Web 3.0 and the Future of UX Design: What Skills do You Need to Succeed?
Web 3.0 is set to revolutionize the way we interact with the internet, and as a UX designer, it’s important to stay informed and be prepared for the changes that are coming. Unlike Web 2.0, which was characterized by static websites and limited interactivity, Web 3.0 is all about decentralization, blockchain technology, and the ability for users to have more control over their data.
UX design and WEB 3.0
There is only one constant factor in life, and that’s Change. In the Tech world, there have been new technologies, features and designs that UX designers have had to keep up with to maintain a wonderful experience for their users.
If one has been conversant with the web, they would realize that the way websites and apps designed ten years ago is totally different from how they are being designed now. Today, there are tons of UX design trends that has made the experience of users improve for better engagement.
However, the best is yet to come. A greater change is approaching as we are gradually going into a new era of web design; “Web 3.0” as it’s popularly known. But before diving into full details on the future of UX design and Web 3.0, let’s look briefly through some of the UX design trends of 2022.
UX Design Trends 2022
As a UX designer, it is important to note that the experience a user has when making use of your app or visiting your website is very important. The user’s experience has a great way of influencing how they would perceive your business or your brand. Therefore, to make your website or apps impressing to your users, it’s important to interest them with trends that serve as key elements in UX design.
Here are some trendy UX designs discussed below.
1. Personalized experiences: As a quite observant person, you would know that one trending design in most apps is the personalized experiences they give. For instance, Spotify is built recommend similar appealing songs to you, or Instagram suggesting pictures or videos you would like to see. Personalization is now a major trend in UX design and it is definitely giving users a wonderful experience. As a UX designer, you should consider creating products that would give your users a personalized experience.
2. Anthropomorphic animations: This is also a new trend that is considered very impressive. Anthropomorphism involves characterizing animations with the human attributes and emotions. The Anthropomorphic animations are to help improve users engagement with the app or website, and this is a trend one should take advantage of.
3. Data visualization: This is already a known trend in digital marketing. However, it is gradually evolving into a whole new realm in 2022. Unlike the previous means of presenting data, UX designers are now adopting this approach that involves data presentation in visual formats making it very appealing and easy for the users to understand.
4. Air Gesture control: This trend is very much interesting for users; it involves using body gestures to perform certain actions. For example, a simple hand wave in front of your phone to take actions even without touching the phone. UX designers are gradually implementing this new trend and they are getting improved user experiences.
5. 3D Designs: A lot of brands are in search of something unique, a feature that is special and not common, in other to impress their users. The use of 3D designs is not something foreign to us; however, they can help boost a user’s experience and engagement. UX designers could adopt the use of 3D designs to build visuals that look exciting and interesting to the users.
Sadly, we would have to end at just 5 out of the numerous trends available for UX designers to take advantage of. However, it is important that one is constantly up to date with the latest trends being released. Remember, UX design trends evolve continuously, and you would be smart as a designer to always update yourself with various trends.
Moving on, let us take a quick dive into the future by discussing the new era of Web design that is emerging;
WEB 3.0
The web has been in existence for over 3 decades now, and if one looks back to web designs of previous years, they will see how much the Web has evolved. A lot of changes have been made to the web design first established, and these changes were made to help improve the user’s experience. This explains the rise of individuals globally who depend on the internet. Now that a new era is supposedly approaching, let’s plunge into the future that the world is expecting.
What is WEB 3.0?
The Web 3.0 basically concerns data management and ensuring that all our data is safe and secure. The new era of web emphasizes on precise, impactful color schemes and new design elements. The main goal of the Web 3.0 is to establish a very intelligent and open website for the sole purpose of ensuring that users have a better experience using websites and applications. The Web 3.0 is to be developed with features such as connectivity, artificial intelligence, ubiquitous properties, 3D dimensional designs and semantic web. This is to help provide more relevant data to users within a faster timeframe.
Although Web 3.0 is yet to come to play in full force, one could say it’s already in the womb; gradually growing, and experts are of the notion that the technologies that would be developed will be outstanding. With the understanding that Web 3.0 seems to get the attention of tech individuals globally, a valuable question to ask would be ‘what impact would Web 3.0 have on UX design?’
Web 3.0 and UX design
The evolvement of the web greatly impacts UX designers because they have important roles to play; some of which involves;
1. Simplifying complicated elements: With Web 3.0 is emerging, it is now a major duty for UI/UX designers to break down complicated elements to the simplest forms.
2. Getting the attention of the visitor: The visuals of every app and website, is enough to either encourage or discourage a user from being consistent with that app/ website or not. This simply denotes that the visual elements being projected are very important. UI/UX designers play a crucial role in ensuring that visual elements illustrated are very much compelling to make visitors explore apps or website.
3. Improving Brand image: UX designers would be tasked with promoting a positive image of brands amongst their target audience. With the use of illustrations, they would be promoting the values, strengths, and benefits of brands.
