Navigating Across Realities: A User-Informed Theoretical Framework for Extended Reality in Information Systems

Despite growing interest in augmented, virtual, and mixed reality, information systems (IS) research lacks a coherent framework for understanding extended reality (XR) as a socio-technical phenomenon. This paper develops a conceptual framework for XR by extending the theory of virtual space and place. Complementary focus group data enhances this conceptualization by clarifying overall user experience in XR and pinpointing key experiential challenges. The proposed framework contributes to IS research by eliminating conceptual ambiguity and providing a more coherent framework for academic discourse, thereby facilitating future research in this domain. It also supports practitioners in aligning XR design with user needs, emphasizing perceptual comfort, adaptation, and contextual fit. This work lays the groundwork for more integrative, experiential, and interdisciplinary approaches to XR in organizational settings.