Below are 4 key takeaways of design usability principles learned in developing ODG’s ReticleOS Platform (which will be announced in a later article to come).

1. Keep what’s in use in reach

The first is to keep what’s in use in reach. I know this sounds obvious but, it really shapes how you lay out content, objects, buttons. For headtracking, it’s their neck moving around, not the flick of a finger, so you want to be very mindful of that strain over time.

ODG’s ReticleOS: Gallery App

As an example in our use case, the user is primarily stationary, and wants minimal exertion to interact with the UI. We structured the UI to keep the most recently opened content within their strongest range of motion region, the lower third of the user’s FOV, by pushing content up or the the left as new content enters.

2. Don’t throw out the entire design rulebook

The second is not to throw out the entire design rulebook. Just like we’ve seen with designing across computers, smartphones, smartwatches, IoT products, its still the same users! The hardest user testing is distinguishing what should be “new” design conventions, and what can be built upon from existing design concepts. It’s key to remain mindful of every decision, and ask myself, “is this novelty for the sake of novelty, or does this really improve the experience for this medium?”