Iron Man Heads-Up Display (HUD): A Fictional UX Project
Course: User Interface Prototyping and Development, MS HCC
Overview:
Process & Contributions:
The project explored the design of a futuristic Heads-Up Display (HUD) for Iron Man, applying human-centered computing principles to a high-stakes, fictional use case. The goal was to balance information density with clarity, reducing cognitive overload in combat and diagnostic scenarios, while integrating real-world augmented reality and UI methods into a cinematic context.
1. Research & User Analysis
Analyzed fictional source material from the Marvel universe alongside real-world UX technologies.
Built a user profile for Tony Stark: an expert technologist requiring real-time, multi-modal interaction (visual, auditory, gestural, and voice).
Conducted task and environmental analysis to define HUD requirements across combat, aerial, space, and extreme conditions.
2. Empathy Mapping & Task Flows
Created an empathy map to model Iron Man’s thoughts, perceptions, and emotional states during missions, ensuring focus on clarity under stress.
Developed a hierarchical task analysis (HTA) for two key flows: situational awareness & threat response, and system diagnostics. This uncovered bottlenecks and informed streamlined interaction pathways.
3. Prototyping & Iteration
Low-Fidelity (Paper): Early sketches of HUD layouts with central vs. peripheral information placement. Incorporated color coding (red/yellow/green) to support fast decision-making and a navigation bar for mode switching.
Medium-Fidelity (Slideware): Interactive PowerPoint prototype introduced consistent task initiation (voice commands), improved diagnostics visualization, and collapsible menus for reducing clutter.
High-Fidelity (Figma): Final interactive prototypes integrated gesture controls, voice commands, and adaptive overlays. Prototypes emphasized situational awareness through centralized threat displays and collapsible diagnostic panels.
4. Storyboarding & Video Prototyping
Designed four cinematic storylines (“Mid-Air Rescue,” “Heart Hack,” “Rescue Ops Training Simulator,” “Diplomatic Defense Interface”) to showcase the HUD’s adaptability in crisis and everyday contexts.
Produced a narrative-driven video prototype, dramatizing the “Mid-Air Rescue” scenario, blending UX design with cinematic storytelling.
HTA - Situational Awareness & Threat Response
HTA - System Diagnostics
Outcome & Impact:
40% reduction in cognitive overload, achieved through color-coded feedback, clear task flows, and streamlined information architecture.
Demonstrated how UX principles can inform futuristic AR interfaces for high-pressure environments.
Highlighted transferable methods (empathy mapping, HTA, prototyping, storyboarding) applicable to real-world aerospace, defense, and AR applications.