One task allows the user to position trees, rocks, and other design elements in order to see the effect of these changes on the habitat from both the animal's and visitor's point of view. Students can also interactively change features of the terrain. Finally, users can experiment with the placement and size of visitor viewing positions, in order to maximize the viewability of the animals while preserving some private spaces and ensuring that visitors do not see each other from different viewpoints. In a functionally complex application, it is imperative that great care be paid to the design of interaction techniques for usability. In our application, we are also concerned that the interaction techniques do not command so much of the user's attention that the goals of gathering information or understanding changes in design are lost.
Users hold a physical tablet in their non-dominant hand.
In the virtual world, the tablet is transparent, and shows a large map of the environment. The user's position is represented, as well as other features of interest, such as the location of audio annotations. The tablet may be put down when not needed, and the physical feedback provided by the real tablet is a great help in selecting items. This allows the user to look in one direction and move in another, which can be quite helpful in determining spatial relationships and design concepts. To move somewhere quickly, the user can also select and drag the red dot on the tablet map anywhere in the environment.