Save Your Website from Enshittification:
Learning from the history of product design so we aren’t doomed to repeat it
The internet is becoming an increasingly uncomfortable place to exist in. The constant pursuit of “more” has outpaced the pursuit for “better”. And we are all suffering for it. Software development teams — and more specifically product designers — need to take initiative now to implement good user-centered practices when developing digital products, or the deterioration will only continue.
Industrial design and the evolution of physical products provides a lens for us to anticipate how digital design will evolve — or devolve — in the near future. We are seeing the intentional degradation of physical products as quality rapidly declines and people increasingly move towards thrifted or handmade items. It is likely that if we continue down the path we are on, we will see a similar deterioration in the quality of websites and digital products.
For continued business growth, we will need to improve the quality of our digital experiences. Companies will need to invest more upfront in user research and sustainable practices to create products that will maintain and increase their value into the future.
History of Design
Historically, products were designed for specific and individual use. Items were made with consideration by the family, for the family. Because people had to rely on handicrafts, there was a high time investment for creation of any product; one could not waste time making something that would not last.
Enter the Industrial Revolution. With the advent of automated machinery there was also the implementation of mass production. The Bauhaus and Art & Crafts movements embody the ongoing tension between quantity and quality in art and design disciplines. Both rose as a direct response to industrialization — the Arts & Crafts movement in opposition to it, relying on handicraft and elaborate detailing as a way to bring back “quality”; and Bauhaus as an embrace of new methods of manufacturing and minimalism to succeed in the modern age.
Next on stage is the post-World War II era, which fostered a boom in consumerism. The manufacturing facilities from the war could now focus on domestic production, and the post-Depression era had an excess of wealth to be spent. People needed the newest and the best, in every color. There was also an increasing prevalence of plastics and synthetic materials. Thomas Hine, an author of design, culture, and history, coined the term “populuxe” as both a title of one of his novels and as a summary of the materialism of the 50s and 60s. The term captures the obsession with luxury and consumption and serves as a perfect descriptor for the movement and evolution of product design. Products became more, bigger, and better in service of popular demand. From Populuxe: “It is having things in a way that had never been had before, and it is an expression of outright, thoroughly vulgar joy in being able to live so well.” Things were made to be consumed and then replaced with the next new item in service of the American economic engine, in a process that came to be known as planned obsolescence.
Now in the digital era, we are seeing the same trends happen at an accelerated pace. At the advent of the internet, we had specific websites targeting specific needs; there was more difficulty in finding products and information, but what did exist was curated. Now, we have recipes peppered with advertisements, more streaming sites than anyone can keep track of, and a half page of “sponsored” Google results. The internet has become bigger, but not necessarily better. And in many cases worse; undergoing ‘enshittification’, a term created by blogger Cory Doctorow to describe the increasing focus by digital platforms on maximizing profits at the cost of the user. This is the digital equivalent of the planned obsolescence and shrinkflation seen in the physical space, and is the first indicator of web design following in the steps of industrial design’s de-evolution.
Current Reactions to Design Evolution
Today we are now facing limitations on resources caused by this overconsumption: material limitations, energy limitations, and mental limitations. In response to these limitations, many people are cycling back to custom and handmade items. Homes and Gardens cites handmade, vintage, and sustainable furniture as some of the top trends of 2024. Thrifting and second-hand shopping are facing a boom, with the market set to double by 2027. Not to mention, hand-crafting hobbies are on the rise after the pandemic with a predicted annual growth rate of nearly 9%.
People are not only turning to second-hand items, but custom items as well. People are willing to invest in a product that will last and that will suit them individually, which is only becoming more common as people struggle to find quality products in the existing market. In a study by Deloitte, more than 50% of consumers expressed interest in customized products, and 1 in 5 were willing to pay up to 20% more.
A clear pattern is emerging where people are increasingly turning to items that will serve them better, both as an individual and as a more enduring product. In a physical imitation of churn, low quality products provide more opportunities for users to switch brands each time a product breaks or wears out. By creating quality products, your company is reducing potential for churn as well as building trust and loyalty to both the company and the product.
Successful Product Design Moving Forward
Creating successful products moving forward will require building for your users. They will not only expect high-quality products, but will also demand curated experiences that can cater to their unique individual needs as technology evolves. User-centered design is not a new concept, but it needs to gain even more traction if we want to build a sustainable digital landscape that will last for future generations.
The coinage of “enshittification” is indicative of the decreasing levels of faith people have in our digital products. And the phenomenon is not an isolated experience, considering it was voted 2023 Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society. In order to retain users, businesses will need to invest in rebuilding their trust. Success in this will mean delivering real value to users right when they need it. Companies will need to dedicate more to user research (check out this article for tools and strategies to get started) and anticipate user needs rather than simply reacting to them. The voices of your users should be just as strong as those of business stakeholders — if not stronger. Quick wins might serve well for now, but investing in the long term will prevent continuing trust freefall and allow for continued growth. A strong user base is one that is happy with the service/product being provided; and happy customers will help grow your users through word of mouth and recommendations.
Sustainable practices for the future mean more than just user trust as well. To stay successful moving into the future, products must also move towards a circular economy. Don Norman speaks to this in his most recent book, Design for a Better World: Meaningful, Sustainable, Humanity Centered. In it he speaks to how design must go beyond user-centered to be humanity-centered. Circular design will ensure that production can continue into the future without interruption as well as appeal to users interested in sustainable purchasing practices. This is an increasingly large cohort, with one study indicating that ⅓ of users have begun to make significant changes in their purchasing behavior towards sustainable products. Sustainability is even more important to upcoming generations, with a study by Deloitte showing 1 in 4 Gen Zs and Millennials will stop or lessen their relationship with a business due to unsustainable practices, and over 60% are willing to pay more for sustainable products. By creating a circular economy, companies can both lean into this growing trend as well as create better manufacturing processes to decrease future build and material costs. Successful companies like IKEA and Patagonia are already implementing circular practices and sustainability goals.
If you think tech is exempt from sustainability, think again. The newest tech trend, artificial intelligence (AI), comes with a huge environmental price tag. Training a large language model (LLM) consumes massive amounts of electricity and water, and emits hundreds of tons of carbon into the atmosphere. AI can be a great tool to automate mundane, time-consuming tasks allowing you to focus on high-value efforts to expedite development and drive business outcomes. But it should be weighed against the time, effort, and environmental costs it takes to build and call these LLMs. It is important to understand the real user needs behind any given problem and ethically consider all solutions available.
Conclusion
Designing for the future means designing for the user, not the bottom line. By engaging with best design and research practices and aiming for a circular digital economy, we can create better products that will help grow and sustain businesses into the future. Quality software reaches more users, creates less churn, and drives more value for companies.
And if you would like to learn more about software development best practices and how to help your company build a gold-standard product that will last please reach out!
