User experience was undoubtedly big in 2017; be it interfaces of products, onboarding process or content to be consumed through different digital platforms. In 2018 also I believe that user experience centered design would be a top priority for a website design company.
Changes in technology always play a pivotal role in the evolution of design trends. Hence, it is not easy to predict which trends would dominate the UX design space in the years to come.
The following are the most promising UX trends to watch out for in 2018:
#1 AR will continue to amaze
We are in 2018 and it won’t be a wrong guess if I say that am very sure you have not forgotten Pokemon Go by Niantic, the gaming sensation of 2016. But augmented reality has by far traversed the boundaries of gaming to various other sectors.
Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg had talked about the company’s augmented reality ambitions last year at the company’s annual developer conference, F8, in San Jose, California. And he predicted that eventually all the screens would be replaced by lenses to render “the ultimate AR experience”.
IKEA is already leveraging this technology to boost its furniture sales. Do you have any idea? Get in touch with an innovative web design and development company so that they can develop an appealing AR-based app in order to improve your eCommerce conversions.
#2 Microinteractions will become more prevalent
Microinteractions are subtle effects that are centered on a single use case that accomplishes a primary task. Microinteractions experts like Dan Saffer say that the difference between a product that you love and the one you tolerate are due to microinteractions you have with it.
So, if you are keen on winning over your audience in 2018, then you have to focus on designing microinteractions well.
Examples of favourite microinteractions are –
- Apple iPhone’s mute switch
- Twitter’s pull-to-refresh
- Facebook’s like button
- Automatic faucets
Microinteractions are mostly used for preventing user error, operating a setting or communicating the outcome of an action.
We would see more websites utilize microinteractions to create amazing UX designs for encouraging user engagement.
#3 Creating content centered experiences
The importance of good content to user experience will rise in 2018. Design or fancy interactions no doubt catch the attention of your site visitors; however, they do not come to your site in order to appreciate them. Rather they land on your site because of their need for information.
Doesn’t it seem nonsensical that conversations about content are not happening across an entire project team? As content is so crucial I recommend that web development experts must include clients in content requirement conversations whenever appropriate. Moreover, how would you decide about the necessary functionality and the technology needed to support it without content?
Finally, it is important that you find the right mix of technology and content to convert users from first-time users to repeat users.
Here’s how web designers can create content-centered experiences in 2018:
- Make content comprehension easier by presenting visuals in a clear order.
- Remove redundant design clutter to keep the attention of users focused on product content.
- Give content some room to breathe by making good use of white space.
#4 Voice-activated interfaces will be next big thing
Voice-activated virtual assistants are quite popular with consumers and it is evident from the fact that in 2016, around 20 percent of all mobile searches were performed with voice activation, as per Google.
Voice-activated interfaces boost the user experience by eliminating the friction of typing for app users, no wonder Siri, Alexa and Google Now are an integral part of most users’ life. This is the reason I see it as the next big thing in 2018!
Many designers will continue to adopt this technology and users will continue to embrace it this year and beyond. This is because contemporary voice assistants are usually exhibiting 90 percent accuracy, not exceptionally.
#5 Biometric authentications
Biometrics is not a new technology and we have been witnessing its use for authentication and managing identity. In 2018, we will see this trend rise and become more accessible.
Biometric authentications are commonly used in devices these days for verifying the identity of a person. For instance, facial recognition, fingerprints, iris scan or voice recognition is done to compare the person’s stored biometric data in the device to establish the identity of the device owner.
In addition, biometric-based technology not only boosts security for users but also enhances user-experience by bypassing traditional login requirements.
#6 Personalization will become smarter
Contemporary consumers are accustomed to personalized UX trend and they will continue to demand the same in 2018 as well.
Conversational interfaces like chatbots are already a favourite with users. Facebook is using Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology to improve the UX of its chatbots. However, it is creating some frictions for users as there are several taps required.
Hybrid conversational interfaces which combine NLP with graphical user interfaces like buttons, menus, images and videos is the emerging trend now.
Moreover, while creating personalized experiences for your audience make it a point to figure out their pain points associated with the UX. While creating personalized experiences for 2018, you can consider:
- Timed push notifications based on a geographical location so that it gets delivered when users are most active to ensure maximum engagement.
- Login memory features to enable users to get into their favourite application quickly.
- In-app chat features to facilitate instant assistance or interactions with other users.
- Age responsive capabilities wherein font sizes and colours are adjusted based on the age of the user.
#7 Customized cinemagraphs
Cinemagraphs have gained traction last year and this medium will continue to be at the top of rising UX web design trends even in 2018. It is, in fact, an intermediate between a photograph and a video. It also has many attractive potential applications; however, it is time-consuming and you must be proficient in photo editing techniques.
As cinemagraphs are not static like photos, they enhance engagement while not taking up a lot of room like videos. These elegant in-betweens serve many websites very well.
Web development experts can leverage customized cinemagraphs to draw the attention of your audience by creating an emotive effect on them. While you stare at a cinemagraph it pulls your eyes toward the movement without being interruptive. So, you can either use it to advertise your product or set a tone for your website.
Wrap up
The top 7 UX trends that will be important in 2018 are here! However, as new technologies emerge, new trends might greet us down the line.
Would you like to add some other trend to this list? Please let me know by leaving your comments below.
