What's Next for the UX?

There are many important aspects you must keep in mind when beginning a major digital media installation. Hours are spent analyzing the best products to use and the right content management system to install, but the most important element has always been the user experience (UX).

Every element that goes into the install is chosen with that in mind. Will this placement be best to engage with the end user or consumer? Will this content grab the consumer’s attention? How can the user engage directly with the technology? With advancements in UX happening rapidly, it’s hard to keep up with all the different trends.

This Thursday—September 27—I will be discussing this exact topic at the SCN Think Tank in Jersey City. Here's a sneak preview of some of the trends you can expect to hear more about later this week.

Finding the right balance between content and technology can be tricky. A digital display is nothing without the right content to show off the display’s quality and engage with the user. So much focus is now being placed on creating the right content to fit the digital display network. A great example of this is at Westfield World Trade Center on the 4mm LED display in the East/West Concourse. The display measures 280 feet and visitors walk along aside it as they travel throughout the complex. At times you can see cars traveling down the canvas or people walking alongside the viewers, utilizing the canvases length to its advantage.

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are constant buzz words you hear throughout the industry. This technology is still more of a spectacle than part of the UX , but slowly you’ll start to see more and more instances of it as the tech improves. One day, you may be able to swipe up to visually browse plates of food you are interested in on a menu before you order or sit in a car you want to purchase and test drive it without ever visiting the lot.

Responsiveness is now expected of most technology. Everyone has a device in their pocket that allows them to do anything imaginable with the click of a few buttons. This same type of responsiveness is now becoming expected of digital signage technology. We see this successfully deployed in a variety of settings, like shopping malls and fast food restaurants, and I think the possibilities are continuing to grow. The key with this type of technology is speed. Without it, engagement is loss and distrust in the technology is something that is hard to overcome.

Want to continue the discussion on UX?

Don't miss the "What's Next for the UX?" discussion on September 27 at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ.