PRESENCE is a toolset designed to improve human interactions within eXtended Reality (XR) by enhancing the sense of ‘presence’ in virtual environments. The toolset is created for hyper-realistic and XR-based human-human and human-machine interactions. Through our cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary research, PRESENCE aims to transform how users engage with digital spaces—be it for professional collaboration, enhanced learning, cultural exploration, or therapeutic interventions.
By deeply understanding the specific challenges and opportunities within the above mentioned fields, PRESENCE aims to provide tailored solutions that improve the effectiveness and enjoyment of XR applications. This involves a continuous cycle of gathering insights, validating them with industry experts, and refining our technologies based on real-world feedback and user testing.
In this blog, we will explore how PRESENCE utilizes a human-centered approach to develop and exploit XR technologies. We focus on co-creation and two-way market engagement that doesn’t just meet but also anticipates user needs during and beyond the development cycle. Join us as we delve into the strategies that help PRESENCE shape immersive digital interactions tailored to the user’s demands.
Our Human-Centered Design Process
At PRESENCE, our approach to creating XR experiences is deeply rooted in Human-Centered Design (HCD). This philosophy ensures that our technologies and solutions are not only advanced but are also profoundly resonant with the needs and expectations of real users. HCD at PRESENCE is about embracing the complexities of human interactions within virtual environments and devising solutions that feel as natural and intuitive as real-world interactions.
Key Components of Our HCD Approach:
- User-Focused Research: Understanding our users is the first and most crucial step in our design process. We begin by engaging with them to grasp their needs, desires, and the specific challenges they face in virtual environments. This continuous interaction helps us build solutions that are not just innovative but truly useful and delightful to use.
- Collaborative Development: Our development process is inherently collaborative, involving a diverse team of stakeholders, including users, developers, designers, and subject matter experts from various fields. This collaborative environment ensures that our solutions are well-rounded and holistic, addressing the needs of a broad user base. It makes sure that we are developing a solution for a problem that users experience.
- Iterative Design and Validation: PRESENCE is committed to an iterative development cycle. This means our toolsets are continuously refined through cycles of prototyping, testing, feedback, and improvement. Each iteration brings us closer to solutions that are both effective in function and in user experience.
- Empathy and Inclusivity: We strive to understand and internalize the perspectives and emotions of our users. This empathetic approach helps us create more inclusive solutions that cater to a diverse audience, including those from different cultural backgrounds or with varying levels of technological proficiency.
- Holistic Solutions: We look beyond the immediate application of our technologies to consider the broader impact they have on users’ lives. This holistic view ensures that our solutions contribute positively not just to specific tasks but to a larger ecosystem of user experiences.
- Evidence-Based Design: Our design decisions are grounded in solid data and user feedback. This evidence-based approach helps ensure that our developments are not based on assumptions but on verified user needs and behaviors. It also keeps us aligned with the latest trends and innovations in the XR field.
Through these principles, PRESENCE aims to deliver XR solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also deeply human-centric. Our commitment to human-centered design is reflected in every aspect of our work, from the initial concept to the final product, ensuring that our toolsets are not only capable of transforming digital interactions but are also a joy to use.
The Importance of Feasibility, Desirability, and Viability in PRESENCE
For PRESENCE, ensuring the practical implementation of XR technologies hinges on three critical aspects: feasibility, desirability, and viability. These components not only anchor our human-centered design approach but also guide our developmental strategy to align perfectly with both user needs and business objectives.
Feasibility: Making PRESENCE Technologically Possible
Feasibility concerns the technical and logistical capabilities necessary to bring PRESENCE to life. It assesses whether our toolset can be realistically developed and integrated given current technology, resource availability, and operational constraints. This involves continual technological assessment and development to ensure our solutions are not only innovative but also implementable and reliable. Questions we continually address include:
- Can the proposed technology be developed within the existing technological and resource framework?
- What are the technical barriers, and how can we overcome them to ensure robust and stable performance?
