Product & UI/UX Consulting for Snapchat AR Glasses
Overview
As one of the few AR developers granted early access to Snap Inc.'s latest AR glasses—Spectacles (2024)—I was invited to provide Product & UI/UX consulting. My role involved shaping the user experience, guiding product enhancements, and exploring the intersection of augmented reality and fashion technology. This collaboration positioned me at the forefront of spatial computing, contributing insights that influenced the future direction of AR wearables and digital fashion.
Challenges & Objectives
User Experience & Aesthetics: Evaluate and enhance the wearable design of Spectacles to merge cutting-edge technology with high-fashion appeal.
Digital Fashion Integration: Advise on optimizing AR fashion experiences, including realistic garment transfer and seamless digital outfit integration.
Collaborative & Inclusive Features: Provide feedback on multi-user collaboration capabilities to make AR experiences more social and inclusive.
Product Differentiation: Leverage industry knowledge to suggest UI/UX improvements that set Spectacles apart from competitors and appeal to both creators and consumers.
Approach & Contributions
In-Depth Product Evaluation: Engaged hands-on with Spectacles to assess functionality, comfort, and visual output, identifying areas for improvement and innovation.
User-Centric Feedback: Shared detailed observations on the device's immersive capabilities, such as the groundbreaking fashion AR experience that liberates virtual try-ons from mobile screens.
Digital Fashion Pioneering: Developed some of the first AR fashion filters for Spectacles, using Lens Studio to bridge fashion design with AR, and showcased these innovations—leading to a feature in Forbes.
Strategic Recommendations:
Advised Snap on enhancing garment transfer features for a more realistic digital fashion display.
Suggested improvements for multi-user collaborative features, envisioning seamless interactions between Spectacles wearers and smartphone users.
Compared Spectacles' UI/UX with leading platforms (Meta Spark AR, Snapchat Lens Studio, TikTok Effect House) to recommend best practices and novel features.
Visionary Insights: Articulated a long-term vision for AR in fashion, emphasizing dynamic, expressive wearables that blend seamlessly into everyday style, and foresee potential industry-wide shifts as AR glasses become mainstream.
Outcomes & Impact
Influential Guidance: My insights were highly valued by Snap Inc., reinforcing their strategic direction for Spectacles. Positive feedback and recognition underscored the significance of my contributions.
Innovation in AR Fashion: Early development of AR fashion filters on Spectacles highlighted practical applications of the technology, garnering media attention and validating the fusion of fashion and AR.
Product Shaping: Recommendations helped refine UI/UX elements, improve garment transfer capabilities, and enhance collaborative features, setting the stage for broader adoption of AR glasses.
Industry Recognition: Being featured in Forbes as a leading AR expert validated my role in shaping the conversation around AR wearables and digital fashion.
Reflection
Working on Snapchat Spectacles was both a privilege and a transformative experience. It allowed me to blend creative design with advanced technology, influencing a product that stands to redefine social interaction, fashion, and digital experiences.
Shaping one of the world’s first spatial computing devices affirmed my commitment to pushing boundaries in UI/UX design, digital fashion, and collaborative AR—ensuring that the future of computing is as stylish as it is innovative.
