Top 4 Tech Trends that every UX designer must know

Here’s my curated list of the most exciting tech trends and what they mean in the world of UX.

1. Ubiquitous Connectivity

Technology is becoming ever more pervasive. No longer are we limited to interacting and connecting with others through our phones. The emergence of wearable devices like the Apple Watch and smart-home devices such as Alexa and Google Home mean technology is truly ubiquitous in our daily lives. Thanks to smart-home speakers, we can ask a virtual assistant to play our favorite music whilst simultaneously dimming the lights and calling a friend — all without even requiring a single touch of a button.

This whole new world of connectivity beyond traditional screens, means that UX designers have the opportunity (and challenge) of designing innovative interactions and experiences that previously did not exist. Being part of such monumental technological innovation allows us the ability to shape and define the future of this space. No longer are we just limited to swiping and tapping our phones, the ‘Internet of Things’ and the popularity of wearable devices have opened up new avenues of engagement (i.e. voice, gestures and location) that, when designed correctly, can create new and valuable experiences for users.

2. Personalized Experiences

Yes, I know ChatBots are very en vogue, and it’s a little cliché of me to include conversational interfaces as an emerging trend, HOWEVER, I think that this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI and machine learning.

Right now, we are able to tell a robot what our preferences are through words and emojis which make for a personalized experience (or at least the perception of it!) and the benefits of two way discussion are obvious. It helps to foster genuine relationships and engagement with users, which increases brand loyalty. Apps like Zova and DuoLingo have seamlessly integrated ChatBots into their products and these conversational interfaces present new opportunities for us UX designers to create products that are customized to our user needs.

Undoubtedly companies are looking to Chatbots to save users time and make day-to-day business more efficient. However, the future of AI presents even more opportunities to personalize user experiences where, in the not so distant future, robots will be able to accurately predict user preferences and behavior without even having to converse with consumers. As designers, we can dissect, visualize and leverage this data to design even more meaningful experiences and create customized products that solve today’s problems for tomorrow’s users.

3. Time-saving design

In the UX world, user journeys are becoming more simplified through linear design (where each page presents a specific action as part of a sequential, step-by-step process). Now, if we want to order an Uber, we simply input our destination address and then tap the “confirm” button and, voila, our ride is here!

As technology continues to evolve and progress, the bar for what constitutes ‘great user experience’ rises. Soon, we will be able to order a ride on Uber through voice interaction and AI will be able to predict our intended destination. Certainly, the expectation is that technology should make our lives more convenient by saving us time and companies like Samsung and Apple are starting to capitalize on this with their ‘tap and go’ products: Apple and Samsung Pay.

As UX designers, we must continue to challenge the design of digital products so that they are not only able to solve user problems but, do so through a series of quick interactions and easy-to-use interfaces. Personally, I believe the future of time-saving design and the emergence of AI technology go hand in hand and, when done properly, can leverage AI and machine learning to ultimately offer a new level of convenience and simplicity to users.

4. Redefining virtual spaces

Currently, Google Daydream and Facebook Oculus are defining new interaction behaviors and standards for the virtual world. Soon, interacting with others in a virtual world using real world body movements will be the norm. Virtual reality blurs the lines between the virtual and real worlds and allows us to engage and interact with others in new ways outside traditional, digital paradigms.

This presents endless opportunities for UX designers to go beyond designing conventional interfaces and interactions and move towards the design of innovative, immersive experiences in the physical world.