VIVE Sync is HTC’s first party meeting and collaboration app, allowing remote teams to work together in VR. Sync features custom full-body avatars, the ability to share and present files, and a suite of meeting tools including the ability to draw and write in 3D.

While Sync was already a fully-functional application when I was hired, much of the interface and user flow was considered temporary, and as a result quite clunky. Every feature was only accessible through a large “tablet” menu which not only blocked your view, but didn’t allow users to multi-task (for example, you couldn’t browse your files while presenting a file). I helped lead a UX overhaul of the entire app, replacing the tablet with a more modular system, allowing you to quickly access all of the app’s functions from a much more streamlined UI. What’s more, it allowed you to open several windows at once and position them how you like, taking full advantage of the spatial freedom VR allows.

Of course, that spatial freedom is a two-edged sword. We quickly found that while giving users the ability to multitask is a huge benefit, things can get much more complex in a 3D environment than they can in a traditional 2D interface. For example, in 2D you don’t have to worry about windows blocking your field of view, or windows intersecting the environment. You don’t have to figure out if your mouse cursor should be interacting with the window in front of you, or the 3D model 10 feet away from you.

Designing the new UX was a complex, iterative process. Working closely with our artists, we went through several versions of our main menu, as well as our tool and context menus. I prototyped most of the interactions myself, before working with our engineering team to explore potential edge cases and prioritize features. In addition to the new menu system, we also added new functionality like the ability to browse the web and share your PC desktop. We also overhauled the 3D object interaction system, simplifying the controls to make them more accessible for less technical users.

Not only are these features useful for VR meetings, we believe we are also helping build towards a future where some of your workday may be spent in VR. For anyone working in 3D (game designers, architects, industrial designers, etc.) there are clear advantages to working in VR. We want to expand on that, giving users access to the 2D tools they’re familiar with while working in this new, spatial environment. For example, an artist may want to check their team’s Slack while working on a new model. Or they may want to browse the web for reference images. Our new spatial interface was designed not just to facilitate meetings, but also to function as a personal workspace as well.