Designing New Interactions: Non-Visual Interfaces & AR/VR UX Design in Unity

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Course Dates

STARTS ON

TBD

Course Duration

DURATION

7 weeks, online
15–20 hours per week

Course Fee
Course Fee

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Why Study Designing New Interactions: Non-Visual Interfaces & AR/VR UX Design in Unity?

Extended reality (XR) is becoming more affordable as XR content offerings and applications expand, leading to projections of exponential growth both in demand for XR and the technology’s capabilities in the next few years. That also means more opportunities for those with the know-how to design visual and non-visual user experiences for 3D and XR interactions.

The Designing New Interactions: Non-Visual Interfaces & AR/VR UX Design in Unity program from NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering was developed to prepare UX designers to create user experiences for non-visual interfaces like voice, and interactive audio, and to use industry standard tools like Adobe XD, Reaper, and Unity to create high-fidelity prototypes of XR experiences that include visual and non-visual elements. As a participant, you can work to advance your career in UX design while building a design portfolio using these new and emerging technologies

443 million

The worldwide AR/VR user base is projected to reach 443 million by 2025.

SOURCE: Statista

$40.9 billion

As the use of haptics expands, the global market is projected to reach $40.9 billion by 2027, from $12.9 in 2020.

SOURCE: Research and Markets

60%

Unity is increasingly being used across a variety of industries, and powers 60% of all AR and VR content.

SOURCE: TechCrunch

Key Takeaways

  • Develop fundamental skills for haptic design, sound design, and interactive audio experience design
  • Develop fundamental skills for designing and prototyping in Unity
  • Exploring UX design principles for non-visual interfaces like haptics and voice
  • Using industry standard tools to design for XR environments and Voice applications
  • Learn best practices for sharing your design ideas

Program Syllabus

Week 1:

Haptics

Explore haptics and the importance of feedback, as well as the use of haptics to generate realistic experiences in XR environments.

Week 2:

Audio User Experience

Learn key components of the audio user experience, including UX sound design (theory and practice), audio user flows, and audio moment mapping. Learn how to source, edit and place sound in your demos and prototypes, working in Adobe XD. Guest speaker: Sean Thornton of Audio UX.

Week 3:

Interactive & Spatial Audio

Explore ambient computing, conversation design, mixing and rendering sound design, and using sound design to enhance user experience. Guest speaker: Eric Seay of Audio UX.

Week 4:

Intro to Unity

Get an introduction to the Unity game engine, and experience prototyping using this industry standard tool.

Week 5:

Setting the Stage: World Building

Use Unity to create storyboards for an XR experience of your own design, block out key moments and UI elements, and prototype the core interactions in your experience.

Week 6:

Production, Refinement, and Tuning

Refine your Unity design by setting up an art pipeline, generating production assets, replacing UI Elements with more refined pieces, and test, reinforce, and complete your XR experience.

Week 7:

Sharing Your Vision

Learn about documenting, presenting, distributing and marketing your product, as well as payment methods and getting your product reviewed.

Week 1:

Haptics

Explore haptics and the importance of feedback, as well as the use of haptics to generate realistic experiences in XR environments.

Week 5:

Setting the Stage: World Building

Use Unity to create storyboards for an XR experience of your own design, block out key moments and UI elements, and prototype the core interactions in your experience.

Week 2:

Audio User Experience

Learn key components of the audio user experience, including UX sound design (theory and practice), audio user flows, and audio moment mapping. Learn how to source, edit and place sound in your demos and prototypes, working in Adobe XD. Guest speaker: Sean Thornton of Audio UX.

Week 6:

Production, Refinement, and Tuning

Refine your Unity design by setting up an art pipeline, generating production assets, replacing UI Elements with more refined pieces, and test, reinforce, and complete your XR experience.

Week 3:

Interactive & Spatial Audio

Explore ambient computing, conversation design, mixing and rendering sound design, and using sound design to enhance user experience. Guest speaker: Eric Seay of Audio UX.

Week 7:

Sharing Your Vision

Learn about documenting, presenting, distributing and marketing your product, as well as payment methods and getting your product reviewed.

Week 4:

Intro to Unity

Get an introduction to the Unity game engine, and experience prototyping using this industry standard tool.

Real-world Applications

Decorative image relating to Audio user experience design.

Audio user experience design

Study examples of successful sonic branding from companies including Apple, Netflix, Bose, and Mastercard.

Decorative image relating to Voice design and interactive audio.

Voice design

See how voice design and interactive audio are used via examples including Google’s Home Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and Apple’s Siri.

