UX technology
Trend 10: JavaScript in the frontend technology landscape continues to dominate
JavaScript has been popular as a programming language. Its capabilities such as native support on browsers and the ability to run on many devices make it a compelling choice for developers to reach a wide audience.
Innovations such as client-side state management libraries (Redux, NgRx, VueX), progressive web applications (inbuilt support by browsers and popular libraries), and micro frontends (webpack module federation) help handle complex applications and utilize opportunities provided by the application programming interface (API) economy. A vibrant open source community continuously supports all these innovations. While JavaScript is a language interpreted at runtime, TypeScript enables developers to have compile-time type checking. Webpack, “rollup,” “npm,” etc., are examples of maturing tools that support the JavaScript ecosystem and developer productivity in creating optimized web applications.
Web assembly is a possible future technology that may complement or provide the ability for other languages to increase popularity on the web. Innovations are also underway to automate the creation of frontends. Low-code, no-code (LCNC) platforms such as UiZard can convert sketch to code. Similarly, Microsoft's ink to code can convert a wireframe to code.
For a global supermarket chain, the ask was to deliver a single-page experience covering multiple modules. Infosys adopted a micro frontend-based approach, aiding teams to independently work on various modules and eventually deliver a single-page experience to end users. This approach simplified the overall development process and reduced the application complexity.
UX technology
Trend 11: Spatial UIs with real-time inputs enhance UX
AI, VR, and MR UXs rely on real-time inputs from the physical world to deliver outputs. These are a blend of real-world data and programmed elements that make them suitable for this phygital environment.
The launch of XR-enabled UXs has been delayed due to the high costs and lack of device support. Today, XR-enabled technology is available even in mobile handsets, with market leaders Google's ARCore and Apple's ARKit becoming mainstream. Once Apple launched its ARKit as part of iOS 11, it was able to add thousands of AR apps to the App Store. Microsoft also released its MR toolkit with Unity as open source, which helps developers learn techniques and best practices to develop applications on the Microsoft HoloLens and Open VT platforms.
Infosys experts anticipate faster adoption of AR and VR technologies for gaming, retail, and navigational use cases. However, the pace of XR adoption is rather slow due to ambiguity around how technology can help enterprises solve specific problems. Companies will need to conduct focused research on specific use cases relevant to their business and analyze the ROI of each scenario to accelerate the successful adoption of XR.
A global technology company, in collaboration with Infosys, created an augmented-assistance printer repair solution with the remote assistance of Apple ARKit. The solution helps technicians recognize the equipment and provide contextual information using AR.
UX technology
Trend 12: SAP's LCNC tools encourage citizen developers
According to Gartner, LCNC will power 70% of application development across enterprises by 2025. Trends indicate steep, projected growth of 165% every two years.
SAP AG is a leader in enabling citizen developers with LCNC tools and platforms to build enterprise-grade applications. It provides streamlined UXs for any business domain. Solidifying its place in enterprise cloud development with its latest business technology platform, SAP added a premier NC app development service to its cloud service portfolio with the acquisition of AppGyver. This will be accessible as a cloud service and augment the existing Mendix platform.
These additions give SAP customers a plethora of options for rapid application development using its enterprise-grade architecture and business intelligence. This enables citizen developers to build applications, in line with SAP Fiori 3.0 design guidelines, while targeting smart devices.
Future trends indicate the integration of AR and VR with SAP's AI platform Leonardo to provide more intuitive and powerful enterprise applications.
Infosys' Smart Warehouse Management solution, powered by SAP and the Fiori framework, helps in automating warehouse management for large businesses. A proof of concept has been completed to renew the solution with AppGyver (SAP's LCNC platform). AppGyver plays a key role in developing applications that can run on multiple devices and operating systems.
