Why UX Designers Need To Learn AR (Augmented Reality UX)

Are you a UX Designer looking to future proof your skillset? AR (augmented reality) is going to be MASSIVE within the next few years, and if you're building user experiences within digital environments it's inevitable you will be designing for AR technologies very soon!
In this video, AJ&Smart CEO and Product Strategist, Jonathan Courtney shares the rationale behind why UX Designers should start learning to design experiences and elements for AR technology. Our advice? Get ahead of the curve and invest in learning the fundamentals of this technology right now!
How do you see Augmented Reality changing the UX design landscape? What are your go to resources and tools? Share them below in the comments!
🔔Subscribe to our channel to get started in UX Design / AR / Product Design / Workshops and much, much more: 👉 kzbin.info&Smart?sub_...
🛠Tools / Programs referenced in the video 👇
🌍Minecraft Earth:
App Store - apps.apple.com/us/app/minecra...
Google Play - play.google.com/store/apps/de...
1️⃣🛠ARKit - developer.apple.com/augmented...
2️⃣🛠ARCore- developers.google.com/ar
3️⃣🛠Unity - unity.com/
4️⃣🛠Facebook’s Spark AR - / ar-studio
Thanks for watching!
-
Want more?!
Check out our FREE 1.5 hour free training on the Design Sprint here:
ajsmart.com/freetraining
For all our other social media channels and the 'Jake & Jonathan' podcast, check out our LinkTree: linktr.ee/AJSmart
-
#UXDesign #AR #AugmentedReality
Want more? Join 200,000+ people subscribing to our AJ&Smart KZbin, LinkedIn and Instagram channels for free content to help you and your team do more valuable work.
AJ&Smart is the #1 design sprint firm in the world, the official Design Sprint training partner with Jake Knapp inventor of the google design sprint and partner of choice for the world's most successful brands.
Why UX Designers Need To Learn AR (Augmented Reality UX):
• Why UX Designers Need ...

[@AJSmart]

Do you agree that Augmented Reality is the future of UX design? 🤔What tools / resources can you share for designing for AR? 🔎🛠Share your thoughts in the comments below! Also, how many chickens did you spot in this video?! 🐓 . 📺And check out our most popular workshop, 'Lightning Decision Jam' here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWqwp4x6lqZkeM0

[@auriasnickles3596]

Hey do you think a designer should learn code for vr like c# or just designing is enough?

[@naliniaggarwal4652]

What tools to design AR for the art ( painting ) web page ?

[@KimAlban]

@@naliniaggarwal4652 adobe aero has been pretty great for art

[@KimAlban]

@@auriasnickles3596 c# or c++ depending on the program used [unreal or unity], you can design a good portion in unity without code though!

[@mohamedalaa1206]

I spotted 2 chickens

[@matt_spear]

Thanks for encouraging people Jonathan! I've been working with ARKit (some ARCore) since it came out and researched into SLAM / underlying technology - Currently if people want to dip their feet I'd recommend: - Apple's Reality Composer on iOS or macOS - Trying out Unity's AR Plugin - Apple's short talk at WWDC 2018 titled: "Prototyping for AR" If I think of anymore, I'll come back and add them!

[@AJSmart]

Thanks Matthew! Thanks for sharing your resources! Please do! There's very little out there (on this platform at least) and we'd like to compile as much as possible!

[@coapa_760]

what about working with facebook ar platform for starters? or is that to basic

[@BrechtVandenBegin]

Thanks for sharing Matthew! Going to check it out.

[@akshaynarayankar1675]

Hello @matthew can you pls share your email - i would like to connect with you as i am building an product in AR space!!

