Future of UX Design: what to expect in 2018

At DashBouquet we are keen on learning new things and constantly improving our skills and knowledge. That’s why we always keep an eye on the most modern trends in order to stay atop the competition and not only satisfy the requirements of our clients but also the needs of the users. So we thought it would be a good idea to share with you the most expected UX design trends for 2018 and see why they will matter so much.

People expect immediacy

Today the world revolves around the concept of immediacy. Snapchat, Instagram stories, real-time streaming and much more — people are now used to the fact that they can always see what others are doing right now and they expect such option to be in almost every app they use.

But okay — your product may not be 100% suitable for such feature. Nevertheless, the immediacy concept is not only about real-time streaming but also about responding to your users right when you get any kind of requests from them. Even the governmental services and facilities are slowly but steadily shifting towards that: people can leave online requests or questions and they expect to get the feedback right away at this very moment.

So think carefully how your product can use this feature. Whether it’s an option of streaming a game or an option to share whatever the user does on the app with their friends — it should not leave the user with the feeling as if they are cut out of the world.

Add diversity to your product

You should be aware of all those stories about diverse set of emojis and other features that have to be added after the actual app launch because a lot of people are unhappy with the ones that were initially offered.

This part is really tricky: you should not go nuts trying to satisfy everyone but you should also think whether your product satisfies all kinds of your possible users. If you have any hesitations, get a more diverse team or at least do some research (or create focus groups) in order to identify any points that could be improved. It’s much better to get everything covered before the app launch rather than receiving negative comments and only afterwards trying to fix what you’ve messed up.

From design to storytelling

There are millions of brands out there and all of them are trying to get the attention of the users. So in order for your product to stand out, you have to tell a story of your brand in a very clear, interesting and human way. Your UX should tell users who you are, why you are here and what you have to offer.

Forget for a minute about all those fancy things: graphs, colors and shapes. Sit down and write a few lines about your brand and its story. Communicate with the user via your story: place questions, add chatbots, interact with the users, in other words — be “talkative”.

Teamwork is everything

One of the first products of such type was Google Docs and now people want to collaborate online. Cloud-based tools are on the rise and more and more apps are quickly implementing new features in order to stay competitive and give users what they need.

Considering the popularity of outsourcing and growing number of remote teams all over the world, such real-time collaboration is a must for some users. And the deal is not only about online teamwork.. — what matters the most is knowledge sharing. Processes are becoming more transparent and it’s crucial that all team members should know what’s going on with the project right now — this will be trending in 2018.

Minimalistic looks rule

It’s not a must but something that can be considered: instead of complex design bold colors and minimalistic approach will be used.

Some may say — but we are already utilizing the minimalistic trend too hard! Well, there is still room for improvement. Modern users think fast and decide even faster so they don’t want to think too much over your design. They want to get to the core right away so 2018 predicts elimination of content menus (hard to believe but seems to be real) and leaving only the design basics.

However, animations will remain on top of the game even though they are more of a complex element. The reason is simple: people respond to them more actively so a lot of companies make use of GIFs and videos in their apps.

Don’t forget about AI, AR & VR

These technologies caused a lot of hype in the recent years and they will keep growing. Augmented reality is now used even in the spheres where you’d least expect it: for example, in hospitality with its virtual tours around the place.

As for artificial intelligence, it’s now widely used in medicine, for example: a few apps actually work as virtual assistants that not only monitor your health state but can also contact the doctor or emergency if needed.

So as the world is shifting towards digital-everything, there are more and more apps popping up that are based on machine learning and AI. Considering the fact that smart homes and even smart cities are becoming something usual, you may find your niche here and come up with an app that will become an everyday necessity for millions of users.

A bit of advice

AI and IoT are on the rise today — but the question is, do you really need it in your product?

Yes, in certain cases AI makes the product stand out and adds more value to it — but don’t forget about one simple thing: how exactly will it help your users? Don’t think as a developer here, but rather try to get into your user’s shoes. Do they need AI or it’s better without it? Are you trying to be fancy by adding “AI” to the product or is it a must?

Think smart — first of all, you have to make the users happy. And at times over-complicating things is not the best way to deliver good product.

Written by Alex Mikulik

Future of UX Design: what to expect in 2018 was originally published in Hacker Noon on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.