Design Principles
We put people first. We believe AR should fit seamlessly into the world around us, enhancing our everyday life. We design for comfort, clarity, and ease to create experiences that feel natural, intuitive, and grounded.
Respect Reality
Honor the world around you
AR should respect the physical world, not compete with it. That means being attuned to the limits and boundaries of physical spaces, everyday behaviors, and user needs. From movement and layout to timing, every detail matters. When content fits naturally into the moment, the experience feels smooth, grounded, intuitive, and useful.
How we respect reality
Prioritize Privacy
Respect users and promote trust by limiting data collection and by protecting bystander privacy in shared environments.
Understand the Moment
AR is most useful when it understands the moments — what users are doing, where they are, and what they need.
Blend in Seamlessly
Truly seamless design integrates into existing tasks and behaviors to enhance, not disrupt, the user’s natural flow.
Acknowledge Boundaries
Keep digital content grounded and immersive by acknowledging the limits and boundaries of the physical world.
Maintain Situational Awareness
AR should prioritize situational awareness, adapting to physical-world conditions to support natural movements and safety.
Embrace Human Abilities
Design for how we live
We design AR for everyday life — how people move through physical spaces, interact with others, and shift between tasks. That means understanding social cues and surroundings, and adapting experiences to feel seamless and appropriate to the moment — whether someone is in a quiet room, a crowded street, or mid-conversation.
Designing for people
Consider Social Dynamics
Devices designed for both social acceptability and enhanced social interaction.
Anticipate Intent
Predictive design reduces mental load by offering guidance and tools before the user asks.
Include Everyone
The best wearables are designed toward serving all users, regardless of head and face shape, ability, or prior tech experience.
Support Ergonomics and Comfort
Wearables engineered for long wear and comfort to reduce strain, fatigue, and motion sickness.
Input with Intent
Powered by voice, hand, and eye tracking, context-aware inputs adapt to diverse everyday situations.
Spatialize with Purpose
Blend seamlessly with the environment
AR lives in our three-dimensional world, so its design must account for how digital content will blend into the physical world we experience. Spatial design takes our understanding of how people move, see, and interact in a space and displays content in ways that feel most natural.
Designing for 3D
Nudge with Nuance
Subtle sensory cues gently guide users, keeping their focus on what matters while minimizing cognitive load.
Look and Listen
Design audio cues with intention, helping users to navigate, respond, and stay engaged without overwhelming their field of view.
Define Content Behavior
Anchor digital content to surrounding people, objects, or environments to support intuitive interaction and user movement.
Depth and Scale Matter
Use depth and scale to guide user attention, provide context, and naturally blend digital content into the environment.
