Context
Holoscribe was building an AR content creation platform that would let brands and educators create augmented reality experiences without coding. The challenge was making complex 3D and AR technology accessible to non-technical users.
How might we democratize AR content creation so that anyone, regardless of technical skill, can build engaging augmented reality experiences?
Process
- Conducted user research with potential customers across education, marketing, and entertainment sectors
- Mapped the end-to-end workflow from content upload to AR experience deployment
- Designed and iterated on a visual builder interface that abstracted away technical complexity
- Created a library of templates and presets to help users get started quickly
- Tested with real users at universities and with brand partners like EA Sports
Solution
A web-based AR builder with real-time preview and one-click publishing. Users could create scenes from 360 images or videos, add hotspots to navigate between scenes, and overlay images and videos (including videos with transparent backgrounds). Experiences worked on desktop, tablet, and mobile. On mobile and tablet, users could scan around scenes by physically moving their device and select hotspots by gazing at them, making AR accessible to anyone with a phone.
Outcomes
- Notable use by BBC, Endemol (creators of Big Brother), Sony, and FIFA
- The BAFTAs (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) were live streamed using Holoscribe to provide a 360 experience of the event
- Platform used by universities including USC
Learnings
- Progressive complexity works: start simple, reveal advanced features as needed
- Real-time preview was essential for spatial content that's hard to visualize
- Template-based starting points dramatically improved user confidence