[@thebestibrahim9979]

@@akshaynarayankar1675 hello I’m also into AR as well if you’re in search for anymore designers

[@Orzagh]

Hey Jonathan! Don Norman said in "The Design of Everyday Things" that it takes a new revolutionary tech like AR/VR about 20 years to reach full customer adoption after the first commercial release. Seeing as how the first Oculus was released in 2016, we still have some ways to go. However, things will trickle down first from Enterprise, then to Business, then to Consumer. We are already seeing successful projects in the Enterprise Training field, and CAD software will probably be a close second in my view. Corona could also give a big jolt to AR/VR, but I think the virus probably hit a few years too soon for that (that sentence sounds pretty cold-blooded lol). Either way, I agree with the timeframe of about five years for AR/VR to be a central part of development and Design. A lot of enterprise solutions will be coming, and the first company that gets AR meeting software right will have hit upon a goldmine. One additional note: I heard on a great VR podcast that Industrial designers fit better in the AR/VR space than UX designers. Why? Because they already think in 3D. This is an important mental shift I want to stress: Don't think in menu overlays. Think how the whole environment and everything in it IS your menu. It IS what you interact with.

[@edfilbasan6962]

Jasper Boonstra Check our the company Spatial. They have an AR meeting product for Hololens.

[@RiccaDiego]

Nice comment . Which "great VR podcast" where you listening to?

[@Ndriana]

I am not sure if 2016 is the real start year. Companies like Blippar provided AR experience since 2011. AR apps on smartphones can count as commercial release in the way D. Norman meant. The Google Glass, Hololens 1 and 2, soon the Apple Glass or MOJO Vision lenses are just optimisations of a platform consumers have already started to adopt.

[@theofani]

Great content! 👍 I truly agree, as creative people, we have to see what is going to be the next big thing and learning new things continuously. The skills may need to be changed or enhanced, but the motivation for learning things has to constantly emerge.

[@blendercubed]

Totally agree, I’m using Unreal for AR, companies can take the product in design to their customer and they can walk round what they’ve purchased even before it’s built, a virtual inspection. It has massive potential. As long as you can get the company to buy into the idea.

[@cartooncottage2024]

Learned augmented reality in my Web 1 class at BSU🙂 It was awesome!

[@laasyakrupa612]

You guysss are ammmmazing....I presented a technical seminar based on a project in AR at college..and I always wanted to be a designer ....this video jus motivated me to just go for it! Thanks so much❤️

[@dele-586]

Thanks for really thinking outside the box, and dropping gems like Mr Miyagi, im taking notes asap, keep up the great content, stay safe👍🏾

[@AJSmart]

Thanks Dele! AR on AR off etc etc! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

[@jessealton23]

You're so right. Even if AR "fails" it's so powerful for designers to explore methods of design for unconventional screens and mediums.

[@AJSmart]

Thanks Jesse! Totally agree. Even a rudimentary understanding of AR and the tech behind it will get you ahead.

[@yohanryoo]

Whoa, this is so inspiring. Thanks Jon and team!

[@anthonymcbride9630]

I do agree that AR is the next frontier for UX. I also think the main goal of it would be blurring the lines between software and reality to create an increase of continuity in our lives. I believe successful AR products will have the qualities that make the product feel like an extension of the user. I recently read Apple's Human Interface Guidelines on AR as a starting point to see what they believe makes a great AR experience.

[@AJSmart]

Thanks Anthony! That's a really nice way of putting it. Yes! Apple is a gold mine right now for AR info and direction. What were some of your takeaways?

[@rapppeness]

you mean this one ? developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ios/system-capabilities/augmented-reality/

[@andersonfoscarini48]

Great video! I'm totally onboard with this thought, I really see AR being something more than VR was during the last years. And I got 34 chickens.

[@AJSmart]

Hey Anderson! Nice one thanks! Yeh VR still hasn't had that knockout product yet, and AR seems a lot more accessible. Hmmmm just 34? We think this warrants a re-watch!

[@hoppipoptv8665]

Definitively agree! Another great tool is Zappar software. Thanks Jonathan for sharing this!

[@AlowoojaOlamide]

YOU ARE RIGHT! Facebook is fully into AR Now! Awesome video!

[@davidtphung]

I'm 100% in, Jonathan! I've been practicing every day in software, 3D modeling, sketching, and visualizing scenarios.

[@maksimkuznetsov9993]

And what about 2 years practice? I think you got so good skills and up level

[@susanhamilton7793]

I agree that AR is going to be big in the future, especially in sports and education. I've been reading about AR and mixed reality for awhile and investigating ways to get started as a newbie :p

[@mcox2381]

Great advice!! I’ll look into these areas!

