Designing for Generation Z

March 15, 2019

Generation Z is on the rise, and unlike Millennials who transitioned into a lifestyle of constant access to technology, Gen Z’ers were born into constant access to technology.

With this new generation it is important to know how they interact with the web and what they expect out of a design for websites and applications.

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Who Are They

Gen Z includes anyone born after 1997. There are an estimated 71.1 million Gen Z-ers in the U.S. They are “digital natives”, the generation was born into technology in a matured state. They expect much more out of the style and the functionality of a website.

What They Expect

This generation expects website and interfaces to anticipate their digital needs. Websites are moving toward predictive search, dynamic content based on user actions and suggested content.

50% of Gen Z say they would stop visiting a website if it did not anticipate what they need, liked, or wanted.” – Study by WP Engine

They expect the ability to leverage technology for quicker interactions. Biometric technology such as face, fingerprint, voice recognition are on the rise and they can make actions easier to perform. We should be looking at this new technology when we are thinking out user flows.

How To Design For Them

Expect what they expect, empathy is the greatest tool for a designer. They don’t remember a time where digital products were simple content or took a long time to load, so put yourself in their headspace or create a user persona for a Gen Z-er before jumping into a design.

Conduct User Interviews. It seems simple but asking someone in that age group what they think of your project can provide you with feedback early on to assure your product is focused and well perceived by that demographic.  

Overall, create an experience that adapts to what they like, want, or are looking for based on actions and consider new technologies as they advance.

Is your target demographic Gen Z? Reach out to us to learn more about designing with them in mind.

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