Desirability: Aligning with User Expectations and Needs
Desirability focuses on the user-centered aspects of PRESENCE. This ensures that our toolset meets the real needs and wants of its intended users, delivering value in terms of enhanced user experience, functionality, and overall satisfaction. By maintaining a close dialogue with our users through continuous feedback loops and engagement sessions, we ensure our developments resonate well with their expectations. Key questions include:
- Are we effectively addressing the specific pain points of our users?
- How well does our technology enhance the user experience in real-world scenarios?
Viability: Ensuring Business and Economic Sense
Lastly, viability examines the business perspective of PRESENCE, analyzing its financial logic and potential for sustainable market success. This includes doing extensive market research, and scrutinizing the business model and revenue mechanisms to ensure that they not only foster growth but are also sustainable in the long term. In an iterative cycle we evaluate the following:
- Is our business model adaptable to current and future market dynamics?
- How can PRESENCE generate sustainable revenue while delivering significant value to users?
To assess these three crucial aspects, PRESENCE employs a variety of tools and methodologies:
- Market Research: To gauge market demand, competition, and potential barriers, providing a clear picture of our market viability.
- Prototyping and Iterative Development: Essential for testing both the feasibility and desirability of our toolset. Through rapid prototyping, especially in our Joint Business Clinics, we can quickly iterate designs based on user feedback and technical evaluations.
- User Research and Engagement: Direct interactions with users through testing sessions, surveys, and one-on-one interviews offer invaluable insights into the desirability of our solutions.
By balancing these three pillars—feasibility, desirability, and viability—PRESENCE is not just creating solutions but is crafting experiences that are technologically robust, deeply desired by users, and economically viable. This tri-fold focus ensures that our innovations are grounded in reality and primed for success, shaping the future of human interaction in virtual spaces.
Engagement with Stakeholders
Central to the PRESENCE project is our commitment to engagement with our stakeholders, including potential customers, users, producers, and consumers. This ongoing engagement is fundamental to developing, refining, and validating our value propositions, ensuring they precisely meet the needs of our diverse user base.
Joint Business Clinics
PRESENCE employs Joint Business Clinics (JBCs) as tools for collaboration and co-creation. These clinics consists of workshops that bring together up to 30 participants from various backgrounds—including industry experts, end-users, and project team members—to tackle specific challenges or opportunities within the XR landscape of PRESENCE. The primary goal of these clinics is to align our project’s objectives with actual user needs, fostering an environment of mutual understanding and co-creation. The inclusion of users as active participants not only informs our development process but also ensures that the solutions we develop are directly responsive to user requirements. The outcomes of these sessions frequently lead to actionable insights and refined prototypes, which undergo further development and testing.
Focus Groups
In addition to JBCs, PRESENCE conducts focus groups to gather more targeted feedback. These groups consist of 6 to 10 participants who share similar characteristics or experiences relevant to specific aspects of our XR solutions. The aim here is to delve into users’ attitudes, opinions, preferences, and behaviors, providing a nuanced understanding that informs the adaptability and user-friendliness of our technologies.
User Interviews
Complementing our focus groups, user interviews are essential for capturing in-depth feedback on our products, services, and overall user experience. These interviews are crucial for understanding the day-to-day impacts of our solutions, revealing real-world benefits and areas for improvement. By integrating findings from user interviews, we ensure that our developments are not only innovative but also genuinely enhance user interactions in virtual environments.
Get Involved
We actively encourage the participation of interested parties in shaping the future of XR together with PRESENCE. Our first Joint Business Clinic is on the horizon, and we invite all those interested to join this opportunity to co-create. To stay informed about the upcoming clinic and other opportunities, subscribe to the PRESENCE newsletter and follow our LinkedIn page here. On these platforms we will provide you with all the necessary updates, including invitations to participate in our events and Joint Business Clinics!
Join us in this exciting journey to redefine human interaction in virtual spaces by enhancing the sense of ‘presence’ in virtual environments. Your insights and involvement are invaluable to making PRESENCE a landmark project in the XR community.
