How Gen Z is redefining digital experience for everyone

For more than a decade, digital innovation has been about more: more content, more channels, more data, more features. But after four waves of research, 3,000+ participants and a year spent tracking digital behaviour across generations, one truth is now impossible to ignore.

People don’t want more digital. They want better digital. They want digital that gets out of the way.

This is the story of how Gen Z’s relationship with technology - fast, fluid and increasingly fatigued - is shaping the future of digital experience for everyone.

Today's digital problem

Gen Z grew up with infinite choice and instant access. They can change a brand as easily as a song. But they aren’t fickle - they’re responsive. When something no longer meets their needs, they move on - with 3/5 saying they'd drop a brand permanently for bad DX.

And increasingly, they’re moving on because digital has become exhausting. The dopamine hit has faded. Doomscrolling has turned to burnout. Terms like brain rot and digital detox have entered the mainstream lexicon. Across generations, people are protecting themselves from too much digital by setting limits, tracking screen time and seeking “tech-free” moments.

For brands, this creates a problem. Digital is still the primary channel for engagement, yet the audience’s tolerance for digital noise has never been lower. The challenge now isn’t to grab attention; it’s to earn attention.

The Shift: From digital excess to digital minimalism

1. Time saved defines engagement, not time spent

Our fourth wave of Shifting States – our year-long research programme - reveals a universal demand that transcends age, sector and device. People across all generations over 18 - from Gen Z to Boomers - now define a great digital experience the same way: Effortless.

Nine in ten cross-generational respondents said ‘effortless digital experiences are important or very important when choosing a brand’. This isn’t a Gen Z preference. It’s a human one.

In an age of digital overload, the experiences people value most are the ones that demand the least. The fewer clicks, the fewer interruptions, the faster and clearer the journey, the higher the trust, satisfaction and loyalty.

Effortlessness is no longer a feature. It’s a strategy. In 2026, success will depend on where you prioritise your digital efforts. Our research points to three that matter most - the shifts every brand needs to make to design digital experiences people return to.

2. Performance first, personsalisation second

Personalised experiences – from localised recommendations to tailored content - have long been sold as the secret to relevance, especially for Gen Z. But our data shows otherwise. When asked all people aged 18 and over what makes an experience feel effortless, the top answers were:

1. High security and trust signals
2. Clear navigation
3. Fast checkout
4. Fast load
5. Fast login

Personalisation ranked last. Only 10% of people listed it as a priority.

That doesn’t mean personalisation is worthless. In fact, 85% of Gen Z said they’ll engage with personalised content - but it only enhances an experience once the fundamentals are right. A slow or unstable personalised experience isn’t better. It’s worse. Because you can’t personalise your way out of a bad experience.

So, before you personalise, optimise. Speed, stability and clarity build the trust that makes personalisation worthwhile. Across generations, the equation holds true: Performance builds trust, trust builds loyalty.

Bad manners destroy a digital experience

Our fourth wave of Shifting States – our year-long research programme - reveals a universal demand that transcends age, sector and device. People across all generations over 18 - from Gen Z to Boomers - now define a great digital experience the same way: Effortless.

Nine in ten cross-generational respondents said ‘effortless digital experiences are important or very important when choosing a brand’. This isn’t a Gen Z preference. It’s a human one.

In an age of digital overload, the experiences people value most are the ones that demand the least. The fewer clicks, the fewer interruptions, the faster and clearer the journey, the higher the trust, satisfaction and loyalty.

Effortlessness is no longer a feature. It’s a strategy. In 2026, success will depend on where you prioritise your digital efforts. Our research points to three that matter most - the shifts every brand needs to make to design digital experiences people return to.

What effortless design really means

Effortless design doesn’t mean plain design. It means doing the hard work behind the scenes - like a swan gliding on the surface, powered by unseen effort beneath - simplifying complexity so users can get what they need with ease. It means building systems that save time, strip friction and prioritise performance over the next big thing.

For brands, that’s good news. The impossible brief - designing for four generations at once -suddenly becomes achievable. Effortlessness is the great equaliser. When an experience is fast, secure and intuitive, it works for everyone.

But it’s also a warning. In 2026, if you fail to deliver effortless digital experiences, you won’t just lose Gen Z. You’ll lose everyone. When experience breaks, loyalty breaks and switching has never been easier.

The three priorities for effortless DX in 2026

1. Make time saved the measure of engagement.
   Redefine engagement. Focus on task completion time and repeat efficiency, not time spent on page. The best experiences give time back.
2. Eliminate digital bad manners.
   Interruptions, delays and repetition ruin experiences. Design like your customer’s time matters as much as their loyalty.
3. Put performance before personalisation.
   Speed, security and clarity are the new differentiators. Fix the fundamentals first. Then feel the real power of personalisation.

What happens next

This is just the start. Over the coming weeks, you’ll hear from our specialists in data, tech, creative and UX about how to turn these insights into practice: how to measure effortlessness, design for speed, build trust through performance and strip friction from your customer journeys.

Each expert will explore how effortlessness reshapes their discipline, from backend systems to front-end storytelling. Together, they’ll show how to make the digital experiences people actually want to come back to.

The next generation of digital experience isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less, better. Effortlessness is the new competitive advantage because when choice is infinite, simplicity wins.

So, ask yourself: Are you ready to prioritise effortlessness above all else? If not, your users will choose someone who already has.

Need help understanding what your users want?

Daniel is standing by. We can get you on a call.