Studio A3: Democratizing AR/VR Lesson Creation for K-12 Classrooms
OVERVIEW
Simplifying AR Creation through Familiar Workflows
Studio A3 is the flagship creation tool for zSpace, an AR/VR learning platform used in K–12 classrooms. I led the visual redesign and helped redefine the core product experience, transforming it from a complex technical editor into an intuitive, slide-based tool that empowered teachers to create lessons without technical barriers.
PROBLEM
Disconnected ecosystem
Lessons and activities existed outside the app, forcing teachers to exit Studio A3 and disrupt classroom flow.
Complex creation tools
The internal Activity Builder was feature-heavy but hard to use, resulting in low adoption.
Hardware dependency
The experience required a specialized stylus, limiting access for students who lacked hardware or needed alternative input methods.
Powerful Technology, Fragmented Experience
While the hardware provided a unique immersive experience, the software workflow created friction that limited classroom adoption.
Figure 1: The Legacy Interface. Users were forced to manage multiple floating windows and disconnected toolbars, resulting in high cognitive load and an obscured workspace.
STRATEGY & EXECUTION
Redesigning the Core Experience
01. Rethinking Interaction Models
Reducing Cognitive Load with Familiar Patterns
The original editor was powerful but overwhelming. I restructured it around a “slide deck” pattern teachers already understood from tools like PowerPoint or Google Slides.
Two creation spaces:
Slide Builder for assembling 3D scenes.
Notebook Builder for adding questions and prompts.
Simplified student experience: Students learned through a clean, focused Notebook interface, free from editing tools.
This approach gave teachers immediate confidence to create within a format they already understood.
Figure 2: The new "Slide Builder" adopts a linear presentation metaphor. By placing scene management on the left rail and contextual tools on the right, we aligned the interface with tools teachers already use daily.
02. Unifying the Content Ecosystem
Bringing Discovery and Creation Together
Previously, finding lessons meant leaving the app. I designed an integrated Activity Gallery so teachers could browse, preview, and launch content directly within Studio A3.
Centralized workflow: The app evolved from a standalone builder into a content hub.
Visual Discovery: Replaced text-heavy lists with a visual grid, helping teachers quickly identify 3D models and ready-to-use lessons.
Figure 3: The unified Activity Gallery. Previously, content was hidden in zCentral; this visual grid allows for instant discovery, previewing, and launching of curriculum-aligned lessons without leaving the app.
03. Expanding Accessibility
Beyond Specialized Hardware
Reliance on a stylus excluded many users. To make AR/VR content accessible on more devices, I introduced mouse and trackpad support.
Inclusive design: Students using standard laptops could interact with 3D learning content.
Broader reach: Schools without zSpace hardware could still use the platform, making the software more versatile and scalable.
Figure 4: Mouse interaction has been enabled by adding dedicated gizmos for users of both mouse and trackpads, improving input support and usability.
OUTCOMES AND LEARNINGS
Unblocking Adoption & Streamlining Access
Zero Learning Curve
The slide-and-notebook model cut onboarding time and made lesson creation intuitive for non-technical teachers.
Hardware-agnostic access
Mouse and trackpad support removed hardware barriers, expanding usability across classrooms.
A Scalable Design System
The redesign established shared patterns and components that evolved into the A3 Design System, now powering the full zSpace product ecosystem.
THE TAKEAWAY
For classroom tools, newness often creates resistance. By using familiar ideas like slides and notebooks, we made tools easier to use, helped adoption, and turned passive users into active creators.
SEE IT IN ACTION