A Qualitative User Study Investigating Designs to Reduce User Challenges in Cross-Reality Transitional Interfaces

Abstract

Transitions among physical, augmented, and virtual reality are a critical design problem in cross-reality systems. Prior research has identified transition-related challenges, but predominantly in spatially constrained lab environments, leaving open how such challenges unfold across the diverse transitions and contexts of real-world use. We conducted a qualitative study in which 18 participants completed differing tasks along a public campus route, encountering 13 transitions, each implemented in two variants. Five categories of challenges emerged, mapping onto distinct phases before, during, and after the transition: fear of the unknown, spatial disorientation, social discomfort, and physical strain, consistent with prior research, and functional uncertainty, a previously undocumented category arising from interaction paradigm carry-over between contexts. We then analyzed the design approaches implemented within each phase and discussed how they can be operationalized to address the identified challenges.