Introduction
Product design is integral to the success of any product. With the advent of Mixed Reality (MR), designers now have a new medium to design products on. However, there's always the question of how MR product design compares to traditional physical product design.
In this blog post, we'll compare the two approaches and provide an unbiased view of their pros and cons. We'll cover aspects such as cost, design time, and user experience. We hope by the end of this article, you'll have a clearer understanding of which approach might work best for you.
Cost
One of the main differences between MR product design and physical product design is the cost involved. Physical product design has a higher cost due to the materials and manufacturing processes required.
In contrast, MR product design can be less expensive as designers can make changes and update designs easily without the need for additional production costs. For example, in MR product design, designers can prototype an object in a virtual environment and see how it interacts with the real world without having to create a physical prototype.
Design Time
Design time is another critical aspect when comparing MR product design to physical product design. Physical product design tends to be more time-consuming since designers must consider factors such as ergonomics, materials, and manufacturing processes.
MR product design, on the other hand, can be faster since it eliminates some of the requirements of physical product design. Designers don't need to worry about ergonomics as much since the design is virtual, and MR software can help simulate real-world physics to see how the object might perform.
User Experience
When it comes to user experience, there are pros and cons to both approaches. Physical product design allows users to touch and feel the product, which can make the experience more engaging since they can interact with it directly.
MR product design, on the other hand, can create an immersive experience for the user since they can be transported into a virtual world and interact with the product in ways that might not be possible with a physical product.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both physical product design and MR product design have their unique strengths and weaknesses. Physical product design has the advantage of tactile feedback, while MR product design can be faster and less expensive.
Ultimately, the approach you choose depends on your product's requirements and your team's strengths. However, with the increasing popularity of MR, it might be worth considering this approach to create immersive experiences for your users.
References
- HubSpot. (2022). Cost of Product Design. [online] Available at: https://blog.hubspot.com/website/cost-of-product-design
- Mano, M., Goudinho, S. (2021). Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality Approaches to Product Design: A Comparative Study. AMPS Proceedings Series 21.4. Pp. 131-146. [online] Available at: https://architecturemps.com/proceedings-amp21/amp21_131-146_ManoGoudinho.pdf