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Interaction mechanics

Explore interaction mechanics via gaming examples including Super Mario Bros, Beat Saber, Monopoly, and Call of Duty.

Program Experience

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Video Lectures

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Assignments

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Discussions

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Real-World Tools & Technology

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Capstone Project

Decorative image relating to Live Office Hours with Program Leaders.

Live Office Hours with Program Leaders

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Dedicated Program Support Team

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Mobile Learning App

Who Should Attend

This seven-week program is designed for professionals pursuing UX design careers with an interest in working with non-visual interfaces, as well as those who want to enhance their skills in prototyping with Unity. Participants will have foundational visual design skills and experience with Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator, and be seeking to transition to working with emerging technologies—including interactive 3D, AR, VR and Voice—while enhancing their skills in user experience design.

It is ideal for:

  • Developers (Extended Reality/Unity/Game/UX/UI) looking to understand non-visual interfaces—like Siri, Google Assistant, and Echo—and reinforce them with visual interfaces. They may also be seeking to develop fundamental skills for designing and prototyping in Unity.
  • Designers (AR/VR/UX/UI/XR) interested in exploring UX design principles for non-visual interfaces like haptics and voice, and learning the basics and best practices of Unity to build better experiences and share design ideas.
  • Consultants (UX/AR/VR/Design) who want to stay current with the industry standard tools of design for XR environments and voice applications, gain a deeper understanding of designing user interfaces, and build end-to-end UX solutions for their clients.

Program Faculty

Faculty Member Nien Lam

Nien Lam

Adjunct Faculty, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Co-founder of Line Break

Nien Lam is a designer, an educator, and a dad. He is a partner and co-founder of Line Break, a multi-disciplinary design and technology studio based in New York City. His clients have included Apple, Google, Pentagram, Pace Gallery, Estée Lauder, The Cleveland Clinic, Ai Weiwei Studio, and Studio Olafur Eliasson. His projects have included exhibitions, interactive installations, data visualizations, mobile applications, websites, spatial computing projects, and more. Prior to starting Line Break, Nien worked as a lead engineer at Bloomberg designing real-time applications for data visualization and analysis. More info

Faculty Member Sebastian Buys

Sebastian Buys

Adjunct Faculty, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Co-founder of Line Break

Sebastian Buys is a designer and lifelong coder. He is a partner and co-founder of Line Break, a multi-disciplinary design and technology studio based in New York City. His clients have included Apple, Google, Pentagram, Pace Gallery, Estée Lauder, The Cleveland Clinic, Ai Weiwei Studio and Studio Olafur Eliasson. His projects have included exhibitions, interactive installations, data visualizations, mobile applications, websites, spatial computing projects, and more. More info

Certificate

Example image of certificate that will be awarded after successful completion of this program

Certificate

Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be awarded a verified digital certificate by NYU Tandon.

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FAQs

  • How do I know if this program is right for me?

    After reviewing the information on the program landing page, we recommend you submit the short form above to gain access to the program brochure, which includes more in-depth information. If you still have questions on whether this program is a good fit for you, please email learner.success@emeritus.org, and a dedicated program advisor will follow-up with you very shortly.


    Are there any prerequisites for this program?

    Some programs do have prerequisites, particularly the more technical ones. This information will be noted on the program landing page, as well as in the program brochure. If you are uncertain about program prerequisites and your capabilities, please email us at the ID mentioned above.


    Note that, unless otherwise stated on the program web page, all programs are taught in English and proficiency in English is required.


    What is the typical class profile?

    More than 50 percent of our participants are from outside the United States. Class profiles vary from one cohort to the next, but, generally, our online certificates draw a highly diverse audience in terms of professional experience, industry, and geography — leading to a very rich peer learning and networking experience.


    What other dates will this program be offered in the future?

    Check back to this program web page or email us to inquire if future program dates or the timeline for future offerings have been confirmed yet.

  • How much time is required each week?

    Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page.


    How will my time be spent?

    We have designed this program to fit into your current working life as efficiently as possible. Time will be spent among a variety of activities including:



    • Engaging with recorded video lectures from faculty
    • Attending webinars and office hours, as per the specific program schedule
    • Reading or engaging with examples of core topics
    • Completing knowledge checks/quizzes and required activities
    • Engaging in moderated discussion groups with your peers
    • Completing your final project, if required

    The program is designed to be highly interactive while also allowing time for self-reflection and to demonstrate an understanding of the core topics through various active learning exercises. Please email us if you need further clarification on program activities.


    What is it like to learn online with the learning collaborator, Emeritus?

