Current Issues and Trends in Product Development

In 2022, the most important product development trends are centered around the convergence of technologies, as many emerging tools allow us to combine them in new and sometimes non-trivial ways. According to Forbes analysts, current digital trends in product development encompass such technologies as AI, IoT, and recent super-fast networks such as 5G, which will eventually come together to give us capabilities that we didn’t have just a few years ago. 

Current trends in product development: Simple design

Nowadays, the buyer’s psychology is arranged in such a way that the most optimal thing for them is a combination of a minimalistic design and a user-friendly interface. Of course, you can make a gorgeous and complex design and add multiple functions, but the user may get lost in numerous graphic elements.

Potential clients visiting a website tend to browse around aimlessly. That’s why product companies that follow product development trends specifically focus on beautiful photos, well-chosen colors, simplicity, and visual emphasis on the most important objects, which is key to making quick, impulsive sales.

Video reviews

Providing an alternative to a text description is a significant product development trend in 2022. Arguably, it is more convenient for most people to watch a video than read a boring product description. Adding video reviews can also be your advantage over competitors because rather than reading a common text-based description, buyers are more interested in watching reviews. That way, they can not only learn about the advantages and disadvantages of the product but also see how to use it. 

Product development trends: A creative approach

The client usually sees the main banner with some promotion or a new model collection when entering your site. So, approach its development with creativity and a little bit of magic and try to make a wow-effect on your visitor: add animations and interactive elements to attract their attention.

Also, be sure to make scrolling down the page simple and pleasing to the eye. Remember, you only have 8 seconds to attract newcomers and turn them into buyers. 

READ ALSO: When do you Need Full-Cycle Product Development?

Personalization

Don’t be afraid to do something new. Your main goal is to be remembered by your visitors. Come up with a memorable name, create a beautiful, straightforward logo, and choose an easy-to-read domain. According to the product development trends of 2022, the best thing is to brand your site and develop your own unique brand book. Also, carefully choose the font for your product. 

Current issues and trends in product development: Mobile version

No matter how trite this point may sound, mobile traffic accounts for a considerable percentage of all website visits. In fact, the number of purchases made from smartphones has grown by 30% over the past couple of years. We can conclude that your project scope should include creating a mobile version, as a well-designed mobile app will potentially be a huge part of your future sales. 

Artificial Intelligence and chatbots

Online store owners know that it takes a whole team to develop and manage it. You need developers, support reps, managers, warehouse workers, and many other specialists. Chatbots, as one of the product development trends of 2022, will help you automate the sales process and delegate routine tasks. Chatbots can guide users through an automatic sales funnel, answer frequently asked questions, redirect them to the pages they need, and much more. It will help clients get a lightning-fast answer to their questions and not get lost on your site.

READ ALSO: Best European Cities to Find Web Developers

For those who think that AI is only in its early stages and it is too soon to implement it, here are a few examples of what has already been done today using AI technologies:

• Automatic selection of goods, depending on past search queries and potential interests of the user, all collected through a variety of channels;
• Usage and optimization of voice and text search in the online store;
• Automatic selection of the color scheme of the site, changing the shape of the buttons based on the user’s preferences;
• Analyzing the user’s mood based on their comments.

Not to mention that the robot can automatically change the price on your site based on the percentage of your margin or cost from the supplier.

3D/Virtual Reality product development trends

This is one of the hottest product development trends of 2022. Nowadays, more and more online stores appear where you can see the product, twist it, and in some cases, try it virtually on yourself. Implement 3D or VR technology on your site, and your customers will be much less likely to have doubts like: “What if the product doesn’t suit me?,” “What if the color is not the same as in the photo?” and so on.

Current issues and trends in product development: Progressive Web Apps

The main feature of a PWA is autonomy and the need for a permanent connection to the Internet. Their functionality is akin to that of a mobile application. Today, device memory is a crucial indicator for everyday life. PWAs do not need to be installed, thus they help you save a lot of space on your device, which can make your product even more attractive to potential users. 

READ ALSO: Web App Issues and Ways to Avoid Them

Finally, Accelerated Mobile Pages

When it comes to digital trends in product development, AMPs stand out as an open-source accelerated mobile page technology. It was introduced by Google in October 2015 and is currently gaining momentum. Thanks to AMPs, your site will open almost instantly on any mobile device. Google actively promotes AMPs and rewards site owners who implement them with higher positions in organic search.

This technology has an open-source code, extensive manuals, and guidelines in different languages, and it is also completely free. 

We at nCube can build your remote product development team that can implement the most recent trends in product development – contact us to discuss your team augmentation needs.