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    Virtual Reality today is truly off-the-shelf – the tools required for developing, disseminating and consuming a VR experience is available, accessible and affordable. This progress has enabled not only programmers but also technology novices to create significant immersive experiences. However, one of the major pieces missing in this field is a robust design and evaluation methodology that ensures that the experiences we create are not only immersive and interactive but also impactful.

       In September, Key Lime Interactive presented a user testing study (N=12) on the post-match statistics screen of PUBG mobile at the Games UX Summit in Vancouver, hosted by EA. During our presentation, we provided design considerations and opportunities for improvement for the post-match screen, drawing best practices from other games from mobile and PC platforms. For example, comparing to PUBG mobile, Warships Blitz (iOS, Android) provides a more detailed and accessible post-match screen, organized so that it serves players of different types.

      As UX Researchers and Designers, we work hard to have empathy and understand all different kinds of user groups. By understanding differences between groups, we are able to design technology that caters to user’s wants and needs. Two interesting groups to consider when designing products are Millennials and Baby Boomers because of the way they use, view, and evaluate technology is very different and is crucial when designing a product.

      Chatbots are an AI-controlled program that is designed to simulate human conversations by engaging in a typical chat flow. Users are able to interact with a Chatbot and receive immediate feedback through voice or text interactions with the program. Chatbots are used by many companies to quickly interact with their customers and help provide the user with information in a quick and effective manner.

      We’ve discussed various design processes such as design thinking and design feeling, but we have yet to discuss the design process that focuses on the user from beginning to end. While this may seem silly to state, often time the design process is focused on trying to convey a certain message or goal, and the way in which the user can interact with that sometimes falls secondary. This isn’t for lack of interest in the user, this often time happens because the design process is fueled by peoples creative ideas and creating emotionally meaningful concepts. So how do we effectively tighten the reins on this creative process to make sure that the user remains the focus?

      Technology has created an era of immediacy within our society: users expect their interfaces to give them immediate indicators that they are on the right track or their task has been completed. If users are unable to get that immediate feedback, they can become frustrated or abandon a task. Additionally, users like feeling engaged when they interact with an interface; rather than just interacting with a rigid interface. Creating small moments of interaction between the user and the interface helps to create an overall enjoyable user experience. How can this be accomplished through something so small that it does not take away from the overall interface? This is where microinteractions come into play.

     Many people will look at a UI design and think that the color choice comes from the preference of the designer- what they thought would look the best for the given project. While sometimes this may be the case, colors are often chosen carefully and with intention. Why? Color has been proven to have a great impact on the mood and behaviors of individuals and as a result, the overall success of a product, design or web page can rest on the colors that are chosen.

“Scrolling is a continuation, clicking is a decision.”- Josh Porter, Designer

     At the beginning of UX, users typically did not scroll vertically, simply because they just weren’t used to it. During the mid-nineties, scrolling was something that was still a new concept in regards to the development of user experience design. As a result, user’s would oftentimes just make their selections based on the information they could see without having to scroll further down, which set forward one of the biggest UX myths ever: the idea that people don’t scroll. This UX Myth has been around for a while and has impacted UX design as well, leading to the “above the fold” UX best practice- the idea that users will only pay attention to information that is “above the fold” and therefore all the important content for the user to make their decision should be available in that space without the user having to scroll.

At its core, linear UX focuses on allowing a user to complete a task or a goal in a smooth, simplified process. As a result, this method ends up taking away a lot of unnecessary fillers or complications, thus making the user experience super streamlined and seamless. Overall, linear UX focuses on creating a goal-oriented user experience.

AI and Zero UI are on the rise and are increasingly being used in all different kinds of industries. Part of this move is that a large part of making devices more accessible to all kinds of users is incorporating a way for them to interact with their devices in a way that does not rely on a screen (ZeroUI). It is clear that in 2018 there will be more of a focus on creating interfaceless designs in an effort to create simple, innovative and engaging user experiences.  However, looking towards the future, interfaceless designs will become more and more integrated into our daily lives. It is estimated that by the year 2020, 30% of all web browsing will be done through screenless designs and through interactions such as voice commands, gestures and eye tracking (Gartner https://www.gartner.com/).