Hi Friends! Welcome to the 50+ people who signed up last week. I’m excited to share this week’s “Designing Near Future” Newsletter with you.

Here’s what’s in store today:

⭐ 1 Shift: Is ‘Productivity’ the New Buzz Word?

⚡ 1 Tip : How to Keep Designs Relevant During Downtime

💊 3 Resources: Creative resources for taking your work to the next level

⭐ Shift

Is ‘Productivity’ the New Buzz Word?

A staggering rise in searches for "how to be productive?" has taken over Google Trends in the past three months, reaching a 15-year peak. The thirst for productivity tips is evidently at an all-time high! This isn't too surprising though. A lot of us are trying to handle working from two different places:

Our homes and traditional offices.
Our regular 9-to-5 jobs and side hustles.
Our fears of being replaced by AI to figuring out how to use AI.

All of these changes and questions over the past few years have made understanding work pretty tricky. But hey, we're all in this together, trying to make sense of it! One thing that is clear, however, is that people are investing in themselves, and doing it in style.

Let’s dive deeper.

What Productivity Products are Booming?

Mechanical keyboards like the ones from Keychron have risen in popularity significantly over the last 2 years. Google Trends also suggests this in terms of search volumes. Subreddits Mechmarket and MechanicalKeyboards together have close to 1.5M members. This number is 4 times what it was 5 years ago.

Now, it’s not necessarily the Keyboards themselves that are interesting but how these devices are integrating novel experiences to boost productivity. Eg. This new Work Louder Keyboard has a screen embedded with a Pomodoro type work timer. And then there is this project that has successfully raised $250k+ on Indiegogo to bring a keyboard + touch screen combo to life. Numerous others now feature customizable macros, knobs and key switches to match your desired workflow.

YouTube desk tours reveal an increasingly diverse array of gadgets finding their way onto our desks, from desk mats to webcam lights and extra monitors. Items like Monitor Light Bars, which didn't gain much attention until recently, are now being manufactured by major brands like BenQ and Mi, and are enjoying robust sales. These additions, according to a study by Jon Peddie, could potentially enhance productivity by up to 40%, particularly when adding a second monitor. But the question remains, are these tools genuinely boosting our productivity?

Productivity Apps

The need to be productive is also well reflected in the software side of things. According to a study by Statista, the global productivity app market size was valued at $9420.35 million in 2021 and is expected to reach $15971.55 million by 2028. The study also found that the market is growing at a CAGR of 9.1% from 2021 to 2028.

This is well reflected in the success of apps like Notion, boasting 30M+ users and an estimated valuation of $10 Billion. 10 Freaking Bil!

Would you include ChatGPT in the list of productivity apps too? If yes, then you know this market is going to absolutely skyrocket in the coming months to years as Gen-Z and Millennials both strive to be more productive.

Brands to watch out for

1. Opal : They are promising computational photography on a webcam for the first time. One of the nicest looking webcams in the market. (it’s also $250 lol!)

2. Orbit Key : Beautiful everyday and desk accessories. Their desk mat is a pretty smart solution to hide clutter. It’ll be very interesting to watch this brand in the future.

3. Otter : The software generates automated meeting notes for all major platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, etc. It also allows you to remember the important conversations you've had, all stored and searchable. Exciting stuff.

So what’s the shift?

Productivity tools are on the rise but they are stressing you out

Unfortunately the influx of productivity tools is not necessarily making people productive. According to a study by the University of California, Berkeley, using productivity apps can actually lead to increased stress and burnout. The study found that people who used productivity apps were more likely to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed. These participants were more likely to work longer hours and take fewer breaks.

From 2019 to 2022, according to Gallup surveys, the share of people under 35 who reported being engaged with their jobs dropped from 37% to 33% — the lowest level since 2011. This article from a couple of months ago also points out that over 40% workers today are burned out, which the World Health Organization defines as an increased mental distance from one’s job, feelings of energy depletion and negativism.

What does all this mean? It means that we haven’t really solved for this space. Complexity brings new opportunities! Loads of them.

Exciting opportunities for building in this space:

1. Mindful Productivity : Hustle Porn is at it’s absolute worst right now. There is a unique opportunity to design products physical and digital that encourage mindfulness alongside boosting productivity. Why do these tools live in silo? What does the Headspace x Notion collab look like?

2. Distraction-free Phygital systems : Currently, productivity solutions are split between hardware and apps, without much integration. This presents a unique chance for creators in this field to consider developing a comprehensive system, rather than isolated solutions.

As with most things in life, this shift may seem contradictory. Why are we failing to make a change when we are making more tools to perform better. You take a guess! 🙂 

⚡ Tip

How to Keep Designs Relevant During Downtime

Products perform when not in use.

I am borrowing this idea from Sung Jang and Martin Thaler. The idea is to not only design your products for when they are in use, but to give equal care to them for when they are not in use.

Here is a 3 point checklist to consider -

1) Is the design easy to store?
Things like stacking, transforming, portability, etc. are key here. Think about how the product looks, feels and performs when storing or transporting it. Does it have affordances for carrying it? Does it save space?

2) Is the design easy to clean?
Over time, all things require maintenance. Think about what involvement it needs from the user to clean it. Many products with fabrics, glue, etc. aren’t easily cleanable. Your material choices and form choices can help.

3) Is the design beautiful when not in use?
Most products are made beautiful for when they are in use but little aesthetical qualities are considered when not in use. Most power tools are a victim of this. So are vacuum cleaners. Consider how your products blend in or stand out when not in use.