Today we were given the brief for our next project, a UX Trend Report. We explored what these reports are and why they are valuable within design practice. It was interesting to see how trend reports can influence product development, strategy, and understanding of user needs over time.
A UX Trend Report highlights a general direction in which design, technology, or user behaviour is developing. It helps designers anticipate changes, identify opportunities, and ensure products remain relevant and user centred. I found this really helpful to frame the project, as it made me think beyond individual products and consider broader patterns in the industry.
We discussed a few current trends shaping UX design: Wearable Tech – how devices like smartwatches and health trackers are influencing user interactions and design patterns. Generalist Roles – the increasing value of designers who can work across multiple disciplines, not just specialising in one area. AI – the impact of artificial intelligence on automation, personalisation, and user experience. Multi-Model – designing for multiple modes of interaction, such as voice, touch, gesture, and AR/VR.
I found the discussion thought provoking as it highlighted how fast UX is evolving and the importance of keeping up with trends to stay competitive. It also made me reflect on how these trends might affect my own work and the types of projects I want to explore in the future.
As a class we brainstormed what we think are currently some big trends within the UX industry. I believe I had noted 5 trends I thought were quite big at the moment. A lot of my suggestions seemed to focus on our role as designers and how that might be changing. I think this is due to this class being employability/career focused and also due to placement roles being of such importance at this time.
Overall there was a pretty unanimous agreement that AI is probably the biggest trend at the moment spanning various areas. This was followed by accessibility and minimalism. Some other areas to note were emerging technologies and like I had mentioned our roles as designers.
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I found today’s session inspiring as it emphasised the importance of looking beyond immediate design problems and considering larger patterns in UX. Trend reports seem like a great tool to not only inform product development but also to communicate insights to teams and stakeholders. I’m excited to start gathering examples and analysing trends in more detail for my project. This project feels like an opportunity to combine research, analysis, and design thinking in a structured way, which is something I really enjoy
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