    More than 300,000 learners across 200 countries have chosen to advance their skills with Emeritus and its educational learning partners. In fact, 90 percent of the respondents of a recent survey across all our programs said that their learning outcomes were met or exceeded.

    All the contents of the course would be made available to students at the commencement of the course. However, to ensure the program delivers the desired learning outcomes the students may appoint Emeritus to manage the delivery of the program in a cohort-based manner the cost of which is already included in the overall course fee of the course.

    A dedicated program support team is available 24/5 (Monday to Friday) to answer questions about the learning platform, technical issues, or anything else that may affect your learning experience.


    How do I interact with other program participants?

    Peer learning adds substantially to the overall learning experience and is an important part of the program. You can connect and communicate with other participants through our learning platform.

  • What are the requirements to earn the certificate?

    Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week, so you can gauge what will be required before you enroll. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page. All programs are designed to fit into your working life.

    This program is scored as a pass or no-pass; participants must complete the required activities to pass and obtain the certificate of completion. Some programs include a final project submission or other assignments to obtain passing status. This information will be noted in the program brochure. Please email us if you need further clarification on any specific program requirements.


    What type of certificate will I receive?

    Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a smart digital certificate. The smart digital certificate can be shared with friends, family, schools, or potential employers. You can use it on your cover letter, resume, and/or display it on your LinkedIn profile.
    The digital certificate will be sent approximately two weeks after the program, once grading is complete.


    Can I get the hard copy of the certificate?

    No, only verified digital certificates will be issued upon successful completion. This allows you to share your credentials on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.


    Do I receive alumni status after completing this program?

    No, there is no alumni status granted for this program. In some cases, there are credits that count toward a higher level of certification. This information will be clearly noted in the program brochure.


    How long will I have access to the learning materials?

    You will have access to the online learning platform and all the videos and program materials for 12 months following the program start date. Access to the learning platform is restricted to registered participants per the terms of agreement.

  • What equipment or technical requirements are there for this program?

    Participants will need the latest version of their preferred browser to access the learning platform. In addition, Microsoft Office and a PDF viewer are required to access documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDF files, and transcripts.


    Do I need to be online to access the program content?

    Yes, the learning platform is accessed via the internet, and video content is not available for download. However, you can download files of video transcripts, assignment templates, readings, etc. For maximum flexibility, you can access program content from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device.

    Video lectures must be streamed via the internet, and any livestream webinars and office hours will require an internet connection. However, these sessions are always recorded, so you may view them later.

  • Can I still register if the registration deadline has passed?

    Yes, you can register up until seven days past the published start date of the program without missing any of the core program material or learnings.


    What is the program fee, and what forms of payment do you accept?

    The program fee is noted at the top of this program web page and usually referenced in the program brochure as well.

    • Flexible payment options are available (see details below as well as at the top of this program web page next to FEE).
    • Tuition assistance is available for participants who qualify. Please email learner.success@emeritus.org.

    What if I don’t have a credit card? Is there another method of payment accepted?

    Yes, you can do the bank remittance in the program currency via wire transfer or debit card. Please contact your program advisor, or email us for details.


    I was not able to use the discount code provided. Can you help?

    Yes! Please email us with the details of the program you are interested in, and we will assist you.


    How can I obtain an invoice for payment?

    Please email us your invoicing requirements and the specific program you’re interested in enrolling in.


    Is there an option to make flexible payments for this program?

    Yes, the flexible payment option allows a participant to pay the program fee in installments. This option is made available on the payment page and should be selected before submitting the payment.


    How can I obtain a W9 form?

    Please connect with us via email for assistance.

  • What is the policy on refunds and withdrawals?

    You may request a full refund within seven days of your payment or 14 days after the published start date of the program, whichever comes later. If your enrollment had previously been deferred, you will not be entitled to a refund. Partial (or pro-rated) refunds are not offered. All withdrawal and refund requests should be sent to admissions@emeritus.org.



    What is the policy on deferrals?

    After the published start date of the program, you have until the midpoint of the program to request to defer to a future cohort of the same program. A deferral request must be submitted along with a specified reason and explanation. Cohort changes may be made only once per enrollment and are subject to availability of other cohorts scheduled at our discretion. This will not be applicable for deferrals within the refund period, and the limit of one deferral per enrollment remains. All deferral requests should be sent to admissions@emeritus.org.

Didn't find what you were looking for? Write to us at learner.success@emeritus.org or Schedule a call with one of our Academic Advisors or call us at +1 680 205 8507 (US) / +44 145 370 2595 (UK) / +65 3163 6129  (SG)

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