Gen One Report | Digital Native Research Project

The Challenge

01

Our digital landscape has been shaped by, and for, Digital Adopters

Those who were not born into the digital world but have had to adapt. However, the world is now majority Digital Natives or ‘Gen One’ of a true digital world.

Digital Adopters are cautious when adopting new technology and old, inefficient experiences have often been digitised rather than reimagining them for new audiences and technology. Gen One are the most vocal critics of these technologies: they play a crucial role in identifying issues and pushing for improvements.

Persisting with a design approach from the Digital Adopter era risks alienating Gen One and limiting the adoption of new technology that can provide greater access and opportunities for all.

I think it's just like body expectations and they're out here living this luscious life, like traveling every weekend and the average person is just like at home watching them. So it just kind of makes you think like, why not me? Like why can't I be doing that?
Tayla, 17

The Opportunity

02

In contrast, Gen One have grown up with technology as pervasive and integral to their lives.

They seamlessly adopt new digital tools into their daily routines and have an expectation for interactions to be fluid, intuitive, and almost imperceptible within their lifestyle. Their usage habits and behaviours reflect a world that is now digital first.

Despite their ease with technology, Gen One shares the same fundamental life concerns as previous generations, such as financial security, career progression, education, and adapting to life changes.

Given their openness and enthusiasm for adopting new technology, both public and private sector organisations should actively engage younger Australians as partners, and accelerate technological advancements and innovations for their key life moments.

In our increasingly digital world, a Gen One first approach enables us to uplift and accelerate our progress toward a more inclusive future for all.

Image with text that says Gen one is 51% of Gen One are optimistic about the future of tech to enable human connection, compared to 37% of Digital Adopters.

“Thinking about the actual role technology plays... It's a thing that's everywhere you don't actually realise how important it is.”
Chelsea, 21

Our Research

03

R/GA sought to uncover the ambitions, behaviours, motivations and barriers of using digital services among Gen One, and contrast that with Digital Adopters.

In particular, we wanted to know how we could use the distinct behaviours of Gen One to unlock new techniques to make digital services more accessible to vulnerable Australians - like First Nations, CALD, neurodiverse and LGBTIQ+ Australians.

Our multimodal research with 1,579 Australians aged 15 and above included diary studies, in-depth interviews and a quantitative study. Our research included a diversity of demographics and geographies to ensure we heard from a broad cross-section of Australians, and narrowed in on their experience around key life stages like starting or finishing education, moving home or changing jobs.

While those born after 1997 are generally considered Digital Natives, our research found that the characteristics of Gen One are even more prevalent among under 18s and present among those in their 20s and 30s - a continuum, not a monolithic group.

Image with text that says we heard from 1579 Australian to understand what makes Gen One different.

Image with text that says Gen One are twice as likely to identify as neurodiverse or LGBTIQ+ than Digital Adopters

What We Found

04

Finding 01

Their relationship to technology

Finding 02

Their digital diet and behaviours

Finding 04

Trust, data and security

Finding 03

The emotional toll of distraction

Reimagining the Digital World

05

Our research highlighted the sharp division in the digital behaviours of Gen One and Digital Adopters in Australia, and their assessments of the current landscape of digital services.

Alongside the exploratory research, by investigating specific life stages we were able to find and prioritise the digital tactics and features that are most likely to drive adoption and ongoing engagement.

One of the most striking findings we uncovered was the cognitive dissonance experienced by Gen One: they feel that technology is both a benevolent and overwhelming presence in their lives, particularly at critical life stages. We’ve used this insight to pinpoint digital strategies that will maximise adoption from this audience.

Our research highlights a critical juncture for our society. We are presented with a choice: continue with outdated design philosophies that

risk alienating digital natives and stifling transformative technologies, or capitalise on the adaptability and digital fluency of Gen One to forge new innovative solutions for all.

We have already seen evidence of how Gen One-driven design has influenced everything from social media apps to beauty brands to productivity tools - these experiences are faster, mobile-first, more utilitarian and more personalised.

We believe the choice is clear, by reimagining how we design for life experiences of Gen One, we can revolutionise both public and private sectors, ensuring that no segment of society is left behind.

Image with text that says 48% of Gen One prefer visually appealing imagery, bright colours and design online, compared to 33% of Digital Adopters

“Like we're in 2024... Every other state has a cool website.”
Imogen, 28

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The Report at a Glance

Who is Gen One?

Gen One and Technology

Digital Diet

The Emotional Toll of Distraction

Trust, Data & Security

Life Stages

Reimagining the Digital World

How can we create for the future if our digital experiences are stuck in the past?

The Report at a Glance

The Challenge

01

Our digital landscape has been shaped by, and for, Digital Adopters

The Opportunity

02

In contrast, Gen One have grown up with technology as pervasive and integral to their lives.

Our Research

03

R/GA sought to uncover the ambitions, behaviours, motivations and barriers of using digital services among Gen One, and contrast that with Digital Adopters.

What We Found

04

Their relationship to technology

Their digital diet and behaviours

Trust, data and security

The emotional toll of distraction

Reimagining the Digital World

05

Our research highlighted the sharp division in the digital behaviours of Gen One and Digital Adopters in Australia, and their assessments of the current landscape of digital services.

Who is Gen One?