Awareness VR

Project Background

This capstone project explores the user-centered design of a virtual reality application that helps people start meditating and develop a consistent practice.

Problem

Meditation offers numerous well-documented benefits beyond relaxation, yet in my experience, few people practice it and even fewer maintain a consistent practice.

My Role

  • UX Research
  • UX Design Concept
  • Prototyping
  • Usability Testing
figure sitting by a circular window with a spacious landscape
AI generated image

Duration: Jan – Mar 2023

Stakeholders: UX design supervisor and peers

VR Prototype Awareness VR

Design Process

UX Research

My research questions

  • What are people’s current understanding of meditation?
  • Why are people interested in starting a meditation practice?
  • What are the barriers that keep people from starting meditation?
  • What are the reasons people stop after they have tried meditation?
  • What are some objects, sounds, and environments that people associate with focus and calm?

Methodology used

  • Semi-structured interviews
  • Competitive Analysis

Deliverables

  • Affinity Mapping Diagram
  • Key Findings and Design Consideration Report
  • Persona Empathy Map

Key Findings from Interviews

Theme

Category

Example

Current Perceptions of Meditation

Mental Exercise

Participants compared meditation to physical exercise, viewing it as a workout for the mind.

Introspection & Presence

Participants identified increased self-awareness and present-moment awareness as key benefits of meditation.

Focus & Calm

Participants associated meditation with peace, calmness, and improved focus when asked about meditation.

Current Practice

Guided Meditation

Three of the four participants had experience using guided meditation mobile apps.

Breath & Body

All participants had practiced mindfulness meditation using breath awareness or body scanning techniques.

Consistency

None of the participants maintained a consistent meditation practice, though all expressed a desire to meditate more frequently. 

Barriers

Procrastination

All participants identified personal behaviors such as procrastination, self-sabotage, and lack of motivation as their primary barriers to meditation.

Time

Participants claimed time constraints prevented meditation, yet admitted not practicing even during free time.

Lack of Understanding

One participant feared improper meditation could harm their mind, while others believed meditation required suppressing all thoughts and keeping eyes closed.

Helpful Features in a Meditation App

Tracking

Participants felt motivated when tracking their meditation sessions in a calendar format.

Series

Two participants preferred guided meditation courses that progressively built on previous sessions.

Reminders

One participant found in-app reminders helpful in maintaining their meditation practice.

Environments

Personal Space

Participants preferred practicing meditation at home.

Nature

Participants also expressed interest in meditating in natural settings.

Sounds

Water

Multiple participants found rainfall and waterfall sounds soothing.

Birds

Participants found bird sounds calming

Competitive Analysis

Summary

This study examined two meditation applications: Waking Up and TRIPP. Waking Up offers expert-led meditation content rooted in ancient wisdom, modern science, and philosophy. TRIPP, on the other hand, introduces users to meditation through gamified experiences in virtual and real-world environments, leveraging rewards, personalization, and community features to encourage regular practice. Currently, no meditation app combines the depth of expert-led content with engaging virtual experiences. (Click here for full analysis)

Persona Empathy Map for Beginner Meditator
Persona Empathy Map of a Beginner

Problem Statement

How might we motivate people to start and maintain a regular meditation practice?

Design Considerations

Progress Tracking

Incorporate progress tracking to support user motivation and practice consistency.

Bigger Context

Highlight the holistic benefits of meditation through progress tracking and insights to sustain user motivation.

Sounds

Integrate ambient nature sounds, particularly rainfall and waterfalls, to enhance the calming experience

Environments

Create environments that simulate both private spaces and natural settings to accommodate user preferences.

Limit Movements

Minimize visual movement to reduce user distraction during meditation sessions.

Accountability

Incorporate social accountability features, such as group meditation sessions, to encourage consistent practice among beginners.

Delayed Start

Include a 40-second buffer before guided meditation begins, allowing users to acclimate to the virtual environment.

Starting Ritual

Create a transitional experience that prepares users for meditation practice.

Clear Start and End

Incorporate meditation bells as audio cues to mark the start and end of each session.

Calming Colors

Employ a color palette that evokes calmness and tranquility.

Field of View
Image by Michael C. Albers (Prototypr)
Image by Michael C. Albers (Prototypr)

Ideation

Divergent Thinking Approaches Utilized

  • Sketches
  • Moodboards
  • Mindmaps
  • Storyboards

Ideation process highlights

Iterative Prototyping

In-person and remote usability testing with VR headsets was conducted on low and high-fidelity prototypes to inform design improvements.

Low Fidelity Prototype

Key Findings

Navigation Menu
  • Labels: Participants were less likely to interact with meditations with unfamiliar labels.
  • Home Screen: The number of options available on the home screen could overwhelm a new user.
  • Motivation: Participants thought the tracking features would motivate them to be consistent.
Meditation Experience
  • Closed Eyes: Participants found the environment overly bright and lacking dynamic elements, which reduced engagement. They associated meditation with closed eyes, reflecting their experience with traditional methods.
  • Guided Instructions: While participants appreciated the pauses between guided instructions, they found the background sounds distracting.
  • Subtle Ambient Sound: Participants thought subtle ambient sounds aligned with the environment would enhance immersion without causing distraction.

High Fidelity Prototype

Lessons Learnt

  • Currently, limited software options exist for rapid prototyping and testing of VR experiences.
  • VR text legibility depends on the correct angle and distance from the user’s viewpoint.
  • Users tend to disengage from meditation apps with static environments, while subtle movement and sound can create engaging experiences that encourage return visits.
  • The VR experience must be optimized to prevent lag from slower internet speeds, as loading delays can cause motion sickness.

Future Work

  • Incorporate subtle movements and dynamic elements to enhance immersion without causing distraction.
  • Support consistent practice through additional features:
    • Journaling
    • Custom reminders
  • Integrate haptic feedback and scent elements to deepen learning and immersion.”

References

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