Much like late-stage capitalism, late-stage UX is characterized by its market saturation, heavy focus on financial growth, commoditization, automation, and increased financialization. Corporations exert significant influence over the economy and society, and designers can only push so far when advocating for user needs. How can we navigate this landscape as designers in 2024?

The characteristics of late-stage UX, that are covered in the report:

01
Automation
AI automates an increasing part of our jobs and reduces demand for designers in certain markets.

02
Saturation
Supply of designers outstrips demand. Market is still uncertain.

03
Commoditization
Focus on scalability and standardization over differentiation and delight.

04
Financialization
Greater influence of financial health, shareholders interests, and business metrics in design decisions.

05
Disintegration
Lack of trust in digital products makes users either skeptical, complacent, or susceptible to exploitation.