What does it take to design stories people can step into and feel?
Aditi Rajagopal is the Head of Experience Design, Immersive at Atlantic Studios, where she creates interactive educational and entertainment experiences for platforms like Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest. Her recent project, Cosmos in Focus—a virtual planetarium featured at SXSW, turns James Webb Space Telescope data into an emotional, interactive experience that makes the universe feel close and personal.
Her career spans animation, creative strategy, and immersive storytelling roles at Meta across India, Singapore, and the UK. She’s worked with brands like Spotify, Samsung, and Uber, and has been recognized at Cannes, SXSW, and D&AD.
In this episode, we talk about designing for presence instead of novelty, choreographing focus in 3D space, and building immersive experiences that balance wonder with access. We explore how behavior, empathy, and inclusivity shape immersive media and what it takes to lower the barriers for more diverse creators to enter the space.
If you care about the future of storytelling, education, or interactive design, this conversation will expand your creative lens.
What we explore in this episode:
Defining immersive media beyond hype
How Cosmos in Focus turns data into emotion
The “choreography of focus” as a design skill
Why headset access limits storytelling equity
Designing for behavior, empathy, and unexpected users
Entry points for creators using no-code and low-cost tools
Breaking outdated “rules” in VR and XR design
Shownotes and transcript: https://unmissables.substack.com/p/making-the-invisible-interactive
Where to find Aditi Rajagopal
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aditirajagopal
Where to find Ariba Jahan
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aribajahan
Instagram: @ariba.jahan
Newsletter: unmissableswithariba.com
Follow along:
00:00 – Welcome + Meet Aditi Rajagopal
02:49 – Magic and Potential of Spatial Storytelling
05:13 – Defining Immersive Experiences
07:35 – Designing for Presence
10:17 – Creating Emotional Connections
12:52 – Inside Cosmos in Focus
15:42 – The Choreography of Focus
18:15 – Lessons from Collaboration
20:36 – The Future of Immersive Storytelling
25:43 – The Future of Spatial Computing
27:34 – Challenges in Spatial Design
33:03 – Diversity in Storytelling
34:13 – Barriers for Creators
35:15 – Getting Started in Immersive Storytelling
38:20 – Responsibility in Storytelling
41:17 – Behavioral Shifts in Immersive Experiences
43:17 – Breaking the Rules of Immersive Storytelling
45:37 – Encouragement for Aspiring Storytellers
47:23 – Outro
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