Showing posts with label Trend Analysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trend Analysis. Show all posts

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Trend Analysis - group III


TREND ANALYSIS (group III)

As apart of Trend analysis we studied the following :

  • Art and Technology
  • Secure and Private
  • New Homes
In this study what we tried to do was to take direct and indirect cues of these chosen global trends and studied their emergence and effects in the global scenario. The local scenario is still evolving and it will be different for the global scenario as each country has its own unique culture and belief system. We are trying to figured out that how different would it be, and what would make it different.



Art meets Technology


We do believe that the convergence of Art, Science and Design is crucial when creating and introducing new tech innovations. It also makes better and easier.

When there is a combination of ART and TECHNOLOGY the outcome is always more creative and interesting than usual and it also enhance the overall performance.

For example 2D and 3D animation and computer games which most of us enjoy watching are nothing but a combination of Art and Technology; also Photography, Film Making & Film Industry totally depends on these 2 factors. Today use of wacom (digital sketch pad) is an emerging trend; you can directly transfer your thoughts into reality, Also Rapid Prototyping is one such example. Even web-page layout is an example where art meets technology. Also in music when Art and Technology combines the outcome is more enriching than ever.

Few of the words associated with Art and Technology are:-

Creativity, Imagination, Compact, Inspiration, Expression, Speed, Digitalization, Processing, Desire to present the world in a new way, expanding the boundaries of what is possible.



New Homes


Although the concept of NEW HOMES in a new one, but I think it has all to do with the ever

increasing involvement of technology in our life. Also I think that everything is becoming so fast and easily accessible that people has got no time to think and react about others. (‘No time to stand and stare’) For example fast –Food Culture which takes almost no time of yours.

Also nowadays the workplaces or the workstations is getting converted into new homes,

People who work in BPO/ Call-Center or in IT-Industry work in shifts and may consider their home only as a place for rest.

The concept of home - a place where a person of family lives perhaps spends much of their time or where a person is comfortable being – hardly exit today, specially in cities, Also the concept of home has a direct physiological influence on Human Mind/ their behavior, emotion and overall mental health.

Also people are getting more individualists specially the younger generation they prefer to go to places such as Coffee-shop, restaurant, cyber café, game station etc., after a day of work, rather than talking with their peers.

But the above mentioned facts does not hold true in our local context or at least in our Indian culture. The concept of joint family/Nuclear family is very much there and holds its roots strongly, specially in towns and villages. In India more than 70% of the population lives in villages and towns.

Few of the words associated with New Homes are:-

Personal touch, Emotion, Fast food, Nuclear family, comfort, branding, convenience, work-station, work-place, money/greed.



Secure & Private


It’s true that the issues of privacy and security are increasing through the accessibility of technology, but I think that today the Science and technology has grown so much that the issue of security is no longer a valid problem.

For example today we have technology such as thumb-printing, retina scan, voice-recognition and every thing digital thing is password protected right from a simple file in a computer to a safety lock. Also today we no longer carry huge amount of money with us, instead we carry plastic money that is credit cards and even if it is lost/stolen than there is no problem. Also regarding security of our homes there is enough technology that it is almost impossible to enter someone else’s domain.

Coming to the issue of Privacy it has become more relevant because of the easy accessibility of technology in our life. Nowadays people are getting more and more in their own shell and do not want to come out as they are getting everything they want very easily and in short time. Today people don’t take the pain to write letter on a paper, rather they would call their near and dear ones on their phones or communicate on phones and there are hundreds of examples like this.

Also there are other ill-effects and hazards of the easy accessibility of technology, using the technology although we can communicate to others in no time but in reality we are getting far from each-other, nowadays we hardly communicate physically with each other, we would communicate with some one sitting miles away using internet but we hardly interact with our neighbors who stays just next door.

Few of the words associated with Secure & Private are:-

Confidence, loneliness, full control, password protected, encryption, privacy, plastic money, ill-effects, change in nature of work, thumb prints, retina scan.




Friday, July 20, 2007

TREND ANALYSIS ( GROUP I )




The trends we took for study were 'Cultural flows', 'Genuine experiences' and 'Seeking optimism'. We discussed each trend on a very general basis, then came down to their local repercussions. Presented below are the minutes of the discussion coupled with a brainstorm/ connectivity structure and mood-boards for each of the trends.



Cultural Flows



India - Diversity - Uniqueness - Brain drain/ Migration - Identify with global culture - Hybrid culture - NRIs - BPOs / Call centres - Concentration of population in Metros - Agriculture - Rural population - Service providers - Music - Dance - Crafts - Fusion with the west - Connectivity/ Sharing - Blogs / SMS / Internet / Television /Radio / Print Media - Spirituality - Identify with nature - Incorporate 'desi'ness - Adaptability / Jugaad - Bollywood - Aping the West - Peace - co-existence of various ethnic groups/ religions

India being the largest democracy in the world is a potpourri of people and languages. This rich tapestry has been woven on an even richer past. Wars, infiltration, early settlers, natives, trade, natural disasters...all these causes have wrought a beautiful coming together of cultures. Today, people of different religions and languages co-exist in relative peace. Metros are magnets luring the rural population towards them, and these people who cannot assume top positions in the hurdle become service providers. The metropolitan citizens are getting the best of this new hybrid global culture. Technology, jobs, lifestyle, family, fitness...everything has come under the influence of prevalent trends. Increases wireless connectivity makes it easier for rapid transfer of information. Our dance, music and art/ craft is being fused with popular culture to bring about a genre more relevant to the entire world ( Bollywood).

Genuine Experiences


Buy an experience not product - Sense of belonging to an elite group - Create haves and have nots - Secure/ loved - Surprise - Personalize - Sex - Satisfy the senses - Visual / olfactory / tactile / taste / auditory - Flash it/ attention seeking - Multifunctional - Ecofriendly - Materials/ form - Status symbol - Simplicity - Latest technology - Lack of local sensitivity - Products that care for you - Bringing family together/ connected

These days, experience plays a key role in products. No one wants the run of the mill/ impersonal objects. We want to be satisfied in every manner. The latest in technology without complicating the interface which caters to every little need. Personalizing provides us with a sense of security and love from the product. Due to the current busy lifestyle, people are unable to meet each other often and tend to seek attention and care from their belongings. The products also create user groups and create distinctions. People buy into the group and feel a sense of belonging (a good example is the Apple Macintosh and Ipod).

Seeking Optimism

Booming economy - Young working population - IT industry - Outsourcing - Retail boom / increased connectivity (roads, wireless techmology)/ purchasing power/ entrepreneurship - Global village - Travel - Reading -Music/ Dance - Festivals - Family - National Peace (Indo- Pak truce) - Spiritual experience/ well being / Yoga - Agricultual growth

We tend to seek optimism in various aspects and it is applicable to people all over the world. This makes it difficult to consider this trend from a very local perspective. But we tried to list down the things that bring about a heightened sense of optimism in Indians now. This is more of a metropolitan perspective towards the trend. Jobs, connectivity, better lifestyle, well being, family/ togetherness, economy and Peace were few of the topics taken.