3D Interfaces Offer Users Infinite Space
In this essay published on the Singularity Hub blog, Jody Medich, a consultant and 3D user experience designer, compares how different 2D and 3D interfaces are for users and should be thought about deeply by those who seek to deliver the full value of virtual and Augmented Reality. The essay suggests that moving from 2D to 3D experiences with digital content is as profound as moving from the command line interface of DOS to the graphical user interfaces provided in later operating systems such as Macintosh OS and Windows.
The author begins with several observations with which no one can argue. For example, humans rely heavily on their vision for acquiring knowledge and just about everything else. Humans also use space to think. Medich explains that humans use three dimensional space to offload a number of cognitively heavy tasks from working memory. For example, space helps humans understand relationships between objects as a result of their relative proximity to one another.
The essay concludes with the suggestion that Augmented Reality systems will deliver a new technological revolution in which users work with infinite space. In infinite spatial systems, users create spatial buckets in which to organize their digital belongings, tools and tasks. These ideas are valuable for everyone to consider, even those who are not trained UX designers, because to use infinite spatial interfaces the new concepts will need to be understood by all.