Rediseño, desarrollo e implementación de UI/UX para una aplicación de recorridos virtuales con Unity en el Centro de Innovación y Tecnología (CIT) de la Universidad del Valle de Guatemala

Abstract

El presente trabajo de graduación se desarrolla como parte de un megaproyecto institucional impulsado por la Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, cuyo objetivo es modernizar los sistemas de orientación y navegación dentro del campus. El proyecto se enfoca en el rediseño, desarrollo e implementación de la interfaz de usuario (UI) y la experiencia de usuario (UX) para una aplicación de recorridos virtuales utilizando Unity. Se incorporan tecnologías de localización en interiores, herramientas de realidad virtual y mejoras en la interfaz para validar la viabilidad de estas soluciones y optimizar la experiencia de navegación de los usuarios dentro del campus.

This work corresponds to the development of the User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX) module within the graduation project entitled "Development and Redesign of a Virtual Tour Application Using Estimote Beacons and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Technology at the Innovation and Technology Center of the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG)." The objective of this module was to design a modern, fluid, and functional visual experience, fully optimized for iOS mobile devices, integrating augmented reality technologies and responsive design principles.

The application was developed entirely from scratch, without reusing code or structures from the previous year's project. This decision made it possible to implement a modular architecture, a clear file hierarchy, and technical documentation integrated into the source code. The Unity game engine, together with UI Toolkit and UI Builder, was used to build declarative user interfaces using UXML files and USS style sheets, ensuring a proper separation between the application's visual design and its functional behavior.

The user interface was designed following a user-centered approach, applying established usability and accessibility principles. Initial wireframes and high-fidelity visual prototypes were created, followed by the evaluation of a beta version. This preliminary version was tested by real users, who provided feedback regarding their experience. The feedback was analyzed and used to implement improvements that enhanced both user satisfaction and interaction with the application.

Several application screens were developed, including the sensor scanning and connection module, interactive navigation menus, integrated mini-games, and, most notably, the ARTour Screen, which displays a live view from the device's camera. Interactive elements were overlaid onto this view, including navigation controls, the user's current location, dynamic instructions, points of interest, and an interactive directional arrow serving as the augmented reality element. To achieve this functionality, ARKit (for iOS) was integrated, enabling precise alignment between digital elements and the physical environment.

Navigation between screens was managed by a central controller script responsible for handling multiple UIDocuments within a single base scene, thereby maintaining optimal performance while providing a scalable application architecture.

As a result, a professional, consistent, well-documented, and maintainable user interface was developed, significantly improving the user experience during the virtual tours. Furthermore, this module established the foundation for future cross-platform expansion, contributing both functional and visual value to the overall project.