13 Augmented Reality Interview Questions and Answers

Augmented reality (AR) positions require technical knowledge and a problem-solving and creative mindset. If you have an AR interview coming up, you can prepare for questions surrounding the technology as well as your approach to projects that use it. Preparing ahead of time can help you confidently make it through your interview and stand out among other candidates.

Explore the following questions that may come up in your AR interview.

Common augmented reality interview questions

While you won’t know the exact questions an interviewer will ask, you can still prepare answers highlighting your AR technology experience. Review these 13 augmented reality interview questions to help you develop possible responses that might make a great first impression.

1. What is your experience working with AR?

What they’re really asking: Do you understand what AR is and how it is used?

The interviewer may want to gain insight into your general knowledge of AR and how you relate AR to the role you’re interviewing for. AR enhances real-world environments by using computer-generated information. This digital information can include graphics, audio, spatial, or other sensory elements to enhance a user’s environment. Different industries use AR in different ways. You can focus on discussing AR in the context of the industry you are interviewing. You might also highlight the benefits AR positions can provide to companies.

2. How does AR differ from virtual reality (VR)?

What they’re really asking: Do you understand what separates AR from VR?

Since AR and VR are similar in many ways, the interviewer may want to ensure you can differentiate the two. You will want to demonstrate that you clearly understand each technology and are prepared to explain each one briefly. You should also understand that virtual reality (VR) and AR technologies merged together create mixed reality (MR). 

The interviewer may ask if you can highlight key differences, including:

• Level of immersion: VR fully immerses users into a virtual environment, while AR adds digital elements to the real-world environment.

• Hardware requirements: Users typically access AR through their smartphones or tablets. Meanwhile, VR requires certain headsets and/or controllers with specialized sensors.

3. How do you handle unexpected challenges when working with AR?

What they’re really asking: How do you troubleshoot and overcome issues?

For this question, show that you have experience with troubleshooting, testing, and resolving technical issues. The interviewer may look for experience with test automations, compatibility testing, and application performance. In addition to technical troubleshooting, you can highlight workplace skills, such as communicating with others when challenges arise.

4. Can you describe a successful AR project you’ve worked on?

What they’re really asking: What practical experience do you have working with AR?

This question gives you an opportunity to walk through your portfolio or describe specific projects you’ve worked on. Your explanation of your past experiences can help the interviewer gain a better idea of how you’ve approached AR projects and challenges. It can also give the interviewer an idea of the problem-solving and creative skills you might bring to the position. You’ll want to prepare examples that highlight your strengths—mention specifics and share all project elements from beginning to end.

5. What development tools and platforms are you familiar with when creating AR experiences?

What they’re really asking: Do you have experience with the tools and platforms that this position uses?

AR positions require various technical skills across different types of technology. When answering this question, you can discuss about the following topics:

• Programming languages

• AR frameworks and software development kits

• 3D modeling and animation

• User interface (UI)

• User experience (UX)

The interviewer is likely assessing whether your skills align with those listed in the job description. You may want to review the job description to ensure you point to specific experiences you’ve had with the tools and platforms specific to the position.

6. How do you approach designing user interactions in AR?

What they’re really asking: Can you create user-centered experiences?

When discussing user experiences, consider mentioning UI and UX principles. Even if you haven’t worked with UI or UX specifically, you can discuss how you’ve collaborated with UI or UX designers to improve the usability and design elements of AR projects you’ve worked on. 

7. How do you stay updated with AR technology trends?

What they’re really asking: Are you committed to continuous learning and staying at the forefront of AR advancements?

In any industry, it’s important to keep up with emerging trends to make well-informed decisions about your work. In a rapidly growing field like AR, you’ll want to showcase your knowledge and how you plan to stay up-to-date in the future. You can point to recent news stories, social media trends, or newsletters to show you have an interest and understanding of the future of AR.

8. Can you explain the difference between marker-based and markerless AR?

What they’re really asking: Do you have experience with different AR types?

