In 2020, the majority of architectural design software was local, which hindered team collaboration by causing version control issues and restricting real-time updates, resulting in inefficiencies.
During the project design process, architects must transition from one tool to another at different stages without a seamless workflow.
I participated in interviewing 5 architects with varying experience (1-11 years) to find out about their current workflow, the tools they used and their positive and negative attitudes towards their work. I contributed to question design and qualitative data analysis, while 2 other designers conducted the interviews.
Limited by tools, they invest ample time in arduous yet insignificant tasks.
They desire to employ new tools, but the complex features leaves them insufficient time to learn.
They aim to create a cool design but are stuck with repetitive tasks.
Streamline design and collaboration to optimize user efficiency.
Affordance matters, achieved via clear info structure, workflows, and visuals.
Speculative design on how to leverage AI capabilities to arouse creativity.
The previous default 3D environment faced challenges as it was developed without a design phase. The lack of a structured design approach resulted in negative user feedback, including uncertainties in axes orientation, reference object, and zoom distance. A comprehensive design strategy was needed to turn such uncertainties into a refined default 3D environment.
As a default 3D environment is commonplace in 3D design, I started off by researching competitive tools to understand users' existing familiarity with this essential feature.
Given the professional background of the target users, it is crucial to align the 3D design with their spatial cognition. I conducted three rounds of A/B testing through rapid prototyping, collaborating with an experienced architectural designer to gauge user expectations regarding the proper angle, reference object, and zoom distance within the 3D scene.
During the initial round, I presented three different angles (A, B, and C) to identify the optimal axes orientation and enhance the 3D sense. Feedback from the user revealed that Option C emerged as the most favorable angle.
In the second round, a person and a car were introduced as reference objects to determine the most suitable choice. User feedback favored a human as a reference point over a car, given architects’ familiarity with human scale.
The third round focused on refining the zoom distance by placing the view at two different distances from the origin point. User feedback indicated that Option 2 provided a more appropriate distance in relation to the reference human.
These A/B testing iterations were instrumental in ensuring that the 3D design aligns seamlessly with the spatial perception of the target users, ultimately enhancing the user experience and usability of the design.
After selecting the proper angle, reference, and zoom distance, I proceeded to refine the reference human. I used the “Modulor”, a human body proportion well known to architects, as my drawing standard. Additionally, to establish a brand identity, I incorporated the product logo as a badge on the person's shirt.
The final iteration presents an intuitive default 3D environment featuring clearly oriented axes, a reference human for dimension comparison, and a pronounced 3D sense. This design efficiently prepares users to start building a new model.
By providing an intuitive preview of material changes, this design addresses the issue of a lack of real-time preview in competitive tools for architects when creating, editing, and applying materials to an object, ensuring that what you see in the preview is what you will get in the final result.
To understand user preferences and expectations, we conducted a survey about their color and style preferences for a 3D design tool's interface. The data from 56 valid respondents indicated that Blue (57.1%) was the color they would feel most comfortable with a tool's UI. In terms of software style, Rational (46.4%) and Bright (39.3%) were the favored choices.
In the initial 6 months of the project, I continuously created necessary components to meet essential requirements. As user scenarios accumulated, I actively refined and updated components to form the new design system.
Icons and illustrations play a significant role in providing affordance in the tool, and I designed them with a focus on visual consistency and intuitiveness.
Maintain a professional tone that is formal, clear, and conveys a sense of expertise to establish trust and credibility with the users.
Use the same terms, phrases, and instructions throughout the software to improve user understanding as they interact with different parts of the product.
Maintaining a positive and encouraging tone in the UX writing to motivate users and make them feel confident while using the software.
Be helpful and provide clear instructions, tips, and guidance to assist users in accomplishing tasks without unnecessary frustration and achieving their goals effectively.