[@shantyman161]

As a ux-testlab we worked on combining eyetracking and VR. Than, marketingpeeps were not interested in putting participants in a googleearth-tour in the VR and testing their perception of different ads on a given route. So we do not do this any more. But i am convinced that AR will be the next thing in various applications and means. And all need a new way of usability.

[@eduardorecife2]

Great insights! Thanks!

[@MakeMoneyGuide]

Reliable and humurous, the kind of resource I'm looking for!

[@daiconner5586]

Defiantly gained a follower off this video. Opened my eyes to a lot. I always loved AR in movie and things now I'm invested.

[@AJSmart]

Yay! Welcome, Dai!

[@kirkfeather5605]

Absolutely amazing. Jonathan is a futurist!

[@AJSmart]

Hahhahaha first time I've been called that :D

[@chaitanya6737]

Yes, i agree when few years back when we were watching iron man movies it just blowen of my mind,like AR it makes more simple as we think and it also help more people to learn , explore with this technology. If we use it properly it helps us a lot at the same it may seperate people from their real world, i think there should be certain conditions to use because we use it for good as well as for purposes bad.

[@AJSmart]

Yeh that kind of mixed reality will be huge for enterprise. And a very good point about the psychological effects! AR seems much more functional though than immersive (at this point in time).

[@arturpavlenko]

I think that are totally right, man!)) That's exactly the reason why I started learning 3D modelling about few weeks ago😉

[@AJSmart]

Cool thanks Artur! How is that going? Can you recommend any tools or resources for this area?

[@maksimkuznetsov9993]

Продолжил обучаться?

[@craigcorbin4098]

@AJ&Smart I read through the comments, but am not seeing that list of resources materialize. Any updates since Apr?

[@savitasood3779]

I am interested in animation, AR UX seems to be a good career option, what subject area should i do in undergrad and what in masters?

[@magneticotv4311]

your video about ar realize me to use it in the future i learn spark ar and beginning to learn ux design

[@twinreality4100]

Yup spark ar is now a lot more updated. They are adding new updates every week

[@hendrikjan9116]

I think that ar used in conference call/meetings are a great way to not have to fly to the locations as you mentioned.

[@twinreality4100]

Yes this is going to be the future for offices

[@sandyChen2006]

do you have any recommended Bootcamp for learning UX for AR VR?

[@samabrahammathew316]

This is absolutely the future.. great thinking!

[@twinreality4100]

Yaa right

[@xyz690]

Hi! Thanks a bunch for your video. I am new UX/UI designer. How and where I can learn AR from online may I know?I am really keen to learn.Should I need any coding knowlege for this?I can only make UI of App and Website.Please suggest me what skill I need to learn AR for taking me in next level.How long it takes to learn?I would be grateful if u reply.Thankyou.

[@luumaven]

So for someone getting into UX design, should I learn that first or AR??

[@aairasuhail6014]

Hey! Can I have a list of resources where I can learn UX design for AR?

[@mujtabanadeem7116]

more relevant than ever

[@imosdefinite]

this is great, I been saying the same thing AR>VR

[@berdilaovidiu]

There's a UX for VR/AR course on Interaction Design Foundation. It is quite extensive, I started it two years ago, but got bored with the teacher and dropped out. The content is great though.

[@twinreality4100]

@@knightcube That's a nice trick 😂😂

[@kannpadendu]

Damn Jonathan, you're glowing!

[@AJSmart]

Berlin Spring! 😅

[@tearfuljoy404]

Totally agree

[@tannugupta3293]

You are so spot on. I am a software engineer but always interested in design field too and i was doing some searches and i felt AR will come so sudden on surface that people who will not learn it on time will miss the oppurtunity. I feel so torn between learning data science or AR to take my career ahead

[@AJSmart]

Thanks Tannu! Good point, it's something to be mindful of as these technologies become cheaper to play around with, AR will have a massive presence in the industry soon, with Apple launches imminent, so we're just saying it's good to get an understanding and a head start essentially! There will no doubt be very cool applications and crossovers between the industries you mention, particularly for enterprise!

[@YourMajesty143]

Idk about that, remember Google Glasses? Remember Pokemon Go? There's always hype for AR but it always flops or dies down. As someone who's worked in Digital Communications, AR has been around for a long time and it's only bc of Corona that it's now getting adopted -- however, now with vaccinations approaching & people returning to the real world, I'm not sure it'll have the same demands. It's being invested & predicted for mass adoption, but that doesn't mean mass growth and that's bc even until now AR technology hasn't advanced as much as it should. The technology is too new, and it's still coming into its own both in hardware and software terms (despite "technically" being around for a while). Without standards, every augmented reality-related project is a thing of its own barely compatible with the others. That complicates the process of unifying solutions to the greater whole which makes the overall development of the technology much slower than it could have been if everyone had been on the same page. So personally, I'd go into Data Science and wait until AR gets its shit together. Projected growth is set for the next 5 years to a decade, so holding off a year or 2 on AR isn't going to hurt. Let me further explain... One of the weirdest things about AR technology is that despite experiencing broad adoption and mass public acceptance - it's not doing all that well business-wise. Sure, the industry is doing fine. There's a steady flow of investments in the AR app market, and the general background is more than positive. However, all these investments are yet to pay off big time. It's partly because no one has yet figured a distinct AR-related Business Model that will work long-term (besides, probably, the gaming industry.) For instance, it seems startups are blindly popping up with more and more outlandish concepts at hand and many big companies are trying out various AR-related solutions, but there is one thing that should be noted - all these solutions are integrated into business models that can be effective WITH or WITHOUT an AR solution. The biggest AR product of recent times - Pokemon Go "broke even" financially, only because of the power of the brand. After the hype died down, the retention rate followed. The same goes for IKEA and Amazon AR applications -- which people can live without.

[@YourMajesty143]

TL;DR: AR Technology is still too new, lacks business models/cohesion, lacks industry standards, lacks successful longevity. I'd wait a year or 2 until AR gets its shit together before delving into it. Data Science is more of a sure thing, so personally I'm taking Business or Data Analyst classes and then looking into AI/Machine Learning. AR can wait.

[@akinyemiolabode899]

I am currently a UI/UX designer for web and mobile app. but I want to transition into UX/AR. please how can I get started?

[@bigbaldbaddie]

Just like investing in business, investing in learning can be just as profitable.

[@AleksLopatiuk]

Hello from the future 😊 Looks like you was right ahahah 😅

[@AJSmart]

Hello there! 🔮

[@davidpicarazzi]

Could anyone recommend good courses for AR from a ux perspective?

[@mercip2599]

1:33 6:10 ^-^ Sooo Cute!!! Thanks for the Advice :)

[@sinduk]

I came across this video at the right time! ( i am just going to assume its a sign from Universe :D) I was planning to start learning AR, but wasn't sure if this is the right time for me to get into it, It's been only a year that I transitioned my career into UX/UI. Do you have any suggestions as to how to start off into AR? Thank you.

[@maksimkuznetsov9993]

Did you start?

[@sinduk]

@@maksimkuznetsov9993 yes i did!!

[@maksimkuznetsov9993]

@@sinduk Cool! Have there already been commercial projects or are there not so many offers so far?

[@sinduk]

@@maksimkuznetsov9993 No there aren't many offers so far, now that Apple's vision pro os out, i am hoping to get some offers :) Thank you for asking

[@user-vu9gd8ed1h]

💡

[@guillermocastrof]

Designers seriously should start exploring AR. These opportunities are very limited and right now we are still ahead of the curve. In 10 years there will be a device from Apple which will be affordable enough to drive massive commercial adoption.

[@interestingtake6853]

I suppose using WebAR tool will be more convenient and comfortable for the designers. For example MyWebAR or similar

[@monikamoon14]

Where do we learn AR?

[@EPSTomcat11]

I'm still looking for a tool to design AR experiences. I'm not seeing anything at the moment.

[@AJSmart]

Adobe Aero looks like it might be worth investigating. Along with Blender and Cinema 4D for visual elements! This is it though, there's no clear cut learning path as yet...

[@eduardorojas9690]

Torch AR: Great tool for prototyping without development knowledge. The traditional way to create VR or AR experiences is by using a game engine like Unity 3D or Unreal Engine.

