone new to the XR design space."

Strong emphasis on both physical and digital prototyping.

"The physical prototyping exercises were surprisingly effective and helped me think creatively about XR interfaces."

"I really valued learning about the digital prototyping tools that don't require heavy coding."

"The course clearly outlines the journey from conceptual sketching to functional digital mockups."

Equips learners with essential XR design thinking skills.

"This course gave me a really solid understanding of the unique challenges in XR UX."

"I appreciated the emphasis on practical, hands-on design thinking and prototyping, especially the physical exercises."

"It's a great starting point for anyone looking to enter XR design, providing a comprehensive overview."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in User Experience & Interaction Design for AR/VR/MR/XR with these activities:

Participate in a peer review session to critique and provide feedback on other students' XR design projects

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Engaging in peer review will help you refine your design thinking skills and enhance your understanding of XR design best practices.

Browse courses on Design Thinking

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Join a peer review session organized by the instructor or through a study group
Review the XR design projects of other students
Provide constructive feedback on the strengths and areas for improvement of each project

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Career center

Learners who complete User Experience & Interaction Design for AR/VR/MR/XR will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

XR Designer

XR Designers specialize in designing experiences for XR technologies, including AR, VR, and MR. This course is designed specifically for XR Designers, providing a comprehensive overview of the XR design process and equipping learners with the skills and tools they need to create immersive and engaging XR experiences.

See salaries and explore the career path for XR Designer

Interaction Designer

Interaction Designers focus on designing the interactions between users and products or services. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design will build a strong foundation in interaction design principles and provide techniques for designing interactive experiences for XR technologies.

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UX Researcher

UX Researchers conduct user research to understand users' needs and behaviours. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can provide a foundation in UX research techniques and provide techniques for conducting user research for XR experiences.

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UX Engineer

UX Engineers work to build and maintain the user experience of products. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can provide a foundation in UX engineering principles and provide techniques for building and implementing user-centered XR experiences.

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XR Developer

XR Developers are responsible for developing and implementing XR applications. While this course does not teach programming, the skills and knowledge gained in this course will be valuable for XR Developers who want to create user-centered and immersive XR experiences. For example, the emphasis on prototyping will help XR Developers create high-fidelity prototypes that can be used to test and iterate on design ideas.

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3D Artist

3D Artists create 3D models and environments for products. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can provide a foundation in 3D art principles and provide techniques for creating realistic and immersive 3D assets for XR experiences.

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Visual Designer

Visual Designers are responsible for the visual design of products, including websites, apps, and devices. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can provide a foundation in visual design principles and provide techniques for creating visually appealing and engaging XR experiences.

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Motion Graphic Designer

Motion Graphic Designers create visual effects and animations for products. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can provide a foundation in motion graphic design principles and provide techniques for creating visually appealing and engaging animations for XR experiences.

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UX Designer

UX Designers work to improve the user experience, or UX, of products including websites, apps, and devices. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can build a foundation in user-centered design and provide techniques for UX designers such as design critiques, storyboarding, and prototyping. It also emphasizes design thinking, ethics, and guidelines that are important for creating compelling XR experiences.

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UI Designer

UI Designers are responsible for the design of user interfaces for products. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can provide a foundation in UI design principles and provide techniques for designing user-friendly and intuitive UI for XR experiences.

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Game Designer

Game Designers are responsible for designing the gameplay and mechanics of games. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can provide a foundation in game design principles and provide techniques for designing immersive and engaging XR games.

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Creative Technologist

Creative Technologists use technology to create new and innovative experiences. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can provide a foundation in creative technology and provide techniques for using technology to create immersive and engaging XR experiences.

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UX Writer

UX Writers are responsible for writing the text and content for products. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can provide a foundation in UX writing principles and provide techniques for writing user-friendly and engaging content for XR experiences.

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Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for managing the development and launch of products. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can help Product Managers develop a user-centered approach to product development and provide them with the skills they need to understand user needs and create successful XR products.

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User Researcher

User Researchers study and observe users to understand their needs and behaviours. This course in User Experience & Interaction Design can provide a foundation in user research techniques such as design thinking, critiques, and usability evaluation. The emphasis on ethics and guidelines will also be useful for user researchers who want to conduct ethical and responsible research.

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