Microsoft Paint for HoloLens
UX | UI 2 week Design Sprint
An augmented reality application on HoloLens that allows users to capture photos, paint photo scenes, and learn gestures in a creative way. Microsoft HoloLens is an AR/MR headset that uses gaze, voice, and gestures allowing users to navigate through augmented experiences.
MY ROLE: User Experience Design, User Testing, Research, Illustration, Persona Development, Storyboarding and Video production.
TOOLS: Adobe Suite , After Effects, Procreate, Camera.
TEAMMATE: Judilee Haider
PROBLEM:
Currently, the startup screen features how-to instructions and settings options. There is no opportunity on this home screen to surprise and delight users and engage them creatively.
GOAL:
Create a fun and nostalgic product walkthrough for HoloLens introducing gestures. We envision a world where Microsoft paint comes standard as a native app to the Microsoft HoloLens allowing users to walk through a series of voice commands and gestures in augmented reality.
SOLUTION:
Our research suggested that users will retain and learn gestures in HoloLens applications best if it is fun and easy to learn. Combining Microsoft paint and Microsoft HoloLens excited people. They might not want to use it all the time but would enjoy a fun walkthrough included.
RESEARCH + DISCOVERY
Microsoft HoloLens
An Augmented and mixed reality headset developed and manufactured by Microsoft. Utilizes hand gestures, voice commands, eye gaze, and a hand held controller to augment everyday reality.
Microsoft Paint
A simple raster graphics editor that has been included with all versions of Microsoft Windows. Became one of the most used applications introducing users to painting on a computer for the first time.
To understand the wants and needs of our users we set up a virtual MS Paint laboratory equipped with almost any paint and photo editing tool a user could ask for. We asked users to build a toolkit to aid in painting the scenic the photo visible to them. With that in mind, we asked a mixture of the questions here.
From user testing, we were able to distill our assumptions of what the user would want in order to focus on what the user actually needed. For example, the camera gesture and function we used gives the best range of possibility and control for taking and setting up photos. Given all the user gestures we brought more than one idea together to create the best solution. From our testing, we gained valuable insight into the potential user perspective. You can see the user suggestions and most used tools here.
HOW IT WORKS
Our final solution was based on brand guidelines and informed by user testing. For instance, because there is not currently a HoloLens color Selection tool we moved forward with the most requested and user-friendly suggestion. Users requested that the color selection and color palette be within the same set up so in order to consolidate space. It is similar to Adobe Kuler’s color selection tool and would be helpful when selecting a color in the AR space. Additionally, a user could use the eyedropper tool to select a specific color in their view. One other feature requested was to have recent colors available below the color picker so combining these together made the most logical solution to the problem. All of these tools and functions have voice functionality, to make it easier for the user. The tools features were the most requested and suggested by users and logically made sense to use for the tasks involved within HoloLens for MS Paint.
