Hi, I’m Qianjie

Prior research has shown that providing feedback on group dynamics can improve the quality of small-group conversations. However, publicly delivered feedback that targets specific individuals may reduce social acceptability due to negative experiences such as social pressure, embarrassment, and resistance. This work investigates how public feedback can be designed to remain socially acceptable while maintaining its effectiveness in XR-based small-group conversations. Informed by social science and HCI literature, we identified three design strategies (incorporate humor, reduce social attention, and use indirectness) and proposed a set of metaphor- and agent-based 3D feedback probes. We then conducted a two-phase study: (1) an online survey with 50 participants to examine how such feedback designs are perceived under public and private delivery, and (2) follow-up interviews with 14 participants who completed the survey to better understand their interpretations and elicit additional insights. Results show that metaphor- and agent-based feedback can reduce social discomfort while maintaining effectiveness. Interview findings further highlighted the role of three strategies in making feedback easier to accept, while requiring careful balance. We also discussed design implications for creating socially acceptable 3D feedback to support inclusive small-group conversations in XR.

Mentorship effectiveness is highly context-dependent, necessitating empirical investigation to inform the design of intelligent support systems. The design industry’s subjectivity and rapid tool iteration intensify reliance on experienced mentors, a demand amplified by the high-pace environment and feature-rich products of Chinese design teams. We conducted in-depth interviews with 23 Chinese designers to investigate this underexplored context. Our findings reveal a fundamental bifurcation of Kram’s functions: career functions are instrumentalized for project efficiency, while psychosocial support suffers a systemic deficit driven by a lack of psychological safety. This impairment is rooted in structural challenges like individual traits and educational gaps. Participants proposed an intelligent mentoring system, leveraging technologies both to reduce mentor workload and to mitigate relational risks. Our research contributes an unique account of functional impairment under high-pace contexts and provides actionable design implications for supporting mentoring in the Chinese design industry.

The decline in balance among older adults is a pressing public health issue that significantly impacts their well-being and independence. While traditional balance training methods are effective, they often face challenges with adherence, particularly among those living alone. Virtual reality (VR) presents a promising solution through immersive and gamified experiences. Although some VR exergames have shown potential for improving balance, their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain due to a lack of fundamental exercise principles and complexities that may hinder sustained engagement. To address these challenges, we developed VR-Shuttlecock, a customized VR exergame that incorporates shuttlecock kicking. This game features effective leg exercises, diverse gamification designs, progressive difficulty levels, and protection measures to promote long-term participation while minimizing fall risks. The VR environment enables home-based exercise free from weather constraints and offers social interaction with virtual characters to reduce loneliness. In a four-week controlled study, 14 older adults trained with VR-Shuttlecock, while 13 in the control group received no intervention. The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in four balance assessments (SLST, TUG, FRT, and YBT) and expressed positive attitudes toward continued training. These findings highlight the potential of VR-Shuttlecock as an effective, engaging, and safe balance training tool for older adults.

The decline of social connectedness caused by distance and physical limitations severely affects older adults’ well-being and mental health. While virtual reality (VR) is promising for older adults to socialize remotely, existing social VR designs primarily focus on verbal communication (e.g., reminiscent, chat). Actively engaging in shared activities is also an important aspect of social connection. We designed RemoteChess, which constructs a social community and a culturally relevant activity (i.e., Chinese chess) for older adults to play while engaging in social interaction. We conducted a user study with groups of older adults interacting with each other through RemoteChess. Our findings indicate that RemoteChess enhanced participants’ social connectedness by offering familiar environments, culturally relevant social catalysts, and asymmetric interactions. We further discussed design guidelines for designing culturally relevant social activities in VR to promote social connectedness for older adults.

Despite the rise of digital libraries and online reading platforms, physical libraries still offer unique benefits for education and community engagement. However, due to the convenience of digital resources, physical library visits, especially by college students, have declined. This underscores the need to better engage these users. Augmented Reality (AR) could potentially bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds. In this paper, we present Augmented Library, an HMD-based AR system designed to revitalize the physical library experience. By creating interactive features that enhance book discovery, encourage community engagement, and cater to diverse user needs, Augmented Library combines digital convenience with physical libraries’ rich experiences. This paper discusses the development of the system and preliminary user feedback on its impact on student engagement in physical libraries.