Remember Star Trek’s holodeck and how you thought it was the most futuristic thing you had ever seen? We are entering an era where technology is providing us with new ways of experiencing products and services. An era where the lines between the physical and digital are becoming blurred. How can design and digital technology make those experiences more meaningful and immersive?

The current generation of experiences has already taken a leap towards digital and physical immersion with connected devices and multi-channel experiences. There has, however, been a clear separation between the “digital” and the “physical”. At Disney World, the wristbands provide a more seamless experience at the actual resort, but the customers still need to fill in a fair amount of information for the service to work up to its full potential. And the magic fades as soon as you leave the resort.

The next generation of experiences will blur the lines between digital and physical. Digital technology and the physical environment will begin to merge even more, creating new ways of using products and services as well as a new way of experiencing things. Designers and developers have found a way to work together seamlessly. This results in having a deeper understanding of user needs and technical opportunities to create meaningful products and services to improve people’s daily life.

In 2016 and beyond, destination is no longer a place, but rather a new way of seeing. This is the year of next generation experiences.