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Gravity Sketch
Project Lead for a team of 4. Wrote the user study protocol script. The goal was to understand what problems participants faced while using a 3D VR modeling application.
Role
Project Lead
Timeline
Aug - Dec 2022
Skills
VR Design
User Study
User Evaluation
Tools
Gravity Sketch
Meta Quest 3
WHAT IS GRAVITY SKETCH?
Gravity Sketch is an innovative 3D design software that integrates virtual reality, allowing users to create and manipulate designs in an immersive 3D environment. It stands out for its intuitive and user-friendly interface, making 3D modeling accessible to both professionals and amateurs. The software supports collaborative work, enabling multiple users to work together in real-time, regardless of their location. Widely used across various industries like automotive design, architecture, and fashion, Gravity Sketch facilitates a novel and efficient approach to spatial design and visualization. This tool represents a significant shift in the approach to 3D modeling, emphasizing creativity and collaboration
But...is it any good?
This project is focused on evaluating the user experience of the Gravity Sketch VR application. It includes a comprehensive study on the challenges and potentials of mid-air sketching in VR environments, specifically using Gravity Sketch. We conducted a user study, collecting data through tasks, questionnaires, and interviews to assess the ease of use, satisfaction, and practical challenges encountered by participants. The study aimed to understand user interactions with the application's tools, such as brush strokes, color selection, and object manipulation, and to gather insights for improving the overall user experience in virtual reality sketching.
EXISTING RESEARCH
01.
Lack of control for freehand drawing - Jackson B.'s (2016) paper presents a solution where artists begin with 2D sketches outside of VR, which are then imported into the VR environment.
02.
Jiang, Y. (2021) compared two-handed and tablet-pen interactions for VR sketching. Their findings also show the possibility of using hand gestures to seamlessly switch between 2D sketching on a hand and 3D mid-air sketching.
03.
Arora. R et al. (2017) performed experiments to study the human ability to draw in mid-air VR environments and explore physical and visual guidance impact on 3D sketching accuracy. Their findings indicate that the lack of physical surface, orientation, and planarity constrains the artists from designing in free space.
04.
Dalsgaard, T. S.(2021) addresses the challenge of selecting distant objects in VR. The employed methods demonstrated an impressive 87% accuracy in classifying different targets based on the final pointing pose; this will significantly benefit users engaged in modeling and sketching activities.
05.
Im, S. W. T., 2019, studied a blended learning approach to teaching Chinese architecture using VR. Virtually exploring architectural designs and spaces allowed them to observe and interact with elements such as spaces, building forms, structural details, and construction techniques.
USER STUDY PROTOCOL
Evaluating the user experience (UX) of a virtual reality (VR) application like Gravity Sketch involves a systematic approach to assess how users interact with the application, how intuitive and user-friendly the interface is, and how well the application meets the users' needs.
Objective
To evaluate the experience of the users performing predefined tasks on Gravity Sketch.
Evaluation Criteria
Usability: Ease of learning, efficiency of use, memorability, error frequency and severity, and user satisfaction.
Functionality: Does the application provide the necessary tools and features to accomplish the tasks it is designed for?
Performance: Assess the application's responsiveness, stability, and reliability.
Aesthetics: Evaluate the visual design and how it contributes to the overall experience.
Accessibility: Consider how accessible the application is to users with disabilities.
Choose Evaluation Methods
User Testing: Observe real users as they interact with the application.
Surveys and Questionnaires: Collect quantitative data from users about their experience.
Interviews: Conduct one-on-one discussions to gather in-depth user feedback.
Recruit Participants
Participants - 2 with prior VR experience and 2 with no previous experience with VR. Age range 20-30 years old. Stringent gender diversity is not required.
Venue
User Studies Lab, ITE
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Prepare Test Materials
Total time for the experiment - 30 minutes
Test Plan: Outline the tasks users will perform during the evaluation.
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Login: Login to the application after wearing the headset.
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Tutorial bike sketching walkthrough: Once the user logs into the application, the user will have to follow the instructions for a bike sketching walkthrough. The user can access this by navigating to the tutorial section.
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Creating different 3D shapes and drawings: The user will have to open a new file and make different shapes and drawings - such as square, circle, rectangle, triangle and try to draw a house or a tree.
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Choosing various colors from the palette: The user will choose different colors for their drawings by clicking on the color palette within the drawing tool.
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Changing the stroke width of brushes: The user can adjust the stroke width of the brushes from an option mentioned under the palette.
