Facing an explosion of digital clutter resulting from two decades of rapid technology growth and innovation, people and organisations are rethinking what they really want, says a new report by Accenture.

A fundamental re-examination of what people want and value is ushering in a new design ethos that puts human value back at the center of innovation. At this inflection point, Accenture Interactive has released Fjord Trends 2019, its 12th annual outlook on what’s ahead for the future of business, technology and design.

According to the report, years of organisational investment in innovation have left customers feeling inundated and overwhelmed, straining the demands on our time and attention. Whereas once we craved the novelty, excitement and instant gratification, we now crave more quiet and meaning in a noisy world.

People and organisations are doing some soul-searching about what they really value, rejecting products and services that don’t meet their needs – in effect, changing the nature of our relationships with technology and brands.

“Digital is facing a big spring cleaning: a time when we decide whether something still has value and relevance to our lives,” said Mark Curtis, Fjord’s co-founder and chief client officer. “Digital is now so widely adopted that its novelty has worn off. In their attempt to declutter, people are being more selective about which products and services they incorporate into their daily lives, choosing to disconnect, unsubscribe or opt-out if the value exchange is not mutual. Never before has the responsibility of design been more important.”

According to Emma Carpenter, design director for Fjord Johannesburg, the one-size-fits-all approach has never worked on the African continent and non-homogenised society in South Africa.

“In order to fully recognise, celebrate and harness the diversity and culturally distinct groups–that cross borders and political boundaries–we are required to find new ways to fully understand from the inside-out. The opportunity exists in creating unique links between not-for-profits, communities and corporate organisations to help educate from within,” says Carpenter.

“The challenge plays out locally for both brands and governments when serving culturally complex and diverse communities. If Africa can harness everything technology and AI has to offer, in recognising origin, roots and history of the individual, it will set the precedent which the rest of the world will need to take notice,” says Kathryn Richards, design director for Fjord Johannesburg.

This mindset shift has major implications — and creates massive opportunities — for organisations and for customer experience, says the report. It’s time to take stock and rethink products, services, and experiences that people actually want and value.

“Winners in 2019 will be those organisations that provide a sense of value and relevance not only to individuals, but also to the world,” says Brian Whipple, CEO of Accenture Interactive. “Value creation will not come from simply growing bigger, but by being better. Consistent with our mission to create, build and run the best customer experiences for our clients, we believe this year’s trends support our guiding principle that the best experiences are those that make people’s lives better, more productive, and more meaningful.”