Trying to identify what is coming up next with enough time to design and develop it takes some skill. You have to see what was in the past (rearview mirror) while at the same time be aware of what is currently in front of you.This past Friday, April 16, 2010 I traveled down to Cincinnati to attend the AMA luncheon.
This month the guest speaker was Brian Meyers, LPK Trends. Brian's title is "Trend Forecaster"
My notes can hardly do the presentation justice, but here they are anyway:
What are trends?
A general direction, or movement over time They rep the evolution of ideas
Socio-cultural trends
Longer lasting ideas that represent and reflect how peoples lifestyle has changed
Once we identify a trend then we can attempt to create "Future States" Since we design for the world of tomorrow you have to "look" ahead.
6 trends that could lead to new Future States
1. Simplistic of slowdown
- VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous)
- The most valuable luxury is that which cannot be replicated
- Purposeful accumulation
- Touch of the hand adds meaning and value
- Consumer: is no longer appropriate
- Prosumer: a combination of producer and consumer model
- Transumer: someone interested in "barter and share" oriented products
- Connoisseumer: People are well suited shoppers with refined palates who employ their expertise to evaluate value
People use resources differently now
- Chris Anderson - is a thought leader
- Rentalism: Why buy? Rent and/or share and collaborate on goods and services
- Example: Hilti Contractors identified that owning tools no longer had pride inmpliciy. So they started a share loan tool program - it has been very successful
- Currency limitations
- Reputation of state of account. Build on the habits of referrals, recommendations, link-throughs, retweets, etc.
- Free: Google-411 is doing phone information and they are recording voice to then build a solid voice recognition software
People become the own producer marketer
- Crowdsouring: Local motors sources it's design by 4000 local designers Threadless. Tshirt company that is opensource and turns into production that vote winning product.
- Desktop fabrication: Bringing rapid prototyping to people
- Ex - Reprap. It is a 3d printer that should hook upto the $100 laptop Electrolux molecaire. 3d printer that makes food
- Generative architecture: Software can examine the landscape and suggest an amorphous and natural shape that will match the landscape
- Shiseido makeup mirror
- Self evolving robots
Digital natives are not able to answer, "how much time do you spend online or offline?"- they see it the same.
- Transmedia storytelling
- MIT scientist Henry Jenkins
- Books.
- Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness
- Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior
- Extra sensory
- 21 senses -Electroreception; Synesthesia; Flavor tripping
Take aways:
Market or innovate with the consumer behaviors
Deconstruct communication to enable transmedia storytelling
Convert consumers into ambassadors and fans
Give consumers a platform to tell their own stories
Provide an experience for the consumer