4. Portraying unique visual characters: the UI/UX designers are also tasked with ensuring they make use of visual characters to make brands come out as unique and different from others. This would require a heightened level of creativity from UI/UX designers, because no two brands should portray the same identity.
The Upside of WEB 3.0
The emergence of Web 3.0 is one that comes with various benefits such as;
1. Data security and ownership: Web 3.0 is offering users the opportunity to have strict access to their information; they get to decide who they are willing to share their information with, and what information they want to share. Also, Web 3.0 is offering to give all end- users full ownership over their data. This is far better than the control and exploitation of user’s data by tech giants in web 2.0.
2. Personalized web experience: Web 3.0 is offering a more personalized experience for individuals when using the internet. Web applications would be programmed in such a way that it analyzes the habits and internet usage of users to customize options that might best suit them.
3. More Web efficiency: Web 3.0 is also offering a more efficient use of the internet and websites. It’s is ensuring that individuals are able to make use of search engines more effectively and efficiently. The goal is to produce more relevant search results and not just the popular pages to help produce effective results for the users.
4. Transparency for users: Another advantage of web 3.o is the user’s ability to track data and to explore the source code of the platforms that they made use of.
5. Less intermediaries: In addition to the exciting benefits, the Blockchain based web 3.0 aims at connecting parties involved in online transactions or access of service. This is to provide more direct transactions and reduce the intermediates involved in electronic transactions.
The Downsides of WEB 3.0
As one would expect, once there are advantages, there should be disadvantages. Some of these limitations are discussed below;
1. Gadget change: The Blockchain web 3.0 has one of its main features; the semantic data and so many other features that require certain devices with some specifications to make use of web 3.0. This means that people who want to make use of web 3.0 would have to change their devices.
2. Its’ complexity: Web 3.0 doesn’t seem easy to understand and make use of particularly for beginners who are new to the technology.
3. Unmonitored: Another limitation is that the decentralization brought about by web 3.0 would make it difficult for the web 3.0 to be monitored and regulated.
4. Pressured disruptive change: The change that web 3.0 is anticipated to bring into the web, adoption is inevitable and existing websites/businesses would be pressured to upgrade; especially if they want to retain their existing customers.
5. Potential loss of businesses: The emergence of the web 3.0 will make the web 1.0 and web 2.0 websites look outdated and no longer of use.
The Future of UX design with Blockchain Technology
Blockchain technology is predicted to be a prosperous field, and the best part is there is a great future for UX designers in this industry. Some call it the ‘UX of blockchain’ and that is because it is an intersection of the blockchain industry and user experience design. It is a new field being explored by people, designers, developers, etc. However, before moving any further, let’s establish what Blockchain technology is?
The Blockchain technology is a system that was designed to record information securely to make it impossible for individuals to hack, manipulate or gain access to that information stored. It was also designed to ensure secure transactions, speed up data processing and help ease transactions between parties in a more secure, verifiable, and permanent way. It is, however, important to note that the Blockchain technology is totally different from Web 3.0.
The Blockchain technology is being regarded as the future, and one that would greatly impact the economy of nations. Some key areas of impact are the banking sector, digital voting, digital identity, decentralized notary etc.
Should you be wondering where the link is between the UX designers and the Blockchain technology. Simply put, the Blockchain technology is strongly dependent on a good user experience which can only be ensured by a UX designer. The blockchain technology requires that the engineers are in constant collaboration with UX designers in other to work towards creating a wonderful interface for the users, and at the same time, provide them with a wonderful user experience. This is because the technology is deemed a successful project only when users talk praises on their experience. So, it is safe to say that the Blockchain technology is halfway dependent in UX design.
Web 3.0 and the Blockchain technology is promising improved experience for its users, and it is an experience that people are looking forward to. Although it is a competitive industry, it is one anyone can thrive in. A starting point is to improve one’s skills and knowledge in other to give results that stand out.
Puzzled? Simply explore the various opportunities out there, you would find the right one for you.
REFERENCES
* Jeff H. (May, 2019) WEB 3.0: A decentralized future, part 1. Retrieved from www.https://medium.com/polyient-labs/web3-0-design-imagining-a-decentralized-future-e855fa48e3ac
* Victory .B. (January, 2022) Blockchain, user experience, and decentralization. Retrieved from www.https://uxplanet.org
* Deepali (February, 2022) Advantages and Disadvantages of Web 3.0. Retrieved from www.https://kri-com.cdn.ampproject.org
* Moses .S. (November 2021) User experience on Web 3: designing the future of the web. Retrieved from www.https://samuel-o.medium.com/user-experience-on-web-3-0-deigning-the-future-of-the-web-b2054d9a0d23
* Ellie .Y. (June, 2019) The future of Blockchain UX. Retrieved from www.https://blog.prototypr.io/the-future-of-blockchain-ux-eafebe85cab3
