Product Designer
LawXR - Immersive environments for lawyers
Industry
Legal Tech
Year
2021
The aim of the project was to create an immersive environment in the field of law using advanced technology. Throughout the project, our focus was to make the workings of a law firm and its associated personnel seamless, easy, and time-efficient. The project consists of three solutions:
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An immersive virtual crime scene environment using VR
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Wearable AR for office environments
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Mobile AR for library resources
These solutions target senior lawyers, lawyer's secretaries, and paralegals.
For this project, I collaborated with a talented UX designer. My responsibilities included UX design research, advanced and immersive technology research, IoT devices and sensors, virtual and augmented reality, smart devices, prototyping, visual design, UI design, style guide development, and interaction design.
Idea Generation
To develop the immersive environment for a law firm, the first step was idea generation. We identified the issues faced by the current jurisdiction system and developed solutions to address them. Additionally, we conducted research on the different departments within the law firm, the people associated with them, and the issues they faced. Based on our research, we created three personas to visualize the solutions: Senior Lawyer, Lawyer's Secretary, and Law Firm Paralegal.
Personas
Three personas as well as augmented personas were created to represent the target audience of the new advanced and immersive environment; 1. Lawyer, 2. Secretary and 3. Paralegal. We used these personas to inform the development of the system to fit the needs of future users.
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Key Finding: It is very important to define details about every persona as well as the experience level of using advance and immersive technologies.
Augmented Personas
Scenarios
Following the creation of the personas, scenarios were created for each persona. Scenarios allowed me to empathize with the user and design the best solution for them.
Harvey
Going to courtroom during pandemic is difficult for Harvey. He wants to use virtual reality as a tool to collect all the facts and figures about case. He needs a platform wherein he can investigate case from various angles by collaborating, communicating and sharing knowledge within and about the crime scene with his team, forensic department and police officers.
Milly
Sitting at one place during working hours strains Milly's eyes and causes stiffness in her body. She wants to be able to do multiple tasks like keeping case records up to date, preparing court forms, organising and scheduling various meetings, answering phone calls etc. Along with this, it’s her responsibility to maintain the lawyer’s office environment.
Joana
Finding a way through the law library and searching for appropriate resources is hard, confusing and time taking for Joana. She wants to make her job easy by knowing the exact location of all types of resources. She wants to know details about each of them to decide whether to refer them or not which will ultimately help her improve the decision making and accuracy of the case.
Design Solutions Hardware
Three solutions using different kinds of advance and immersive technologies for three personas are provided to solve the issues and fulfil the user requirements as per three above mentioned scenarios.
VR Headset
Designed an immersive Crime Scene Environment using VR headset that allow users to teleport to the crime scene quickly and cost effectively, collaboratively investigate case from various angles by reproducing multiple instances of the scene, to collect and present facts and figures, and to make entire process fast.
Wearable AR
Used wearable AR to create immersive experience to help user manage multiple day to day work activities without sitting at one place.
Mobile AR
Used mobile AR to interact with the library resources in real time to overcome frustrations and time taken to find them.
Top Level System Architecture
Design Process - Lawyer
Harvey wants to create a collaborative immersive environment, which can be accessed using Head Mounted VR device.
Design Inspiration
Interaction Scenario
VR Design Decisions
Frame Considerations
It is crucial to consider how much head and neck movement is necessary to interact with content.
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Most experiences are taking place in the centre of the holographic frame while the user's head is in a neutral position.
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Horizontal head movement is more for frequent interactions, while vertical movements should be reserved for uncommon events
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Considered encouraging full-body movement, rather than just head movement, by placing objects around the user's space.
All the information appears in a window in front of the user at the distance of two meters within their immediate field of view (FOV) and the comfortable degree recommendations.
From our research we found out that Area Of Interest represents 1/9th of the 360degree environment. So it is positioned right at the centre of equirectangular frame & it is 1200 X 600px in size.
Primary actions are taking place in the cone of focus
Area of Interest
User Story and Paper Prototype
Immersive crime scene environment using VR headset.
Initial Digital Design Concept
High Fidelity Designs
Functional hi-fidelity prototypes were made based on the sketches and initial design ideas.
Main Menu
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The cylindrical window design is considered the best solution for displaying menu with all the options.
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Operated by- hand held controlled leap motion to avoid any unnecessary/ accidental interactions.
