User Experience Design Trends

Invisible UX is coming 🔥 And it’s going to change how we design products, forever. For decades, UX design has been about guiding users through an experience. We’ve done that with visible interfaces: Menus. Buttons. Cards. Sliders. We’ve obsessed over layouts, states, and transitions. But with AI, a new kind of interface is emerging: One that’s invisible. One that’s driven by intent, not interaction. Think about it: You used to: → Open Spotify → Scroll through genres → Click into “Focus” → Pick a playlist Now you just say: “Play deep focus music.” No menus. No tapping. No UI. Just intent → output. You used to: → Search on Airbnb → Pick dates, guests, filters → Scroll through 50+ listings Now we’re entering a world where you guide with words: “Find me a cabin near Oslo with a sauna, available next weekend.” So the best UX becomes barely visible. Why does this matter? Because traditional UX gives users options. AI-native UX gives users outcomes. Old UX: “Here are 12 ways to get what you want.” New UX: “Just tell me what you want & we’ll handle the rest.” And this goes way beyond voice or chat. It’s about reducing friction. Designing systems that understand intent. Respond instantly. And get out of the way. The UI isn’t disappearing. It’s mainly dissolving into the background. So what should designers do? Rethink your role. Going forward you’ll not just lay out screens. You’ll design interactions without interfaces. That means: → Understanding how people express goals → Guiding model behavior through prompt architecture → Creating invisible guardrails for trust, speed, and clarity You are basically designing for understanding. The future of UX won’t be seen. It will be felt. Welcome to the age of invisible UX. Ready for it?

👨🏾💻 How People Use Screen Readers. With behavior patterns, practical insights and things to keep in mind for accessibility. ✅ 253 million people worldwide have a visual impairment. ✅ Screen readers help them translate text to speech or Braille. ✅ They work for websites, PDFs, emails, OS and other documents. ✅ They use the same voice regardless of font size, weight, color. ✅ E.g. Jaws/NVDA (Win, 80% share), VoiceOver (iOS), Talkback (Android). 🤔 Users often listen to screen readers at the 1.5–2.0x speed. ✅ Repetitive labels and hints aren't helpful (image caption, alt). ✅ Content order during tabbing conveys the structure of the page. ✅ Follow a logical linear layout, don't spread content all over a page. 🚫 Auto-playing audio is often an alarming, frustrating experience. 🤔 Users heavily rely on descriptive headings and labels. 🚫 Screen readers can’t extract meaning from images or videos. ✅ Avoid "Click here", "Read more", "View now" for links. ✅ A text box without a label is meaningless to screen readers. ✅ Never rely on visuals alone, they might not even be there. 🤔 Frequent issues with poorly structured forms, navigation, PDFs. ✅ Add UI controls for mouse-precise actions (drag'n'drop, resizing). ✅ Include nav landmarks, so users can jump within the page quickly. ✅ Ensure PDF/UA compliance to generate accessible PDFs. ✅ Always add labels to forms and avoid CAPTCHAs if you can. Where “abled people” use their natural feelings such as sight and hearing, people with disabilities must rely on technologies. Screen reading UX shouldn’t mean a “simplified” experience. It’s just a different experience, one of many. Unfamiliar tools might sound scary. Just start. Get familiar with screen readers. Run accessibility testing with a few screen reader users. Eventually make screen reader testing a part of QA. Many accessibility issues are severe, but solutions can be simple — and impactful for people who need them most. Useful resources: How A Screen Reader User Surfs The Web (video), by Léonie Watson https://lnkd.in/emv9AT-u Designing For Users Of Screen Readers, by Lewis Wake https://lnkd.in/ePTVpBxy Testing With Blind Users: A Cheat Sheet, by Slava Shestopalov https://lnkd.in/e8vBEqHn How And When To Use Alt Text, by Emma Cionca, Tanner Kohler https://lnkd.in/e3ivcPVg How to Conduct Usability Studies for Accessibility, by NN/g https://lnkd.in/egAxJxtW Mobile Accessibility Research With Screen-Reader Users, by Tanner Kohler https://lnkd.in/eb5Y36qZ How To Document Screen Reader UX, by BBC https://lnkd.in/e8KWr-Z6 #ux #accessibility

This week’s defining shift for me is that XR is becoming a marketing medium. What once felt like a technology for experimental activations is maturing into a channel for ongoing engagement and sales. Across industries from retail to real estate, XR is transforming how people experience products, events, and spaces, creating immersive experiences that connect with customers and deliver measurable results. This week’s spatial computing news surfaced signals like these: 🍕 Pizza Hut’s AR racing game turns pizza boxes into a campaign platform, letting customers scan a QR code to unlock an interactive Supercars experience tied to the Bathurst 1000. 😎 Banuba’s new eyewear try-on for Shopify gives online retailers an easy way to integrate AR into e-commerce, letting customers “try before they buy” directly from their devices. ⛵ SailGP’s RaceScape XR app blends live video and an AR tabletop racing experience on Vision Pro, making mixed reality part of how the league engages fans worldwide. 🪞 Aircards’ £3M raise will expand AR mirrors, LED tunnels, and spatial analytics, helping brands transform retail and event spaces into measurable, immersive experiences. 🏡 Three Space Lab’s $3M seed round scales VR real estate tours that act as both sales and marketing tools for luxury property developers across global markets. Why this matters: We’re still early, but XR is no longer limited to one-off activations. CPG, sports, retail, real estate, and fashion are all exploring ways to integrate it into their marketing and sales strategies. Once this kind of cross-sector momentum builds, it rarely fades. #realestate #marketing #advertising #brands #CPG #QSR #retail #ecommerce #mixedreality #augmentedreality #virtualreality #XR

