Brand Interfaces of the Future

The idea of a front-end design of the future is a very compelling. Currently, most would focus on responsive websites but if you look at the idea of front-end of the future, it is not quite a website but much more.

There are 5 points to consider.
1. Multiplicity of Screens – You are looking at a design that renders well not just in display but in relevant functionality across these screens. The screens to consider conventional desktops/laptops, tablets and phones, perhaps even your car dashboard.
2. Information/Experiences in Contextual Services – The content and design needs to focus on information that gets rendered in services like Google Now, Twitter Cards other contextual services which could be around voice e.g. Siri or Cortana. Imagine a fund raising promotional tweet with the Support button within the twitter stream. This would have rich content maybe even video, information to help buy, plus the standards of twitter cards. Imagine, Google Now displaying a reminder to a phone user about a show that is about to start.
3. Experiences in the age of Wearable’s, Continuity and Sensors – Smart watches are around the corner, notifications are not only getting smarter but you can act on them right in that interface. You do not need to open an app for it. Imagine watching something on your phone while in the car, reaching home and pushing that video straight to your TV via Chromecast. Imagine web experiences with integrated notifications, devices in the age of Continuity and similar services.
4. Social Platforms, Analytics and Delivery of Integrated Experiences – At a simpler level, what can be done with live experiences, customer sharing aggregation, on going social listening, promotional campaigns including programmatic buying and more. Given that social is also resides in the notification tab, how can one re-imagine it all. This could be personalised experiences that factor in not just past usage but also factors like where they are now. Imagine travelling to another city, where there is a performance and you get a notification that tells you about it. With the buy button right in the notifications tab waiting for you to pay with a biometric id on phone!
5. Content management takes on a different meaning. It is then not just about managing information and products and updating it from a backend. It’s about a tool and a process that streamlines information and delivers it as appropriate for the device, location, customer and the context. All in real time! In a sense that defines the meaning of responsive.
Today, this is one’s understanding of what the front end is likely to be. It’s a start and more options will emerge. It is going to be a mix and match of many services. All needing to talk to each other likely via API’s. So the front end is not just the 5 points above but the interplay between the API’s and what more we can do with them.
The experiences for a customer or an employee will have almost similar interplays across places, times and devices. Imagination, relevance and ambition are going to be key.


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