User Preferences for Multimedia in Collaborative Processes for Complex Manual Tasks in Mixed-Reality Environments

Mixed reality (MR)-based groupware helps local operators receive task guidance from technical experts during remote collaboration, allowing them to complete complex manual tasks together. This paper reports a study on the preferences of users with different manual skill levels and varying experience with MR devices for different types of media resources while completing complex tasks using MR-based groupware. The results show that manual skill levels have a relatively minor impact on users' media preferences, while MR usage experience and its interaction with manual skill levels have a significant effect on users' media preferences. Specifically, users with high levels of experience tend to prefer obtaining procedural guidance from static media, such as illustrative images, due to their higher controllability, not only physically but also cognitively. In contrast, less experienced users are more inclined to rely on instructional videos to guide their task completion. Understanding operators' experience levels and media preferences helps deliver task guidance through suitable media during remote collaboration, enhancing comprehension and efficiency.