In this article we will cover the term the Next Billion Users. From there, we will delve a bit deeper into the issues they are facing and how we as UX designers are challenged with making their user experience as easy and seamless as possible.

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Who are the users of tomorrow & where do they come from?

The users of tomorrow, also known under the term the Next Billion Users describes a group of new users, one billion to be more precise, who will be entering the internet for their very first time by the end of 2021…coincidentally, I am writing about this topic at a perfect timing. According to Euromonitor, nearly half of these consumers come from 11 different emerging countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Not only will the new user base bring vast opportunities worth trillions of dollars in consumer spending, but also will new unique challenges evolve for both the end-users and us UX designers; to design for the next billion users we need to fully understand their specific needs, preferences and behaviours.

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What challenges do the new users face?

As a UX stakeholder we have to keep the newly entering users in mind when designing and developing new solutions as they are facing the following issues:

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Cost

Let’s take a phone as an example. Most users, especially from the Western Society, do possess or simply can afford to buy the newest and highest-quality smartphones (e.g. iPhone) available on the market. Conversely, the majority of new users is limited when it comes to their affordability and general access to technology. Thus, it is highly likely that their phone represent an older model with a shorter battery life and a lower storage. Besides, some may have a phone with only a very small touchscreen, while others may not have a touchscreen phone at all. One UX key challenge would be to find a feasible design solution for a low storage phone. Also consider, that low storage means longer loading periods which may cause frustration for the user. So not only will you have to come up with a feasible solution from a business perspective but also will you need to concentrate on making loading periods less painful and boring for a user. Low storage also means that a user may or may not be able to install an app. Think about the amount of space your apps take away on your phone’s storage. Making an app more compact to fit on a low storage device is also crucial to contemplate.

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Connectivity

Another big issue a user is confronted with refers to their digital connectedness. In truth, millions of people do not have permanent access to the internet but rather sporadic service which makes things more difficult on both ends. A slow internet connection also contributes to longer loading periods and a less enjoyable user experience. Additionally, users may experience a freeze while using an app, especially one that requires internet access. As a UX designer we can minimise the risk of a bad user experience by making an app useable offline.

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Digital literacy

Another aspect we tend to forget about quite frequently is the fact that many of the new users may not be able to understand certain UI patterns (e.g. breadcrumb navigation to trace back their steps), icons (e.g. heart icon to mark a user’s favorites) or even call to actions (e.g. sign up now). According to the Nielsen Norman Group, this problem arouses as users have never been exposed to these sort of digital elements before. Their understanding is therefore limited and fixated on previous experiences. Hence, simple text labels or even video tutorials for the setup of a new phone or installation of an app, become greatly relevant.

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General literacy

When we zoom out a bit further, we also come to realise that there is a vast number of illiterates in the modern world. On the report of ScienceDirect, approximately 70% of adults from emerging countries aged 15 or older can neither read nor write; whilst, developed countries have an illiteracy rate of as low as 15% only. This is a major obstacle needed to be tackled. Thankfully organisations such as the Worldbank are eager to bump up the literacy rate in developing countries by offering access to new learning platforms and by implementing a new education approach. But what does that mean for us UX designers? How can we act now to make the experience for illiterates still as easy and seamless as possible? One way is to focus heavily on assistive technology which includes voice control for instance. This enables users to interact with their phone solely by using their voice. However, this technology needs to be further improved as the inclusion of various spoken dialects throughout developing countries is not given yet. Another way of assisting the user is by integrating a screen reader function which reads text, even button text, out loud and can be applied for both websites and apps.

I could keep going further into details but the point is that palpable problems exist and need to be addressed and resolved in a reasonable scope. Only then, it is possible to offer individual support, depending on the user’s unique circumstances, to produce a fair outcome to everyone. Fundamentally, when creating new design solutions, don’t just think about the existing users. Also think about the users that may not even know that they will be amongst your user base one day. Keep the users of tomorrow in mind, always.

Til next time 👋🏻

— Carina