Digital App: Scale of 3D objects

The "problem": 3D objects that are too small or too large hinder the user experience. The "solution": scaling 3D objects appropriately according to the size of the book.

"Let's make this one tiny, and that one huge!"

While going through the comparative analysis (see research methods section for more detail on the comparative analysis), I found several books that presented 3D objects that were either too small or too large. If they were too small, they were too subtle. Any interaction was almost unnoticeable. If they were too large, I as the user would have to readjust my physical positioning to accommodate. Sometimes I even had to get up and move away from the book. 3D objects being on the small side or on the large size may not always be a bad thing, but not considering user context is a very bad thing. We already learned from the survey that our users, AKA parents or caretakers, are willing to try these new storytelling methods only if they are easy to use. In the gifs below, I designed a few examples to show what I mean by 3D objects that are "too small" or "too large."

Example showing 3D objects that are too small compared to the book. The user must place the device camera about an inch from the book. 3D assets sourced from Sketchfab, licensed under CC by 4.0 (Edgar_koh, 2020; SatiKudasati, 2022).

Example showing 3D objects that are too large compared to the book. The user must physically reposition themselves moving further away form the book in order to view the scene. 3D assets sourced from Sketchfab, licensed under CC by 4.0 (Edgar_koh, 2020; SatiKudasati, 2022).

Scaling 3D objects according to the size of the book

One of the challenges with AR is that it is difficult to create an experience that will function in any given environment. Unlike VR, AR experiences can be used almost anywhere at any time. Given that we can't control the users environment, we should design thoughtfully to ensure that the 3D objects in the experience are scaled appropriately according to the size of the book. The gif below shows an example I designed where the 3D objects are scaled sufficiently according to the size of the book.

Example showing 3D objects that are appropriately sized when compared to the book. 3D assets sourced from Sketchfab, licensed under CC by 4.0 (Edgar_koh, 2020; SatiKudasati, 2022).

Environmental context scenario: Remember that the user's environment is not a controllable variable. We can always suggest an environment for optimal conditions, but should plan for as many different environments as possible. Consider this scenario: A parent is getting ready to read their child a story before a nap. The child is tucked into their bed and the parent is sitting next to them with the book and the device. They begin to go through the experience and come across a page where the 3D object is so big that it requires the parent and the child to get up and move away from the book while holding the device. Now, the child doesn't want to take a nap anymore. This would be a poor user experience.

Tip: There may be times when it might be appropriate that a certain 3D object is purposely designed to be small compared to the book or a 3D scene may be designed to be larger than the book. Depending on the goal of the storybook and the target audience, scaling 3D objects outside of the boundaries of the book may be necessary. The takeaway here is to remember your user and consider their potential environment. Context is key.

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