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Two participants work on the same file: The software enables collaborative work on the same file by checking for collaboration or sharing features in the software or platform and inviting the other participant to join the session.
DATA COLLECTION
02.
03.
Think aloud by participants
05.
One-on-one Interviews
METHODS
Each participant filled out the consent form before performing the tasks.
Participants were briefed on instructions and provided with a concise overview of Gravity Sketch.
They performed tasks involving sketching of their choice using different brush strokes, and colors, and saving the sketch.
PRE-EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE
Q1. Age
A. ____________________________
Q2. Gender
A. Male
Female
Prefer not to answer
Other
Q3. Occupation
A. ___________________________
Q4. Your experience level with VR
Beginner (Used once or twice)
Advanced
Never experienced
Q5. If you have used VR before, have you ever experienced any of the following symptoms while using it?
A. Motion sickness (nausea, vomiting, dizziness)
Headache
Eye strain
Disorientation
Sweating
Palpitations’
Other ____
Q6. Are there any medical conditions that might make you more susceptible to VR-induced side effects? (e.g., migraines, inner ear problems)
A. ____________________________
Q7. Is there anything else you would like us to know before using VR?
A. ____________________________
VR CASTING
VR Casting enables real-time observation of user interactions within the VR environment, allowing us to see exactly what users see and do. This direct observation aids in understanding user navigation and tool usage. VR casting facilitates communication between researchers and participants, making it easier to guide, instruct, and gather feedback during the study. Recording these sessions provided us with valuable data for in-depth analysis and pattern identification. VR casting proved to be invaluable in this user study for Gravity Sketch.
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Participants employed a diverse array of brush types to create a variety of drawings.
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Exploring the color selector, they employed various hues to infuse vibrancy into their artwork.
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Utilizing shape options, they crafted a multitude of objects, adding dimension and creativity to their compositions.
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Upon completion, participants preserved their creations by utilizing the save option.
IMAGES FROM THE STUDY
POST-EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE
Q. How satisfied are you with your overall experience using Gravity Sketch VR?
Very dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Neutral
Satisfied
Very satisfied
Q. How easy was it to learn how to use Gravity Sketch VR?
Very difficult
Difficult
Neutral
Easy
Very easy
Q. How intuitive do you find the Gravity Sketch VR interface and controls?
Not at all intuitive
Somewhat intuitive
Neutral
Very intuitive
Extremely intuitive
Q. How well does Gravity Sketch VR meet your needs as a VR design tool?
Not at all
Somewhat
Neutral
Very well
Extremely well
Q. What are your favorite features of Gravity Sketch VR?
________________________
Q. What features of Gravity Sketch VR would you like to see improved?
________________________
INTERVIEW
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How did you like the experience of VR and the application?
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What interaction did you like the most?
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How did you feel when you were working with the application?
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Any comments on the audio, visual, or other cues?
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Is the application Gravity Sketch engaging?
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Do you want to use Gravity Sketch for a more extended period?
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Was the session too tiring or for a more extended period?
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Were the tasks easy or difficult to interact with?
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What would make the task easier? (Followup question if the user finds any difficulty performing the task.)
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Do you have any other comments or suggestions to make the Gravity Sketch experience better?
RESULTS OF THE USER STUDY
01
Participant Preferences
Half of the participants (3 out of 6) expressed a desire to use the application in the future. One participant stated they would not use it at all.
03
User Performance
Task completion times ranged between 8-10 minutes. The success rate was 67%, with 4 out of 6 participants able to complete the tasks independently.
02
User Experience
Participants enjoyed drawing shapes, particularly with the sketch tool. Many found drawing in 3D to be more challenging than they initially anticipated.
04
App Usability
Participants appreciated the ability to choose different shapes for drawing. They enjoyed the overall virtual reality experience of drawing.
GALLERY
REFLECTION
This study provided valuable insights into the user experience of VR applications, particularly in creative tasks like 3D modeling. The mixed responses regarding future use highlight the need for applications to be intuitive and user-friendly to encourage widespread adoption. The challenges faced in color selection and file saving indicate areas for improvement in interface design, suggesting that even small details can significantly impact user experience.
The study's results emphasize the importance of usability and ergonomics in VR environments. The positive response to the VR drawing experience suggests that VR can offer unique and engaging ways to perform creative tasks, provided the interface is designed with the user in mind.
This study underscored the potential of VR in creative domains, while also highlighting the need for continued refinement in user interface design to enhance usability and satisfaction.
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