Now that UX is firmly embedded into our companies and lives - what's next?

1. The end of the
user interface
Bart De Waele, CEO Duke & Grace

2. Since 2006…

3. Client TitleX
1900
I keep on
repeating myself.

4. Client TitleX
1900
1913
I keep on
repeating myself.
Technology
moves lightning
fast.

5. Client TitleX
Millennials…
I keep on
repeating myself.
Technology
moves lighting
fast.
But human
behaviour
doesn’t.

6. Client TitleX
Millennials…
… but what century?
I keep on
repeating myself.
Technology
moves lighting
fast.
But human
behaviour
doesn’t.

7. Client TitleX
1900
I keep on
repeating myself.
The faster
technology
changes, the
more people stay
the same.

8. Keep your eye firmly on human behaviour.

9. Humans have always been using
“tech” to manipulate the world.

10. “Close the door.”

11. “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch
drill, they want a quarter-inch hole.”
Theodor Levitt

12. “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch
drill, they want a quarter-inch hole.”
Theodor Levitt
People want to put up
their family pictures…

13. “Tech” is just a proxy to achieve our real goals.
(Because there is no easier way.)

14. The same holds true for the digital world.
We use ‘tech’ to manipulate digital.

15. This 1 piece of tech:

16. “Tech” is just a proxy to achieve our real goals.
Level of abstraction:
1. think of an action
2. translate it to text and mouse movement
3. let computer execute it

17. Why does the iPad feel intuitive?
It removes one level of abstraction.
(locus of attention vs. locus of control)

18. But we mostly still use (some form of) this:

19. Now Tech is evolving again.

23. Biggest evolution: input/output.
(Driven by machine learning and computer vision.)

25. Removing one level of abstraction.
Voice assistants.
Chatbots.
One more step towards “no UI”.

26. Important for brands!

27. Brands mainly rely on visual clues.
When customer touchpoints become
increasingly digital, and digital moves to an
invisible UI…
Brands have to convey meaning through other
means.

28. Branding becomes even more important!
- tone of voice (literally)
- digitize experiences
- embed in new (digital) channels

30. Get on TikTok.
- it is exploding right now
- it will (imho) be the next Instagram
- move to video-first
- more ‘raw’ and authentic
- sound is back!

32. Start experimenting with TikTok now.
Prime example of:
- shifting digital channels
- removing level of abstraction
- from text to sound/video

33. So… sound & voice are back.

34. We’re past the first hype cycle for chatbots
and voice agents.
Expect lots of articles about the
‘disappointment’ in both.
Not the truth.

35. As soon as the first excitement wears off, and
technology becomes widespread, useful and
embedded - we marketeers tend to move on to
the next toy.

36. Tech will keep evolving.

39. A new bunch of technology is at our doorstep.
Tech to make our interaction with the world
more frictionless.
- automated
- predictive
- no tangible interface

40. We have to continue removing levels of
abstraction.
Invisible tech feels like magic.

42. We have to continue removing levels of
abstraction.
Invisible tech feels like magic.
- it has to align with our goals
- it has to make our life easier
- it has to hook into human behaviour

48. Stop trying to delight with a user experience!
Delight comes from making our lives easier.
Brand experience = no interface.

49. “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch
drill, they want a quarter-inch hole.”

50. Keep asking yourself these questions:
- can I remove a level of abstraction?
- can I use predictive technology?
- can I use sensors (IoT) to gauge context?
- can I make interaction effortless?
to create invisible interfaces.

51. Winning brands will combine invisible magical
technology with human interaction.
Make tech invisible. Use human insights.

52. 52
Thank you!
Duke & Grace