User Experience Trends for 2022

The online user journey has significantly transformed since March 2020 due to the pandemic.
Users have become more reliant on digital experiences.
Digital experiences have adapted to remote working and increased time spent online at home.
This shift has propelled more sectors to become user-led and prioritize accessibility.
$2022$ is anticipated to further expand these user-centric approaches.

Permanence of Remote Work: Remote working is expected to remain a prevalent model in $2022$ .
Statistical Impact: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that during peak lockdown periods, $60\%$ of the UK workforce operated from home.
Business Adaptation: Businesses have largely adopted more flexible working models and devised innovative methods to engage with customers.
Device Diversification: While customers previously browsed on mobile or desktop, increased remote work has led users to value and utilize separate devices.
Mobile Dominance in Social Media: A significant $98.8\%$ of social media users access platforms via mobile devices.
Implication for Digital Strategy: Organizations must strive for a seamless and consistent user experience across all devices to accommodate this multi-device usage.

Increasing Mobile Usage: In $2021$ , mobile usage intensified, accounting for nearly half of all online searches.
Design Prioritization: Consequently, a key UX trend for $2022$ is a rise in mobile-first design.
Design Process: This methodology dictates that the website design process commences with the smallest devices (mobile) and subsequently incorporates additional functionalities and designs for larger screen sizes.
Goal: The aim is to guarantee an optimal user experience across the entire spectrum of devices.

Public Sector Leadership: Public sector organizations have been pioneers in digital accessibility, primarily driven by the $2018$ Accessibility Regulations.
Private Sector Focus: In $2022$ , the private sector is expected to elevate accessibility as a priority for their digital services.
Minimum Compliance: At a fundamental level, organizations are working towards compliance with the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), an international standard for digital accessibility.
Moving Beyond Technical Accessibility: $2022$ will likely see efforts extend beyond merely assessing if content is technically accessible.
Achieving True Accessibility: This involves conducting advanced testing with representative users to genuinely ascertain if a site is truly accessible, addressing real-world user challenges.

Interconnectedness: Inclusive design and web accessibility are intrinsically linked.
Web Accessibility Defined: Web accessibility aims to ensure a digital service is usable by the broadest possible range of users, especially those with disabilities and specific accessibility needs.
Limitations of Accessibility Alone: Solely focusing on accessibility may inadvertently exclude segments of the population who, despite not having a specific disability, might encounter difficulties interacting with interfaces due to diverse environmental or situational factors.
Inclusive Design's Role: Inclusive design explicitly addresses this broader spectrum of human diversity.
True vs. Technical Accessibility: It reinforces the objective of a site being truly accessible, as opposed to merely technically compliant.
$2022$ Mission: UX specialists will continue to champion this mission in $2022$ , embedding inclusive design principles at the forefront of the entire design process.

Revised Model: The Nielsen Norman Group released an updated version of their influential UX maturity model last year.
Definition of UX Maturity: This model defines UX maturity as