The easiest way to boost clicks that almost nobody tests? 1st-person CTA buttons. What would you click first? ➡️ “Register” or “Save My Spot”? - here is the details for Consumer and Business marketers... Stop telling people what to do. Start letting them step into the action. When the CTA sounds like the user talking to themselves, friction drops and momentum goes up. (Click-Throughs increase by over 20% for both Business and Consumer when CTA's are written in first person) [Source: Worldata Research Performance Report 2026] This works because first-person CTAs trigger ownership + emotional commitment before the click even happens. Here are simple flips that consistently outperform generic buttons: Consumer examples (instead of “Buy Now”): • Yes, I Want 25% Off • Claim My Limited-Time Deal • Get My Exclusive Discount • Unlock My Special Offer • Redeem My Gift • Snag My Immediate Discount • Hurry, Claim My Discount • I Want to Save • Claim My Flash Offer • Secure My 30% Off B2B / business examples (instead of “Register” or “Download”): • Save My Spot • Start My Free Trial • Send Me the Guide • Give Me Access • Reserve My Seat • Count Me In • I Want In • Send Me the Sample • Give Me the Insights • Show Me the Deals • Send Me the Coupon • Let Me Start Saving Small wording change. Big psychological shift. You’re no longer giving instructions. You’re helping someone take a step they already want to take. If your conversion rates feel stuck, this is one of the fastest tests you can run across: landing pages email buttons paid social popups event registrations Most marketers overthink design and underthink button language. The button is the decision moment. Make it feel personal.

In AWE ...🥽 Just returned from AWE Europe, more convinced than ever that we are on the cusp of a reality-shifting moment in AI and XR. Here’s what I see coming—and why we need to start preparing now! 1️⃣ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀, 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹: XR is evolving from a novelty to a part of our daily lives. Imagine a world where AI-driven augmented reality (AR) layers respond to your unique needs and preferences, reshaping retail, education, and social interactions in real-time. This personalized layer of reality is both exhilarating and unnerving - especially as our privacy and data become intertwined with these experiences. 2️⃣ 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: XR offers more than immersive visuals. It can become a tool for empathy and understanding across cultures. As virtual worlds blend with our own, we will be able to see from others’ perspectives, strengthening our connections in unprecedented ways. But, let’s proceed with caution: there is a fine line between authentic connection and manipulation in curated XR experiences. 3️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲: We are already seeing demand for skills in digital storytelling, ethics, and human-centered design to make these experiences sustainable and inclusive. For professionals: now is the time to upskill and embrace these emerging technologies - XR will touch every industry, from healthcare to manufacturing. 4️⃣ 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀: We are entering an era where companies will have access to our emotional data, preferences, and even our unconscious responses in XR environments. Ethical governance is not optional -it’s essential. We must prioritize transparency and consent to keep these digital layers equitable and safe for all. 5️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱" 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Imagine a city overlay that optimizes itself in real-time, improving traffic flow, resource allocation, and even environmental conservation based on live data. XR will allow us to create a “mirror world” that adapts to our collective needs. But we need to be cautious of bias. Data-driven realities are only as fair as the algorithms behind them. 👥 It’s time to start the conversation on responsible, ethical XR. The future of immersive reality is beyond cool - it’s game-changing. Let’s make sure it’s a future we can all trust and be proud of. #AWE2024 #XR #AR #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork

I just spent 3 years analyzing more than 30 organizations and their accessibility initiatives. Here are 3 trends I noticed: 1. Accessibility Statements = Lots of Promises, Little Action Many organizations have beautifully written accessibility statements, pledging inclusion and access for all. But when you dig deeper? Very few are walking the talk. It’s easy to pledge on paper, but what matters is the execution—action speaks louder than words. Takeaway: Don’t just craft statements—craft change. It’s time to move from promises to real, measurable outcomes. 2. Token Efforts = Great PR, Minimal Impact I’ve seen so many companies invest in token accessibility efforts—building one ramp or adding alt-text to a couple of images, just to check a box. It’s usually enough to get some positive press, but the actual impact on the disabled community? Minimal. Performative inclusion doesn’t solve the deeper issues of inaccessibility and ableism in society or within workplaces. Takeaway: Inclusion isn’t a one-off. Real accessibility requires continuous effort, investment, and a willingness to evolve. It’s not just about looking good; it’s about making a lasting difference. 3. Accessible Design = More Engagement and Satisfaction Organizations that prioritize truly accessible design—both digitally and physically—see better engagement not only from the disabled community but from everyone. Accessible design benefits everyone. It creates a user-friendly environment where people feel seen, heard, and valued, leading to increased loyalty and satisfaction. Takeaway: Make accessibility your competitive advantage. It’s not just about compliance; it’s about making everyone feel included and valued. The bottom line: If you’re serious about disability inclusion, don’t wait for the world to push you. Lead by example and start making changes now that actually impact lives. What are you doing to ensure your initiatives are more than just words?

