When your design team is at a crossroads with digital trends, its essential to harmonize diverse perspectives. To move forward together, start by facilitating an open discussion where everyone can express their viewpoints and concerns. Encourage the team to present data or case studies that support their opinions, helping to ground the conversation in facts rather than just personal preferences. In my experience, finding common ground often involves focusing on the projects goals and user needs, which can guide the decision-making process. By considering the impact of these trends on the user experience and the brands long-term vision, you can navigate conflicting opinions and choose a path that aligns with both innovation and practicality.

What I have found useful is to have designers hash it out and for them to hop in a huddle to discuss the pros and cons of the new trend, they tend to know better than me. And although it is hard to get designers and developers to agree, looping the devs into the conversation to discuss the technical aspects of incorporating a new trend is also very important.

I'd start with a few questions: 1. What UX solution(s) does it solve for the project, or how does it improve UX? 2. Do you want to use it simply because you've seen it used on other digital projects? 3. What are the potential benefits/detriments? 4. What is the LOE and is it justifiable? 5. Is there a risk of frustrating existing users that are comfortable with the current functionality? 6. Does it have any potential to distract users from the established user flow(s)? 7. Have users asked for the functionality? Can it be A/B tested without full implementation? Lots of conversations need to happen here. It doesn't matter as much whether you are a developer, designer, etc. because we're all users and have some context.

Digital trends can be fleeting so it's important to adapt to them thoughtfully. Before adopting a trend, assess if it aligns with the project goals and evaluate its expected impact on KPIs. When in doubt, test and iterate. If a trend seems promising, start with smaller applications or conduct an A/B user experience test to see how it resonates with your audience without fully committing.

To navigate conflicting opinions on digital trends within your design team, start by aligning the team with business objectives and user needs, ensuring that trends enhance rather than detract from user experience. Facilitate open discussions where all opinions are heard and respected. Use data-driven insights, such as user feedback or A/B testing, to evaluate the effectiveness of trends. Consider experimenting with different approaches on smaller projects or prototypes. Finally, make collaborative decisions based on what's best for the project, ensuring that everyone feels valued.