[@sarahmckenna7968]

We are releasing some AR links and resources later this week on Linked too,

[@ricardoaponte5239]

Hi Jonathan @AJ&Smart I am wondering if it will require some coding experience?

[@AJSmart]

Hmmm possibly Ricardo, though at this stage though we would just recommend designers get used to the language, and tools that are being used, even rudimentary understanding will elevate you above the rest!

[@ricardoapontem5886]

AJ&Smart Thank you! I am working on UX first, and there is too much information from where to start. Thanks again Jonathan!

[@taralpujara1012]

loved this video bro.....

[@AJSmart]

Thanks Taral! AR is gonna be MASSSSSSSIVE!

[@AJSmart]

@Julieta Varsano Aww shucks!

[@AJSmart]

@Julieta Varsano Classic three flame emojis! Stone cold classic!

[@pavelPwn]

I'm pretty sure the bottles at 2:26 are not part of the AR.

[@AJSmart]

We can neither confirm nor deny...

[@jeremybeltran1930]

Is that a meta verse technology?

[@MOOR5]

Im curious how logos will evolve in AR space

[@AJSmart]

Logos in an AR space?

[@MOOR5]

AJ&Smart lol yeah

[@nikolaosgeorgiadis3812]

I will just say that this video got relished JUST on time! Thank you! #perfecttiming

[@katrinapineda6873]

Amazing how AR is still at this low level in 2020. My college thesis 7 years ago was a book coupled with an AR app to help primary learning and it was really challenging to even explain what AR is.

[@twinreality4100]

I think 7years back there is very little awareness in it and also the tech is costly but today in 2020 this is very near to affordable. And like many companies are in it now then within 2 years it is going to boom

[@taralpujara1012]

U Make new video of AR bro the future will boost in this area

[@AJSmart]

Ahahah thanks Taral! We're not THAT influential yet, but we try!

[@taofsart8769]

So holograms lol. Sorry I’m super new to this industry, also taking tho ux google course, on coursea. And we started talking about NBU. AR can help with NBU drastically. If it’s not capitalized to harshly

[@tuannguyen-zn3hc]

Some segments in the video are stamped not adjacent to each other

[@buskinglankans]

Mixed reality is amazing topic. We have to get ready to redesign interfaces like iron Man movie.

[@AJSmart]

For sure. SOOOoooooo many applications in the enterprise environment currently. Will be great to see how the mass market adopts this. IKEA is doing some really cool things in the consumer side right now.

[@audiekirk9918]

This man predicted meta😂

[@sonyabadass]

can UX designer become Project Manager or Product owner?

[@schnoonglaandiageckeler187]

Seems kinda dangerous. What is happening on the user safety front?

[@rocketlauncher29]

Idk, AR and VR have been in tendencies lists for many years now and these techs kind of remain still and overlooked, not to mention most places outside US or Europe aren't capable to bring it to mases.

[@AJSmart]

Hey, we genuinely think that will change in the next few years. Apple have some incredibly exciting projects in the works that will really shape the AR landscape going forward.

[@muhammadmneina9152]

!

[@plagues90]

It is a good techonlogy, the AR, but uses a lot of the energy of the phone... I don't like it just for that. Also, the seems like the use of the AR is not relevant for the product (not so useful) I say that because some of the apps could work even without the AR Technology

[@nargesheidari6282]

Should designers learn codding too?🤔

[@AJSmart]

Hey Nerges! You don't have to know how to code to be a great designer. Having some coding fundamentals though will help you with communicating with developers when it comes to design hand-off.

[@saptarshisamaddar5739]

Who else is here after wwdc 2023?

[@gtaverse6333]

Meeee. I'm going to be an entry level UX designer in a few months and I couldn't help but feel the need to learn AR Ux/UI.

[@bryan4907]

Your ads annoy that absolute tripe out of me! too much

[@AJSmart]

Sorry about that Bryan, you can email [e-mail] and we'll look into removing you from the system. Also - Tripe is a good Scottish word! Love it!

[@shtml54]

There is no more ARCore. Its now "Google Play Services for AR". Yes, some dumbass at Google decided to rename and make long name to confuse every.

[@twinreality4100]

😂😂 Change the name change the game