A Good Augmented Reality Experience
An illuminated arrow leads you through an unfamiliar part of town. A prompt nudges you to pick up the right tool on your workbench. A soft chime alerts you when a family member arrives home. These are all examples of good user experience (UX): simple, clear, and intuitive. They gently guide you, respond to your actions or environment, and help you remain focused on the task at hand.
The best augmented reality (AR) experiences blend digital content with the physical world in ways that feel effortless. This is where Magic Leap’s expertise and design principles come into play.
Building an Interface that Understands the User
An AR interface is a digital layer of content that is placed within your physical surroundings.
A well-designed interface adjusts and responds to what you’re doing in real time, whether you’re walking down a crowded street or using both hands to complete a home-improvement task.
Motion, light, and sound provide contextual cues that keep you present and engaged with your surroundings while still receiving the information you need.
Interacting with the interface, either verbally or with gestures, should feel effortless. These “inputs” or interactions should be designed to feel natural and match the moment you are in.
Over time, AR systems can learn from your behavior, like if you take the same route to the grocery store or prefer to receive audio cues. When AR learns your preferences, the experience becomes simplified and tailored to you.
Designing for Physical Spaces, Not Screens
We center our design on the three-dimensional physical environment. Each AR element is designed with depth, movement, and proximity in mind. For example, you could trigger an action by approaching an object, or a glance in a specific direction might reveal new information.
We also place information where it's most useful. This might mean the information is world-locked (fixed to a specific location or place), or it might mean it roams with you, staying in your line of sight.
These spatial interactions allow the AR experience to unfold as you would experience them in the physical world.
Introducing AR Through Everyday Actions
When people learn, they instinctively point, glance, and move closer to objects. Our UX designers build these familiar behaviors into AR interfaces, so getting started with AR feels approachable.
Interfaces can also respond to and learn from your actions in real time, making interactions feel increasingly instinctual. Instead of trying to memorize steps, AR can help you learn as you go.
Transitioning from Onboarding to Everyday Use
Over time, as you become more comfortable using AR, you can explore beyond the basics. Maybe you want to cook with interactive recipes, where instructions and timers appear beside your stove or countertop. Perhaps you’ll enhance your fitness training with overlays to correct your running form to help you prepare for a marathon.
When AR feels natural, it becomes simpler, easier, and more enjoyable to use. You’ll actually choose to wear the device for longer periods of time because its capabilities enhance everyday life. Learn how Magic Leap Spectator Lets Everyone Watch AR Experiences.