The web design world is highly dynamic and fast-paced, especially the UX. With every new year, comes new ux trends and techniques which drive the designing industry. 2018 was all about data-driven UX, accompanied by the rise of the UX researcher role. Privacy by design was also talked about a lot in light of the GDPR. In addition, a new concept popped up – DesignOps. What will be driving the UX industry this year? Whether it will be DesignOps or something else? Here are a few predictions from us for the UX trends in 2019:

1. Businesses Will Be Driven By UX

It’s a known fact now that UX is a major driving force for any kind of business, and this will continue to be a central topic in 2019 as well. In recent years, a lot of studies have been conducted to measure the business value of a good design. It’s crucial to realise the importance of UX and to incorporate it on a strategic level. As we move into 2019 and beyond, designers will start to develop more empathy for businesses and not just for users. In the coming years, a lot of designers will aim to make data-driven decisions, to measure the effectiveness of their designs, and to optimize their processes in a way that makes sense for business. Prototyping, testing and customer research are pivotal tools in starting new business ventures. UX designers will become a valuable resource for entrepreneurs.

2. Storytelling Will Be More Important

From a consumer perspective, good UX is no longer considered a unique selling point. From being ‘good to have’, it has now become a ‘must have’. In today’s world, if a product or service provides a below-par user experience, the user will discard and replace it in no time. Designers will have to focus on creating a truly memorable user experience rather than just decent user experience. As brands seek new and innovative ways to differentiate, we’ll see a growing trend towards storytelling in UX. Scientific research has shown that, as humans, we get fascinated by stories. When we hear a story, the neural activity in the brain increases up to five times, meaning that we are much more likely to remember the story and the message it’s trying to convey.

The same goes for products and services. It’s no longer enough to simply signpost a user throughout your product; more and more brands (and UX designers) will need to tell a memorable story. In 2019, UX designers will use storytelling to translate user value into reality, creating products and experiences that consumers relate to on a deeper level. Learning how to incorporate storytelling into the design process will be one of the biggest areas of opportunity for UXers next year.

3. More and More UX Writers

2018 was about the rise of UX researchers and this year too we will see an increase in the popularity of specialist job titles. One particular role that’s earning plenty of attention is that of the UX writer. Giants like Google, Amazon and YouTube already have identified the need and importance of UX writers, and have got them into their design teams. Try searching UX writer on any of the popular job portals; the number of results will amaze you.

There are several reasons why the demand for UX writers continues to grow. As mentioned above, brands are seeking new ways to stand out; looking for ways to fine-tune the user experience as thoroughly as possible. In doing so, they are realizing that copy is as crucial to the overall design of the product as wireframes, prototypes, and UI elements. Be it a CTA on a button or the message that pops up when a user makes a purchase. The voice or tone of a user interface is just as influential as the colors, typography, and information architecture. So, it makes sense that writers and designers work closely together.

4. Voice-Driven Interfaces Will Be a Hit

Voice continues to be a talking point, with rapid growth on the horizon for 2019. Deloitte Global predicts that the smart speaker industry will be worth US$7 billion in 2019, signalling a 63 per cent growth rate from 2018, and making smart speakers the fastest-growing connected device category worldwide in 2019. At the moment, people are mainly using their Alexa and Google Home devices to play music, check the weather and perform some basic tasks. However, if the market grows continually and has a truly valuable impact on people’s lives, voice-first devices need to become more useful beyond these basic functions. That said, the industry will now need designers who can create useful, user-friendly voice applications; designers who can take the voice experience from average to fabulous.

5. The Latest Term: Device-agnostic

Along with DesignOps, there’s a new buzzword that’s trending, and will be ruling the charts in 2019: device-agnostics. The modern-day answer to responsive design, the device-agnostic design is taking seamless user experience to a whole new level. With the rise of wearables and voice assistants, it’s no longer enough to simply cater to mobile and desktop. The UX mindset is shifting, and in 2019 and beyond, designers will think in terms of the user journey as a whole, not just in terms of the devices being used. Device-agnostic design creates a continuous user journey that can pass through different touchpoints; be it a smartphone, a laptop, or a smart speaker. The device-agnostic design is dynamic and adaptable. It lets you complete your user journey in the most convenient way possible.

Much like storytelling, brands who focus on holistic user journeys rather than devices will set themselves apart in 2019. Therefore, designers will need to adapt their approach in line with the direction the industry is taking. On the whole, 2019 looks set to be another exciting year for UX. You can speak to one of our UX experts to learn more.

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