13 Design Predictions for 2013

Design and the user experience are constantly changing, but there are a few clear trends that are emerging.

We took the time to gaze into our crystal ball and here are the top 13 design predictions for 2013 from the team at ÄKTA:

1. The mobile payment space is a hotbed of activity right now, mostly because the mobile options are creating a better user experience for many.  We believe that in 2013 the payment space will settle down a bit and we’ll start to see the technology coalesce around a few payment solutions.
2. Facebook’s retargeting services will change the way advertisers create content.  Ads will become much more specialized and targeted towards smaller fragments of the population.
3. We will see more centralization of core data, specifically within the credential login space.  We will see less sites requiring visitors to create a login just for that site, rather there will be more universal login options like Facebook.
4. People will start using more cross-platform technologies rather than building native technology.
5. More continuity of content across platforms.  Rather than having a mobile app that only offers x,y, and z, you’ll see the mobile interfacings offering everything that is available on the full site.
6. Design will become flatter – solid colors, simple icons.
7. We will probably see more Apple backlash due to some of the poor user experiences recently and the growing Android market.  We may see Apple’s offerings start to siplinter, much like the Android platform.
8. More organizations will focus on measuring the user experience.  With the rise of analytics and growing interest in data, we believe we will see more organizations making informed decisions about their user experience based on data.
9. There will be a greater focus on privacy and ownership of online data and design.  With backlash against Facebook and Instagram for the new rules of use that allow Facebook to use any user-uploaded content for advertising purposes, we will see more users taking ownership of their online property and pushing back against these kinds of terms of use.
10. There will be an explosion of schools (ex. Starter League, Mobile Makers) offering classes in UI/UX/Application development.
11. Websites designed with gesture-based controls will become more common.  As gesture-based controls grow in popularity and more people grow comfortable with the experience, gesture-based controls will become more and more common among devices.
12. Good design & user experience will help put MySpace back on the map for targeted users.
13. Single devices will become consolidated media centers.  Rather than having one device for watching & recording TV shows, one for video games, one for video calls etc. we will see consumers begin to accept a single device to provide all forms of media that can be adapted from being mobile to being plugged into your TV for at-home use.

What do you think will happen in 2013?  Share your insights in the comments and be sure to mark you calendar for January 1st, 2014 so you can come back and find out how eerily accurate (or totally off-base) these predictions were.