Extended Reality for User Validation in Product Development : coffee machine UI design, a case study

This master thesis explores extended reality (XR) technologies as a user validation tool for a product development firm. The digitalization of prototypes aims to reduce costs and streamline activities by replacing early prototypes with XR, without obstructing the current workflow. Structured in three parts, the thesis begins with an analysis of the existing coffee machine's user interaction (UI), followed by literature research into XR, and concluding with the case study. The case study brings the conclusions of the first two parts together through the creation of a new coffee machine, and the construction of an XR tool. This XR tool utilizes the coffee machine as a means to validate XR as a form of UI testing. The thesis concludes with a final advice to the client company to utilize the XR tool as a form of user validation in terms of inhouse testing, early in the product development process.