AR and VR have crossed the line from hype to reality. What used to be seen as “experimental tech” is now shaping experiences in healthcare, retail, sports, travel, automotive, enterprise tools, and more. Yet too often, when it comes to UX design, teams approach AR and VR like they would a mobile app or a website.
This is a critical mistake.
AR/VR is not flat.
It is not point and click.
It is embodied interaction.
If we want to design successful AR and VR experiences, we need to embrace a fundamentally different UX mindset.
What Makes AR/VR UX Different?
1. The user is inside the experience
There is no frame.
The environment is the interface.
This means every element of spatial design impacts how users feel, move, and think.
2. Movement replaces clicks
In AR/VR, we design for:
- Gestures
- Gaze
- Head motion
- Body positioning
- Voice
3. Time matters more than space
Timing of feedback, interaction latency, and the pace of information all influence comfort and usability far more than on traditional screens.
4. Cognitive load is higher
Immersive environments flood the user with sensory input.
Design must be radically clear to avoid overwhelming or confusing users.
Key UX Principles for AR/VR
1. Design for spatial awareness
Users need clear spatial anchors:
- Where am I?
- What can I interact with?
- How do I move to the next state?
UX Tip: Use persistent orientation cues, gentle visual affordances, and clear sound design to ground users.
2. Respect the user’s body
AR/VR is physical. Poor design can cause fatigue or even injury.
UX Tip: Map gestures to natural movements.
Avoid requiring sustained arm raises or rapid head movement.
3. Design for pacing and flow
Unlike mobile apps, users cannot multitask or skim.
In AR/VR, flow is everything.
UX Tip:
Allow for breaks in the experience.
Provide clear transitions between tasks.
Avoid cognitive overload by limiting on-screen (on-space?) elements.
4. Prioritize onboarding
AR/VR interaction is still new to most users.
A great onboarding experience sets the tone for trust and confidence.
UX Tip:
Introduce gestures, spatial navigation, and core interactions through progressive onboarding built into the experience itself—not as a separate tutorial.
5. Account for physical space diversity
Users will engage with AR/VR in environments that vary dramatically.
UX Tip:
Design for adaptive experiences.
Calibrate interaction zones.
Give users tools to adjust the experience to their real-world space.
6. Test constantly with real users
AR/VR is highly individual. Small UX issues can cause major discomfort or abandonment.
UX Tip:
Test early and often.
Test standing, seated, moving.
Test across age groups, body types, and levels of VR/AR familiarity.
Emerging AR/VR UX Use Cases
Retail:
AR product try-on, spatial product visualization, virtual store experiences.
Healthcare:
VR therapy and rehabilitation, AR surgical guidance, training.
Automotive:
AR heads-up displays, virtual prototyping, immersive sales tools.
Sports:
AR overlays in live games, VR training and analysis, fan engagement.
Enterprise:
AR field service tools, VR onboarding and training, spatial data visualization.
Travel and Events:
Virtual tours, AR-enhanced in-person events, immersive brand storytelling.
Final Thought
Designing great AR and VR UX means letting go of old paradigms.
The rules of mobile and desktop UX do not apply directly here.
This is about movement, space, body, and flow.
As AR/VR hardware and platforms evolve, UX will be the difference between novelty and habit, between demo value and sustained engagement.
If we approach it with the right mindset, we can create experiences that feel natural, useful, and even magical.
And that is a UX opportunity worth pursuing.