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Not a part of/ not merged in the VR environment.
Navigation
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The blueprint map of the crime scene with the user’s position indication and field of view.
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A way to refer back to full size of the content
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visual and navigational assistances.
Measurement Tool
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Taking measurements in the VR using leap motion.
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Measurement tool can be selected from the main menu, it is accommodated with the close button at the bottom to go back to the main menu.
Blood Trace Detail
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Shows the blood trace icon whenever there are traces.
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Selecting the icon shows the victims & their details related to traces.
Fingerprint Details
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Shows the details of victims related to the evidence, Details of evidence, Statement of victim etc.
VR Design Style Guide
The aim was to make experience seamless by:
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Intuitive and simpler Interactions.
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Desktop environment and 2D interactions familiarity.
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2D tasks are cognitively easier.
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Only 2D selection options - to increase usability.
Design Process - Secretary
Milly wants to use wearable stand-alone AR device to manage all the legal activities, as well as scheduling of lawyer’s daily work tasks.
Interaction Scenarios
Paper Prototypes
High Fidelity Designs
Functional hi-fidelity prototypes were made based on the sketches and initial design ideas.
Main Menu
Home Screen consist all the key functions of the design.
Call Log Details
Tabbed menu is shifted at the bottom to increase accessibility by keeping it within the reach of arms.
Health Details
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Heart Rate Monitor
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​Body Temperature
Environment Setting Details
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Room Temperature Settings
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Lightening Setting
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Room Isolation
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Air Quality Settings
Schedule
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Upcoming Cases
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Lawyer’s Appointments
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Important Dates and Tasks
Multiple Windows
​User can view all the open tabs at a time.
Functional Prototype
Smart Watch Interfaces
Wearable AR Style Guide
Design Process - Paralegal
Joana wants to use an AR application which shows the location of all resources in library related to the case.
Interaction Scenarios
User Story and Paper Prototype
Initial Digital Design Concept
High Fidelity Designs
Functional hi-fidelity prototypes were made based on the sketches and initial design ideas.
Scanning Case File
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Opening main menu on home screen.
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Scanning barcode on the case file.
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Showing keywords related to case
Wayfinding for Resources
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Selecting the keywords
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Checking the direction using AR
Finding Resources
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Colour coded shelves
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Resources based on the selected keywords are highlighted above the shelves.
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Getting full information about the book, file or any other resource.
Finding Vacant Seats
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Occupancy Checker Option
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Way Finding and Basic Indicators
Mobile AR Style Guide
Proposed Evaluation Plan
Limitations
Crime Scene VR
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Accuracy
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​Imperfect Replication of the scene
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​Having a ground truth of what a scene looked like—if lighting, weather, or traffic patterns are different from day to day.
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​Drawing conclusions based upon the positioning, path, speed, and reaction times of the objects portrayed in IVEs.
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​Locomotion Sickness
Wearable AR
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Expensive
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Field of view is the major problem limitation of the current device and limited gestures.​
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Locomotion Sickness​
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Lack Of Privacy​
Mobile AR
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Lack of privacy thus putting user data at risk
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​Object Calibration
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​Keeping up with the continuous updates about the new resources in the library
Future Proposal
Crime Scene VR
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Using virtual projector in courtrooms for live explanation of the crime scene to judge.
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To take up the avatar of suspects and incorporate them in virtual environment.
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Powerful alternative approach in the form of visual images to recreate- scenes (the configuration of streets, driveways, buildings);
Episodes or events (appearances, sizes, and shapes); Abstract factual material (trends, relationships)
Wearable AR
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Increase in Field of View.
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High resolution display.
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Affordable smart glasses.
Mobile AR
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To be able to see holographic view of the case hearing
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Virtual wall to take notes and share research with the team using collaborative platform
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Holographic table to check every evidence more clearly
Reflections
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Learned how to develop a new immersive environment idea from start to finish
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Acquired skills in prototyping for 3D environments, including AR and VR
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Collaborated with a UX designer Shivani Sonawane, and recognised the importance of communication, engagement, and skill sharing in producing a solid and innovative project.
Future Considerations
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Would like to learn and implement 3D paper prototype sketches for future projects
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Would conduct rounds of evaluation on the target audience if given the opportunity
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Would prioritize the UI/UX design of the AR interfaces in future projects
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Time was cut short for the UI/UX design due to unforeseen personal circumstances
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