My role
User research intern
Timeline
Sep. 2023 - Mar. 2024
Team
Creative Labs UR Team
Summary
My time at HTC as a User Research Intern
on the team of VR design development called Creative Labs
From September 2023 to March 2024, I had an amazing opportunity working as User Research Intern at HTC Vive's Creative Labs in Taiwan headquarters.
I participated in multiple researches that helped develop the VR devices and metaverse. Worked closely with my wonderful colleagues from both Taipei headquarters and Berkeley office on projects that involve virtual reality product research, metaverse market research, design system, usability testing, and design development. My work is under NDA. This case study only shows my main learnings.
Statistics
What did I do during this internship?
My internship was full of fun and interesting achievements! Here are the numbers that represented my time at HTC Creative Labs.
4
Research projects conducted
20+
Rounds international
user interview conducted
3
Rounds competitor analysis
conducted
9
Research presentations delivered
5
Metaverse collaborative event
organized
7
Rounds usability testing
conducted
Impact
Enhancing immersive experience in VR through research
I worked on 4 major research projects during my time there as a User Research Intern, one of which I was the lead of -- a post launch study of a newly released VR device. I collaborated with project managers, UX and UI designers, marketing team, and developers on crafting user experience for the latest HTC Vive Virtual Reality Device and System.
User Research
Design and led the research plan of a post launch study, which involved outlining objectives, selecting appropriate methodologies, and determining key metrics to measure the product's success and user experience.
Distilled actionable research findings on headset hardware, unpacking experience, and onboarding experience, presenting them on weekly meetings with the UX designers, packaging team, and hardware engineers to make iterations on the design.
Conducted competitor analysis on VR market and competitor products to propose opportunities for growth, market fit, and potential new feature development ideas.
UX Design
Synthesized the user flow and interfaces used in metaverse interactions, and collaborated with UX designers to help shape the socialize mechanisms in VIVERSE.
Presented research insights for UX features to the team and facilitated rounds of evaluations and critique sessions with cross functional teams (product manager, UX designer, marketing team, and developers)
Research highlights
Post launch study of a newly released VR headset
As the first research project of my internship, I took on the role of lead for the post-launch study of a newly released VR device. My primary responsibility was to design the research plan, which involved outlining objectives, selecting appropriate methodologies, and determining key metrics to measure the product's success and user experience. I worked closely with the User Research team lead to ensure the study addressed critical areas.
Learn about the device and use cases
What is VIVE XR Elite? This device is an all-in-one VR and base station-free PC VR. Through 10+ rounds of user interview, I synthesized the use cases of the device and the pain points that users currently encounter with the device. I also did further research on the VR user market and competitors to get a better idea of where the product stands in the product ecosystem.
Analyze & Provide actionable insights!
I then analyzed insights on headset hardware, unpacking experience, and onboarding experience, presenting them on weekly meetings with the UX designers, packaging team, and developers to make iterations on the design.
Key Takeaways
To find ideas, find problems.
Looking through the lens of a researcher has shown me how crucial it is to prioritize understanding the problem before jumping into creating a solution. While researchers might not always be directly involved in designing specific features, their role in guiding the process is vital. Especially in the in the rapidly evolving fields of virtual reality and immersive technologies, where new forms of interaction are still being explored and established, research plays a pivotal role in shaping the direction of innovation. Including research perspectives helps ensure that these new technologies solve real problems, creating experiences that feel intuitive, immersive, and purposeful!
Huge thanks to the amazing UR team : Christina, Henry, and Tim!
💬
Communication is the key to collaboration
At HTC, working with the UR team and collaborating with project managers, designers, marketing, and developers was an incredible experience. It helped me grow as a critical thinker and communicator, allowing me to tackle problems thoughtfully and share ideas clearly with different teams. This collaboration improved my understanding of various perspectives and made me a more effective contributor to the product development process.
🏃
Be proactive as a researcher!
During this internship, I learned how to create and execute research plans for real-world products and proactively share results with stakeholders. I actively participated in UX team meetings to align on research directions and address any questions from team members regarding the findings. This experience helped me realize the crucial role of a researcher as a bridge between user needs and design, translating user feedback into actionable insights that guide product development!
Want to learn more?
Request a case study
Other projects I worked on at HTC Vive remained confidential. Please feel free to contact me at yujie719@uw.edu to learn more about my experiences and working process at HTC Vive Creative Labs!
