I sense an undercurrent forming - The biggest digital breakthrough (AI) seem to be pushing some people away from digital (towards analog). This isn't fear or retro being cool.
It is a result of repeatedly slapping the next shiny thing into everything possible without deep thought, their true usefulness, safety measures, or concern for user experience. This isn't just digital products and apps. Take cars for example. Some folks go looking for cars from yesteryears with analog controls, manual window crank and even manual shift at the extreme. I wonder if this played a role in Slate Auto's decision to make their "Blank Slate" trim (no infotainment, no speakers, crank windows by default) beyond just keeping costs down.
I find people falling into roughly three groups in the spectrum of frustration and the journey of crossover (i.e. looking for alternative)
- The first group have crossed over or actively in the process of.
- The second group is feeling it. Some might eventually crossover and others won’t.
- The third group is indifferent or inconspicuous and will stay.
Regardless of which group someone falls into, the response isn't to abandon digital - it's to build differently. The key is to build products that are defined by what's not included as much as what's included. That mindset isn’t easy or common and may not be conducive to near-term financial gains, but it is needed and could have better long-term financial outlook and brand value.
First published in LinkedIn: