context
During my internship at Meta, I teamed up with two other designers to help shape the future of social interactions in virtual reality. We collaborated with user researchers to uncover VR-specific needs for Messenger and crafted new components to enhance the experience. I played a key role in building a design system that fused Messenger and Oculus principles, testing components in VR, and working with cross-functional teams to refine and perfect our designs.
why bring messenger to oculus?
People found it difficult to coordinate and communicate with others in VR without getting out of the headset.
[CONTEXT]
what did research insights tell us?
01.
Connections first
Users preferred seeing their friends first rather than random people in VR. They wanted the experience to prioritize social connections, making it easy to find and interact with people they already knew.
02.
Action-oriented
Users preferred interactions that led to quick, tangible outcomes. They valued features that allowed them to communicate or connect with minimal friction, driving a more direct, action-driven experience.
03.
Situationally flexible
Users wanted their social interactions in VR to be adaptable to different contexts. Whether for casual hangouts or more focused interactions, they desired flexibility in how and when they engaged with others.
04.
Minimal messaging
The research revealed that users favored concise, to-the-point messaging in VR, prioritizing quick interactions over lengthy conversations. The design had to reduce clutter and support streamlined communication methods.
iterate
To gain a deeper understanding of the problem space and prioritize key components, I analyzed existing flows for connecting with friends in VR and proposed targeted improvements to enhance the experience.
After extensive brainstorming and analyzing the problem space, we developed a prioritized list of essential components to adapt for Oculus. My focus was on refining key elements like the side navigation, people tab, composers, and chat cells, ensuring they were optimized for the VR environment.
Composer
Side Navigation
Connections Tab
takeaways
Balancing Messenger and Oculus Design Systems
Working with both the Messenger and Oculus design systems taught me the importance of balancing consistency with innovation. I had to merge the familiar elements of Messenger with the immersive nature of Oculus, ensuring that both systems worked harmoniously while staying true to the user experience in VR. This required a deep understanding of each system’s principles and finding creative ways to bridge them together.
Ensuring accessibility in VR
Testing for accessibility in VR presented unique challenges that pushed me to consider new ways users would interact with virtual environments. From ensuring clear visual cues to accommodating different physical capabilities, I learned how vital it is to build inclusive experiences. This process involved testing a variety of components across different conditions to ensure that every user could navigate and engage with ease.
Navigating diverse stakeholder feedback
Collaborating with cross-functional teams gave me valuable insights into how different stakeholders, from engineers to product managers, approach feedback. I learned to tailor my communication and solutions to align with each team’s priorities, ensuring that all perspectives were considered when refining our product. This experience reinforced the importance of balancing technical, design, and business goals to deliver a cohesive solution.
Grateful to have collaborated with such an incredible team! 🫶
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