Cross-Platform User Testing: VR, Mobile, and Desktop

Testing omnichannel experiences across VR/MR, mobile, and PC or desktop becomes increasingly essential as the boundaries between platforms continue to blur.

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In today’s interconnected digital landscape, many applications and games no longer operate solely on a single platform. A VR-first experience might extend to mobile apps, web portals, or desktop dashboards. Testing these omnichannel experiences from a user-centric perspective poses unique challenges, as each platform has its own interaction patterns, usability standards, and user expectations. This article explores strategies for conducting effective cross-platform user testing to ensure a cohesive, seamless experience between a VR application, mobile app, and PC or desktop environments.

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Understanding the Omnichannel Journey — from testing VR to mobile to PC/web

Omnichannel testing aims to evaluate and refine processes that begin on one device and continue or conclude on another, always encompassing multiple channels. Its primary goal is to deliver a cohesive and seamless user experience across all platforms and touchpoints, creating a unified user journey. Omnichannel testing is a comprehensive approach focused on ensuring a seamless user experience across all channels, such as VR, mobile, and PC. It considers the entire user and customer journey, to identify inconsistencies, friction, and gaps that may arise when transitioning between channels.

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The first step in cross-platform user testing is mapping the user journey across all touchpoints. For example, a VR game or app may:

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• Start with onboarding in a desktop app that allows users to configure their settings.
• Transition to VR gameplay, where users immerse themselves in the core experience.
• Include a companion mobile app for tracking progress or social interactions.

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It may be required to download a mobile app first and register. Or there can be another flow, but regardless of this flow, it should be cohesive, and smooth, with every next step being clear and timely. All touchpoints should be connected into a cohesive journey rather than a series of fragmented interactions.The journey map helps identify critical interactions and dependencies between platforms. Key questions to consider:

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Consistency Across Platforms

Users expect a cohesive experience regardless of the device they use. This means consistent branding, interface design, and functionality between VR game or app, mobile app, and desktop.

Omnichannel testing emphasizes delivering a seamless, unified journey while prioritizing sustained user engagement.

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When to do the Omnichannel testing?

First of all, of course, when an app has multiple channels. Test each channel separately before testing all of the experiences together. Omnichannel testing is more complex and thus requires some preparation. After confirming that each channel works as intended on its own, perform omnichannel testing to ensure smoother transitions between specific interactions.

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How to test a VR app that has multiple channels, e.g., a companion mobile app?

Collaborate with a group of test participants to evaluate interactions across all your different channels. Make sure they have all the required devices, in our case, it will be a VR headset and a mobile phone. Ask participants to complete specific tasks to evaluate the overall user experience across all platforms and the transition between them. The tasks typically involve testing the key steps of the user journey across all channels. This will help find discrepancies and missed information on some of the channels that may confuse players.

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For example, people may be required to register on the mobile app and get a code to activate the experience in VR, but for some reason, there is a drop-off. Omnichannel testing will help uncover the exact problem. 

Taking videos will allow for reviewing and analyzing the process retrospectively to share with other team members and do benchmark analysis.

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It's important to remember that each channel encompasses multiple representative devices. For example, a VR game or app may be available on various headsets, just as there are numerous smartphone models to consider.

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Understanding Context of Use

When do users choose one channel over another? This decision typically depends on convenience or the app's structure. For instance, typing lengthy texts might be more practical on a desktop, while tasks like authentication or entering a code could be done on both a mobile device or a VR/MR headset. In some cases, the app design dictates the flow—for example, requiring users to create an account on mobile before continuing in VR.

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While user-specific contextual factors are unique to your app, many device-related contextual factors are universal. These include considerations around user experience, design, and interaction patterns for each platform.

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Testing Strategies for Omnichannel VR Experiences‍

Design test scenarios that reflect how users interact with all platforms in real-life settings. 

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1. Test Scenarios unifying all platforms, VR headsets, smartphones, PC configurations and desktop/web interfaces

Develop scenarios that span all platforms. For instance:
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• A user configures their profile on a desktop web app, plays a VR game session, and then reviews their performance on the mobile app.
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• A user invites friends or manages team settings through the mobile app, gets notified to join the VR game in-headset, and participates in a VR multiplayer session.
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• A player pauses gameplay in VR and receives a progress summary via the mobile app.
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• A user configures advanced settings on the desktop, which is immediately reflected in their VR experience.
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• A user registers via smartphone, creates an account, and agrees to terms, then goes into a VR app to continue.

These scenarios help participants evaluate how well the platforms integrate to support the VR-centric journey.

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2. Cross-Platform User Personas

Define user personas that capture behaviors across devices. For example:
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• Casual VR User: A user who engages with VR occasionally, often for entertainment, exploration, or light gaming. They prioritize ease of use and quick, enjoyable experiences over in-depth or complex interactions.
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• Engaged Power VR User: A highly dedicated user who spends significant time in VR, often engaging with advanced features, longer game sessions, or professional applications. They value performance, customization, and deep engagement, often seeking out cutting-edge hardware and software.
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Testing with these personas in mind helps ensure the experience caters to diverse user needs and expectations.

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3. Testing Data Synchronization on VR, mobile, or web

Cross-platform experiences rely on accurate data synchronization. Test the flow of data between VR and non-VR platforms:
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• Real-Time Updates: Verify that actions taken in VR are immediately reflected on mobile or desktop platforms. Does progress in VR reflect immediately in the mobile app?
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• Error Handling: Test for data consistency during offline use or when switching between devices. How does the system handle data conflicts or offline scenarios?

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4. Consistency Checks

Test for visual, functional, and experiential consistency:
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• Visual Cohesion: Maintain branding and design consistency across all interfaces. Are branding, colors, and UI components consistent across platforms?
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• Functional Cohesion: Ensure complementary features on desktop and mobile are intuitive and enhance the VR experience. Do similar features behave consistently across devices?
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• Experience Cohesion: Align the tone and style of interactions across platforms to create a unified ecosystem. Is the tone, style, and overall experience cohesive?

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5. Testing Across VR, mobile, and web Platforms 

Adopt user research methodologies tailored for cross-platform experiences. Use techniques like:
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• Contextual Inquiry: Observe users interacting with VR and its companion platforms in real-world settings.
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• Think-Aloud Protocol: Ask users to speak aloud to understand user thought processes during transitions. However, making this mandatory may break the immersion for some participants.
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• Task Completion and Analysis: Measure efficiency and effectiveness across devices. Measure how easily users can accomplish key tasks in VR, on their smartphone, or web application.
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• Feedback Collection: Opt for video recording, live play orlivestreams, interviews, and surveys to capture user insights on the overall experience and transitions between VR, mobile, and other platforms. Gather qualitative insights on user preferences and pain points.

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Omnichannel VR Testing Focuses on:

Creating a seamless omnichannel experience requires rigorous and thoughtful testing across VR/MR, mobile, and desktop platforms. Each platform brings unique challenges and opportunities. By understanding the user journey, addressing platform-specific challenges, and employing robust testing strategies, VR developers can deliver seamless and engaging experiences that meet user needs. As the boundaries between platforms continue to blur, investing in cross-platform user testing will become increasingly essential for success in the digital ecosystem.

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Testing virtual reality games and apps can be tough, and conducting omnichannel tests when VR, mobile and web are parts of the same experience is even harder. Finding the right solutions makes it easier. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your cross-platfom or single-channel VR projects, and improve your testing experience.

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