The future of communication

From smartphones to out-of-home campaigns – communication is happening all the time, everywhere. Paul Watzlawick's notion that "one cannot not communicate" has since been widely acknowledged, and so has the fact that new technologies will assume a key role in tomorrow's communication. The unprecedented profits made by Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook during the COVID pandemic speak volumes, as does a survey by the analytics platform "App Annie", according to which the average smartphone user spends 3.7 hours a day on their phone - with an upward tendency.
 
The translation of technological innovation into usability calls for a high degree of design competence: Technology has to be designed by people for people. What will the smartphone of tomorrow look like, and the future of communication in commerce? And what is the future of communication in retail? Does the appealing user interface meet the requirements of the social media platform, or should design go much deeper than that? What will become of every-day analog communication in times of social distancing? And last, but not least: What can design offer to ensure people-friendly communication?
 
Communication ethics increasingly involves media ethics as well. In this context, the question of transparency is becoming a decisive factor for the acceptance of new technologies and their applications. Does this mean that the holistic perspective on brands has become obsolete in times of chatbots and attention hacking? Does it require new design strategies, and what can design contribute to fulfilling its responsibility toward society? Because one thing is for sure: Communication is everything. It must, however, be shaped.