Magic Leap’s pioneering mixed-reality web browser is one of the first to allow users to place interactive digital content within users’ real-world physical environment. For example, an architect can place an interactive virtual 3D model of a large building on a boardroom table to present to a client. Or a sports fan can fill their entire home with video, stats and social feeds while in a zoom call with friends.

The ability to move, rotate and arrange digital objects was critical to the success of the mixed reality browser. However, as part of our testing, we discovered that less than a third of participants were able to successfully place virtual objects in their physical space after completing the device’s introductory tutorial. Participants were overwhelmed by the amount of tutorial content, had no way of practicing the concepts, and did not retain the information. Instead, they tried random hand gestures and controller button combinations and learned through extended trial and error.

As the browser design and research lead, I alerted the device tutorial team to the issues and made recommendations for improvements. However, the tutorial team was unable to commit to changes before launch. To support the browser’s key use case, I proposed creating a web-based tutorial that would show upon initial browser launch. The tutorial was served over the web to allow us to continue to build and iterate beyond the product’s ship date.

The tutorial introduced the unique benefits of the mixed reality web, focused on a few simple concepts, and allowed users to learn this concepts by performing them in the browser. Upon completion of the tutorial, users successfully setup digital objects in their person space, demonstrating the unique potential of the mixed-reality browser.

In a follow-up study, over 90% of participants were able to successfully learn and retain manipulation tasks and 100% of participants preferred the browser tutorial to the initial device tutorial. The browser emerged as the most used app on the platform, accounting for over 40% of device usage. Out of box tutorial recommendations were also incorporated into subsequent device updates.