Towards Mixed Reality as the Everyday Computing Paradigm: Challenges & Design Recommendations

This research presents a proof-of-concept prototype of an all-in-one mixed reality application platform, developed to investigate the needs and expectations of users from mixed reality systems. The study involved an extensive user study with 1,052 participants, including the collection of diaries from 6 users and conducting interviews with 51 participants to gain deeper insights into their experiences. The findings from the interviews revealed that directly porting current user flows into 3D environments was not well-received by the target users. Instead, users expressed a clear preference for alternative 3D interactions along with the continued use of 2D interfaces. This study provides insights for understanding user preferences and interactions in mixed reality systems, and design recommendations to facilitate the mass adoption of MR systems.