COMPANY

PROJECT

DETAILS

Google

Poly Editor

The Poly Editor was Google Poly’s core 3D asset configuration and publishing tool, designed to make it easy for users to prepare high-quality models for AR, VR, and web-based experiences. Built directly into the Poly platform, the editor gave creators, ranging from hobbyists to professional developers, a lightweight, browser-based environment where they could fine-tune, present, and even allow other users to remix their work.

I was responsible for leading the UX and interface design of the Poly Editor, while also playing a strategic role in defining and proposing key features based on user needs, creative workflows, and XR production requirements. The tool was designed to be as frictionless as possible, giving users control over how their models looked, behaved, and were presented across platforms.

CONTRIBUTIONS

UX Design

Research

Visual Design

Immersive Design

Prototyping

The Editor

The Poly Editor was a key component of the Google Poly ecosystem, serving as the bridge between 3D creation tools and immersive deployment. Models were automatically uploaded to Poly when users published from Google Blocks or Tilt Brush, making them instantly available in the editor for configuration. Users could also upload custom models, expanding Poly’s reach as a platform for broader 3D workflows.

Once a model was in the editor, creators had access to a suite of powerful features for refining and customizing their assets:

The transform controls made it easy to adjust the position, scale, and rotation of models in 3D space.

The material and shader panel provided a full PBR material editor, which enabled control over albedo, metallic, roughness, and normal maps, as well as texture assignment and shader adjustments for high-quality rendering.

Presentation settings allow users to enhance the presentation with HDRI lighting environments, key light controls, and precise camera path tools. Camera constraints like pivot, zoom, pan, and rotation limits gave creators full control over how their models were viewed.

The Post-Processing tab included options for adding mood and polish through effects like bloom, tone mapping, film grain, and vignetting. An, and rotation limits gave creators full control over how their models were viewed.

The camera controls gave creators had precise control over how their models were viewed through a flexible camera system, including:

  • Custom camera motion paths

  • Adjustable zoom, pan, and rotation limits

  • Pivot control to anchor framing

  • Locking options for consistent framing across views

These features were designed to help users not just display models, but truly present them, ready for client review, portfolio use, or integration into immersive experiences.

Poly API

The Poly Editor fit directly into the Google Poly pipeline. Whether models were auto-uploaded from Blocks and Tilt Brush, or manually added, the editor gave users a centralized tool to prepare assets for real-time use. Through the Poly API, finalized models could be dynamically pulled into Unity and Unreal Engine, enabling seamless integration into apps, games, or XR prototypes.

Impact

The Poly Editor played a pivotal role in simplifying and streamlining the path from 3D creation to immersive experience deployment. By identifying the features creators needed most and designing an interface that prioritized clarity and speed, I helped shape a tool that empowered artists, developers, and educators alike. It became a core part of Google Poly’s mission to make high-quality 3D content accessible, editable, and ready for the next generation of spatial applications.

Previous

Spatial.io - Isle Gallery
Next

Google Artist in Residence - Block Isle