Designing and Understanding Collaboration in Mixed Reality: Behavior, Awareness and Interaction in AR, VR, and Cross-Platform Environments

Abstract

This research explores collaboration in Mixed Reality (MR) environments, focusing on design principles, user behaviors, and analytical frameworks across tablet-based AR, tablet-based VR, and cross-platform collaboration. By examining multi-user interactions in urban design and team development, this study addresses key research gaps, including collaboration in larger groups, verbal and nonverbal communication, and awareness across the Reality-Virtuality continuum (RVC). Through user-centered design and empirical studies, my research contributes design guidelines for MR collaboration, insights into communication patterns, and measurements for collaboration quality. My findings highlight how mutual awareness, spatial interaction, and role distribution influence MR collaboration, offering recommendations for designing mixed-space experiences. Ultimately, this work advances the understanding of cross-platform MR collaboration, providing a foundation for academic research and industry applications in immersive, hybrid, and distributed cooperation settings.