Happy Global Accessibility Awareness Day everyone! It's a great day to remind people, that, accessibility is the responsibility of the whole team, including designers! A couple of things designers can do: - Use sufficient color contrast (text + UI elements) and don’t rely on color alone to convey meaning. - Ensure readable typography: support text resizing, avoid hard-to-read styles, maintain hierarchy. - Make links and buttons clear and distinguishable (label, size, states). - Design accessible forms: clear labels, error help, no duplicate input, document states. - Support keyboard navigation: tab order, skip links, focus indicators, keyboard interaction. - Structure content with headings and landmarks: use proper H1–Hn, semantic order, regions. - Provide text alternatives for images, icons, audio, and video. - Avoid motion triggers: respect reduced motion settings, allow pause on auto-play. - Design with flexibility: support orientation change, allow text selection, avoid fixed-height elements. - Document accessibly and communicate: annotate designs, collaborate with devs, QA, and content teams. Need to learn more? I got a couple of resources on my blog: - A Designer’s Guide to Documenting Accessibility & User Interactions: https://lnkd.in/eUh8Jvvn - How to check and document design accessibility in your mockups: a conference on how to use Figma plugins and annotation kits to shift accessibility left https://lnkd.in/eu8YuWyF - Accessibility for designer: where do I start? Articles, resources, checklists, tools, plugins, and books to design accessible products https://lnkd.in/ejeC_QpH - Neurodiversity and UX: Essential Resources for Cognitive Accessibility, Guidelines to understand and design for Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Autism and ADHD https://lnkd.in/efXaRwgF - Color accessibility: tools and resources to help you design inclusive products https://lnkd.in/dRrwFJ5 #Accessibility #ShiftLeft #GAAD

The adoption of Ray-Ban smart glasses by blind and low-vision users underscores the growing potential for wearable technology to enhance accessibility. While the glasses weren’t originally designed with accessibility in mind, their integration with the Be My Eyes app allows users to effectively read signs, identify objects, and navigate their environments through real-time feedback from sighted volunteers. This shift highlights a critical opportunity for future wearables to consider inclusivity and serve a broader range of needs. As more blind and low-vision individuals incorporate smart glasses into their daily lives, the demand for more user-centric design will likely influence future innovations in wearable technology. Brands may increasingly prioritize universal design principles, ensuring that such technologies not only function as fashion statements or general tools but also cater to specific accessibility needs. This trend may drive the development of more specialized, intuitive wearable solutions for various impairment levels, setting a new standard for future tech design. for 5 seconds The uptake of Ray-Ban smart glasses by blind and low‐vision users is reshaping wearable tech design. This unexpected demographic is driving a shift toward more inclusive, multifunctional devices. Companies are now pushed to integrate features like real‑time text reading and remote assistance—tools that empower users in everyday tasks. In short, the trend is nudging innovation toward products that prioritize accessibility without sacrificing style or performance. #TheInsider #AssistiveTech

Over the past few months, I’ve noticed a pattern in our system design conversations: they increasingly orbit around audio and video, how we capture them, process them, and extract meaning from them. This isn’t just a technical curiosity. It signals a tectonic shift in interface design. For decades, our interaction models have been built on clickstreams: tapping, typing, selecting from dropdowns, navigating menus. Interfaces were essentially structured bottlenecks, forcing human intent into machine-readable clicks and keystrokes. But multimodal AI removes that bottleneck. Machines can now parse voice, gesture, gaze, or even the messy richness of a video feed. That means the “atomic unit” of interaction may be moving away from clicks and text inputs toward speech, motion, and visual context. Imagine a world where the UI is stripped to its essence: a microphone and a camera. Everything else, navigation, search, configuration, flows from natural human expression. Instead of learning the logic of software, software learns the logic of people. If this plays out, the implications are profound: UX shifts from layouts to behaviors: Designers move from arranging buttons to choreographing multimodal dialogues. Accessibility and inclusion take center stage: Voice and vision can open doors, but also risk excluding unless designed with empathy. Trust and control must be redefined: A camera-first interface is powerful, but also deeply personal. How do we make it feel safe, not invasive? We may be on the cusp of the first truly post-GUI era, where screens become less about control surfaces and more about feedback canvases, reflecting back what the system has understood from us.