I can't believe it's February already.

The Ux discipline has evolved into the key for success for any digital product. This trend will continue this year as brands continue to update and new start-ups are born. Ux designers will continue to be the force for design to be empathetic and useful.

This year I'm curious to see what is next for Ux. A new device, methodology, or tool? Ux has definitely shaped what we see in our mobiles and desktops to an easier to perceive and digest layout. Responsive websites display the same content on any device without discrimination. Content is king, and it's mobile first. Absolutely has to be organized and displayed for a specific audience. Who is it for? What users hope to accomplish during their visit? User, motivation, and emotion. Defining the experience for a brand needs to take this type of thinking into a strategy that takes into the entire ecosystem into consideration.

Lots of apps are focusing on what people are actually doing, instead of overwhelming them with features. Start-ups have pushed services into the next level with holistic digital solutions. Tesla, Airbnb, Uber, Seamless, Slack - These brands have it right. They know their audience well, and provide easy to use digital services as an ecosystem and exciting new features and products. I use Airbnb for most of my vacations and to my liking I can access this service from my app or web browser. Anywhere!

I used Uber in Bali. Yup, Uber is now in South East Asia.

All of their features have taken into consideration an experience that starts from awareness all the way to advocation. The main stages of the experiences, are able to divide and focus on what users will be interacting with.

Big brands from the last century are playing catchup. Some of them made a splash, but nothing that has reached the shore. This year, I'm curious to see how these brands tackle their "Millennial" audience, hoping to see larger budgets for projects and more autonomy in design and business decisions. What they need to understand is with their growth, they are unaware of what customer service really means. When I want to buy something, I research almost too much to get the exact product I want. I read reviews from many different sites, interact with people on social networks, etc. The smart shopper, what brands need to embrace, and stop wondering if their product is going to get a "1-star" rating or a mean review.

The customer experience can help structure a brand's ecosystem and help them better reach their audience. Start-ups have to be quick and aggressive to push their MVP and engage people; then test, iterate, and build. Brands have to do the same, don't take years in building a new site because this way, you will always be years behind the needle. As Ux designers we guide the process to be user-focused, but also collaborative.