Enhancing users ability to interactwith 3D visualization in web-basedconfigurators

3D graphics are a recent addition to the web and introduce a type of interaction that is unfamiliar to many users. 3D configurators enable customers to customize a product from a number of choices and explore it freely within the 3D space. Historically, web-based configurators have used static images when displaying products. Therefore it may be common practice for users to believe that the product visualization is not interactive 3D and instead mistakes it for a static image. This study investigates if visual interaction cues improve users' ability tointeract with 3D visualization in the configurator Aniconfigurator. The investigation is carried out by implementing two Aniconfiguratorprototypes, A and B, where the difference is that prototype B is enhanced with two visual interaction cues. Quantitative and qualitative usability testing is then conducted among two test groups. The results indicate that users are more likely to interact with the 3D visualization when including visual interaction cues. Participants took less time before starting to interact and expressed a more positive response of prototype B. No significant difference (P=0.07) in theaverage time to complete task were observed at the 0.05 level, a largerstudy would be needed to produce a statistically significant result.79% of the participants interacted with the 3D visualization inprototype B compared to 57% in prototype A. 100% of the participantspreferred to have some type of guidance of interaction rather thannone. This study is considered as a first step in the design process and to find the optimal visual interaction cue, further design and usability testing iterations must be done