Designers
Sarath Chand Nekuri, Qianzi Wen, Mobei Qian, Monan Qian
Year
2024
Category
New Talent
Country
United States
School
Savannah College of Art and Design
Teacher
David Edwin Meyers
Three questions for the project team
What was the particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view?
One major UX challenge was designing for the VR, a platform new to our team. We had to quickly learn its features and constraints to create a seamless user experience. Our goal was to make the virtual art browsing experience more engaging and innovative than traditional museum visits. We leveraged VR technology to enhance interaction and provide deeper insights into artworks, creating an immersive environment with 360-degree views, interactive elements, AR features, and rich multimedia content like artist avatars and personal galleries. We aimed to ensure the virtual experience was both informative and enjoyable.
What was your personal highlight in the development process? Was there an aha!-moment, was there a low point?
During the ideation phase, we explored several concepts but struggled to find standout features. The breakthrough came with 'My Gallery' and 'Artist Avatar Introduction,' which instantly energized our team. As we transitioned into prototyping, we aimed to create an immersive VR experience. Initially, we faced challenges using Unity due to time and resource limitations. Additionally, we faced numerous technical challenges, especially since this was our first VR project. Pivoting to ShapesXR was both a setback and a blessing. Witnessing 'My Gallery' in VR for the first time was incredibly rewarding, validating our vision and underscoring the potential of our project to transform art education and engagement.
Where do you see yourself and the project in the next five years?
In the next five years, we envision our project as a seasoned UX designer with a deep understanding of VR technology and its applications. We see our VR virtual museum project evolving into a leading platform in the digital art and museum space, continuously pushing the boundaries of how people experience art. We plan to utilize the latest VR and AR innovations to create immersive experiences and partner with renowned museums around the world to provide users with access to a wide range of artwork and artifacts.
