A short, 5 minute presentation on trends and forecasting

1. Trends & Forecasting
Seeing patterns
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2. Trends
Design trends Technology trends Social trends
Architectural trends Interaction trends Behavioural trends
Product trends
Colour trends
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3. Trends
Now :: Collating emerging patterns
With trends, you pick up on patterns that you see emerging in a particular field,
social behaviours, a particular design aesthetic or design element, etc and then draw
them together to create a story.
For instance, some retail stores today emphasise locally sourced materials and
products - is this a trend towards ‘Ethical Retail’?
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4. Trends...
Now :: Collating emerging patterns
Don’t just look to patterns within retail stores, look in your world for trends that
YOU see and that others might not.
Do you see social and behavioural trends, for instance, in the way people queue?
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5. 1. Get info 2. Collate 3. Analyse 4. Define
Search Pull together Analyse what Define and
through images, info the core point illustrate the
magazines, etc that have a is - is it about trend with a
books, the common architectural title, images
web, visit theme/ lines, fabrics, and supporting
stores, aesthetic wayfinding, paragraph of
observe etc people’s text
movement etc
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6. Forecasting
Months from now Driven by...
Years from now Political Factors
Economic Factors
Ecological Factors
Cultural Factors
Social Factors
Behavioural Factors
(And let’s assume that technology always plays
a role)
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7. Forecasting
Future :: Externalising hidden patterns
When forecasting, look for things that are not obvious, that have not completely
emerged yet but that you see strong indications of.
Consumer creation, for example, self publishing, creating your own fragrance etc,
might be something that you see as being important in the future because of a social
trend towards self expression.
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8. 1. Get info 2. Collate 3. Analyse 4. Define
Search Pull together Identify the Define and
through images and common illustrate your
magazines, statistics, data, thread, a key point with a
books, the articles etc that issue, clear
web, journals have a examples of statement and
and trend common behaviour etc some
sites. theme examples
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9. Pointers...
1. Define the scope and objectives 5. Make a solid point
Make clear what your focus is Have a point of view and don’t be afraid to make a statement
2. Use a wide angled lens before zooming in 6. Show the logic
Look wide and explore before zooming in Show how a trend has progressed, show why you are
forecasting a specific change in design/behaviour etc
3. It’s not always about technology
7. Use examples
Trends and forecasting are social as well as technological
Show images, statistics, examples of products/spaces etc
4. Dig Deep
8. Name it
Don’t take things at surface value, delve into patterns to pull
out the gold Give your trend a name that represents your point
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