Trust was something we had always taken for granted, but now we are skeptical the moment we step out of the four walls of our house. The thought of picking up a product in a Big Bazaar store or the waiting time in a hospital is nerve wracking. We had never thought about it earlier, but this feeling of well-being we have in public spaces comes from an inherent feeling of safety and security. 

How do we trust that our surroundings are safe? 

Our environments everywhere have transformed into intimidating grounds with multiple rules and compliances. There is a growing paranoia in people about public spaces, as anyone can be infected anytime — the virus is an invisible stranger in our midst. The debates surrounding applications like Aarogya Setu and Zoom exemplify the emotional turmoil people are feeling right now. Technology has quickly aided in relaxing social distancing measures; however, its adoption and efficacy really depend upon public trust — a dwindling factor right now.

How can businesses bring back that feeling of trust so that people feel good about engaging in commercial activities?

While businesses have been eagerly sending out messaging with this very intent to give people assurance, their audience is subject to information overload and graphic fatigue.

Spaces are now filled with new yellow, black, and red emergency signage. Too much information, that too shouting out in the same key and intensity, is likely to be tuned out as people become desensitized to the “new normal.”

As a business, are you equipped to mitigate these anxieties and connect with your consumer? No longer will we be enticed by the pleasures of convenience; with our health on the line, our value systems are firmly moving to a foundation of trust. Design can bring that unique quantum of solace, giving comfort and tiding over these strange times by finding new and valuable humanistic expressions that connect with your community.

‘Dis’-engaged Physical Environments

Social distancing will influence our lives for the next two years, says a KPMG report. Forbes quotes a study from Investment firm UBS, estimating 75,000 brick-and-mortar store closures by 2026. This has led to talk of a ‘retail apocalypse’.

With increased reluctance to physically interact, the trend of touchless retail and automation is growing. People are more likely to be comfortable with cashless payments, robot cashiers, self-checkout, RFID scanners etc. While the move is imperative, the actual learning curve in India will have to be aided with directions and guidelines. Now, with an increase in compliance and reduction in trust, the new role of wayfinding will go beyond mere orientation.

How easy is it for users to adapt to these unmanned stations? As a brand, you can bring your philosophy alive through well-designed navigation experiences visually embedded in the space with your brand ethos. 

Offices will reopen with new sanitation procedures and navigation. Users need to be reoriented through spaces while avoiding unnecessary contact. Design agencies play an important role here in creating navigable spaces. They will have to consider the user’s journey — from the moment they leave the safety of their homes to getting situated at their desk, or shopping again in their favorite stores, or joining their friends for dinner in close quarters.

As your organisation tackles these new challenges, there is a wider opportunity to design an experience that articulates your organization’s brand and integrates with the architecture of each space. Materials, colors, locations and the scale of new signs should complement these spaces. At Lopez Design, we have worked with brands to align their brand personality through the use of dynamic communications in Nestaway Homes, creative illustrations for Mercer Offices and positive visual appeal for the Partner’s Forum 2018.

Bridging Digital Environments

With the gap between digital and built environments closing in, consumers are seeking an omnichannel experience on all platforms. This is the time to create consistent agile systems which showcase your brand values through all communication channels.

Trust being a decisive factor, makes the study of users even more crucial in this time to deliver the right fit for their needs. Strong insights can lead the way forward in the delivery of UI/UX systems for digital platforms.  The ominous and restrictive compliances can be transformed into innovative solutions to create positive and uplifting brand experiences.

Wonder how we can convert physical experiences to the digital realm while still retaining your unique brand values and people-centric experiences?

We build brands from ground up by harnessing their untapped potential to create exponential growth. Find out how we make it happen. Contact A.mukherjee at nb@lopezdesign.com.

Lopez Design is a multidisciplinary and cross-functional design firm that looks at design as a way to connect organisations to their true goals and be inspired to evolve and transform their brand in unprecedented ways. We believe — everything is by design, everything is about people and everything is connected.

Written by Nishita Karun
Illustrations: Saumya Mittal & Anthony Lopez
Edited by Sujatha Shankar Kumar