AR uses different technology for different project types. The interviewer may be looking to understand what technology types you’re most familiar with and if those experiences align with the role. No matter which types of AR you’ve worked with before, you can prepare for this question by familiarizing yourself with the main types of AR:

• Marker-based AR: This type of AR uses markers, or physical objects, in the real world to activate objects, text, or animations to appear on a user’s screen. Only mobile devices can use this type of AR.

• Markerless AR: By relying on location-based data, markerless AR uses software to orient virtual objects and surfaces. You may have experience with this type of AR if you’ve worked on online shopping or gaming projects.

Other AR types that you can mention include:

• Projection-based AR: This is a type of markerless AR that uses two-dimensional surfaces around a user to display digital images. Projection-based AR uses a projector and a camera to track within a designated space in an environment. You may have experience with this type of AR if you’ve worked on holograms.

• Location-based AR: This type of markerless AR uses a device’s GPS to produce digital information in a user’s environment. Google Maps is a version of location-based AR. 

• Superimposition-based AR: Superimposition-based AR either fully or partially replaces physical items with digital augmentation. This can include a product label or social media filter. You may have experience with this type of AR if you’ve worked on AR projects involving social media platforms that use filters.

9. How do you handle high-pressure projects?

What they’re really asking: How do you respond to shifting deadlines or project demands?

Due to constantly changing environments, AR projects may require additional flexibility and adaptability. Since AR projects are user-centric, feedback and requests from users might require you to shift gears on a project quickly to meet demands. Interviewers want to ensure you will prioritize attention to detail along with collaboration to complete projects effectively and efficiently.

10. Can you explain how AR uses 3D spatial modeling?

What they’re really asking: Do you understand this specific component of AR?

Spatial modeling and recognition are among the most important components of AR development. Spatial modeling, or spatial mapping, uses depth and certain markers in a physical environment to determine where digital content should appear. The interviewer is likely looking to know your understanding of how spatial modeling affects the development process. They may also be evaluating how you approach the challenges that arise when making AR effects convincing in different spaces.

11. What limitations does AR have?

What they’re really asking: How would you handle future challenges in the AR industry?

Demonstrating that you know and understand the limitations of an evolving technology like AR can give the interviewer confidence that you will be able to overcome these limitations in the future. Interviewers often want to know what you see as the potential challenges of a role and how you might handle them. For example, you might discuss limitations across different device types or operating systems and how developers can navigate these potential barriers.

12. What do you know about the company’s industry?

What they’re really asking: What industries have you had experience in?

Since the types of projects and technology you might encounter can vary from industry to industry, the interviewer may ask this question to better understand your background. Many industries use AR, including:

• Product development and shopping: Companies use AR to create virtual prototypes in the design and testing phases. Stores have also implemented AR so consumers can visualize products in their homes before buying them.

• Health care: Users can use AR on their mobile devices to view 3D images of bodies, which can improve training in the industry.

• Military: The military has used both AR and VR to create realistic yet safe training situations for soldiers.

• Gaming and entertainment: Popular apps, such as Snapchat and Pokémon Go, have used AR to layer digital elements into the real world to create fun and unique experiences for users. 

Make sure to highlight the specific industry for which you're interviewing. You can also explain how other industries you’ve worked in used similar techniques or technologies.

13. How can you make AR enhancements coincide with the world in real time?

What they’re really asking: Can you demonstrate your knowledge with a core AR technique?

This question is especially important if you are interviewing for a development role. Consider outlining these three main techniques: visual key point matching, spatial mapping, and multiple device sensors. All three techniques aim to provide accurate and realistic digital content in a user’s environment. You can highlight these techniques through specific project examples to showcase your knowledge. 

Prepare for your AR career with Coursera

Whether you want to improve your interviewing skills or become more familiar with augmented reality, you can prepare through online courses.

To build on your current AR knowledge and learn more about AR experiences and platforms, consider Google’s Introduction to Augmented Reality and ARCore on Coursera.

To prepare for general interview questions and learn more detailed strategies, consider Interviewing and Resume Writing in English Specialization offered by The University of Maryland on Coursera.