Practisim Designer Web
I rebuilt a desktop stage planner for the browser. The same stage file now works on phones and in AR and VR.
01 · The customer problem
The problem
A practical-shooting stage is a physical course built from walls, targets, boundaries, and other props. A drawing can show where things go, but not always what participants will see or how movement will feel. Designers need a way to check the space before the build begins.
The opportunity
A 3D browser tool lets designers try ideas, walk through the plan, make changes, and create instructions the build team can follow. The same plan can then be reviewed on a phone or in AR and VR.
Keep existing Practisim files working and preserve their information.
Make the space easy to understand in 3D, overhead, camera, and walkthrough views.
Keep one design consistent across computer, phone, AR, and VR.
Add features carefully and test existing workflows before release.
02 · Browser editor
Practisim Designer Web opens existing stage files and adds 3D editing, overhead plans, walkthroughs, build instructions, sharing, and touch support.
03 · How AI supported the work
I used AI to inspect existing code, compare options, write tests, and debug failures. Customer needs, product boundaries, and release decisions stayed with me.
Define what should get better for the customer, what must not break, and what evidence will show the change worked.
Use the current code, stage files, settings, and browser behavior instead of guessing from a description.
Use AI for speed while keeping the work small enough to review, test, and reverse if needed.
Save tests, screenshots, comparisons, and notes so the next change starts from what is already known.
Practisim is a 3D planning product, not an AI feature. AI describes how I built it.
04 · Solving a real performance problem
Practisim's catalog had grown to thousands of images and 3D models. I measured what the browser downloaded, then built tools to shrink the files and check the result. One broken model no longer had to delay the rest.
Browser tests showed how much data the product downloaded and which files caused the largest delays.
Each file type needed its own way to reduce size without hurting its appearance.
Small tools now find files that need work, shrink them, and upload the results in controlled groups.
One invalid model was left unchanged while the other 1,604 models received the improvement.
Catalog image library
136.8 MB → 3.6 MBImages became much smaller while keeping a similar appearance.3D model library
6.7 GB → 431.6 MB1,604 of 1,605 models became smaller while keeping the visual detail needed in the editor.Invalid source files
1 isolatedThe broken model was documented and left unchanged instead of blocking the full improvement.
05 · From browser to AR and VR
Each experience uses the same stage design, so the plan does not have to be rebuilt for every device. Support varies by device, and the build-day tools remain future work.
Create or open a stage, place objects, save useful views, walk through the plan, and save the design.
Open the same stage to review it, make small changes, or walk through the plan with touch controls.
On supported devices, view the stage at full scale, select and move objects, and bring those changes back into the design.
QR handoff, easier iPhone viewing, spectator mode, measurements, and more field tools are future opportunities.
The recording starts with the stage open in Practisim Designer Web on a phone. It then moves into the iOS AR prototype, where the same barriers and targets appear over the live camera view.
ReviewOpen and inspect the stage on a phone.
Enter ARMove from the browser into the camera-based viewer.
Walk the planSee the planned stage objects against the real surroundings.
06 · How the pieces work together
The browser editor, phone layout, and XR Viewer read the same stage file. Online services handle accounts, saved work, sharing, and subscriptions.
07 · Reusing existing plans
A separate conversion service turns recognized SketchUp shapes into Practisim objects and compares the result with the source so mistakes are easier to spot.
Designers can reuse an existing plan instead of rebuilding the stage from scratch.
The converter saves a side-by-side image of the source and result so mistakes are visible before anyone uses the stage.
08 · What comes next
Keep existing files working and make planning, walkthroughs, saved views, and build instructions easier to trust.
Improve sharing, community stages, phone and tablet use, and the XR workflows that have already been tested.
Add partner connections, more file conversion, easier build-day handoff, and immersive teamwork when customers show the need.
09 · What works today
Live product
In productionThe web product has sign-in, subscriptions, regular releases, and tools for operating it safely.Works across screen sizes
Desktop to phoneAutomated checks cover desktops, tablets, touchscreens, and phones in both portrait and landscape views.Open to senior and principal product roles
I can set direction, work through hard technical details, and help a team ship.