In the world of foresight, one of the key activities is analyzing trends in a dynamically changing world. These trends should be defined and described with specific consequences for the economy, market categories, or specific brands.
To visualize trends and facilitate their analysis, infuture.institute created The Trend Map 2022 in graphic form. It has been divided into 7 megatrends (Mirror world, Technocentric biology, Climate transformation, Deglobalization, Loss of social cohesion, Demographic changes, Criseshealth), with 54 trends assigned to them.
source:https://infuture.institute/
All trends are analysed using the STEEP method – they cover areas such as society, technology, economics, environment and legal regulations. As the Map of Trends is a tool to be used in your daily work, it is designed to resemble a radar. This means that the trends present in the grey area – and at the same time closest to the centre of the wheel – are the most mature ones and require the fastest response, if such has not been already taken. The further away from the centre, the more time a trend needs to become a leading one. Different zones indicate how long a trend needs to mature (new normal – leading trend, reactive zone – 1-5 years, innovation zone – 5-25 years, foresight zone – 25 years and more).
Below we present the description of the individual megatrends proposed by the infuture.institute:
MIRROR WORLD
The concept whereby the digital world is to be accurate and complete mapping the physical world in all its dimensions – material, economic, human, spatial, etc.
Trends: Decentralization, Accumulation of technology, Remote On, Dematerialisation, Metaeconomics, Algorithmization of life, Digital inequalities, Hacktivism, Mental well-being, Privacy, ReCity, Multisensory, Robotic life, Gigonnectivity, A-Commerce, Smart life, Invisible technologies, War of influence.
TECHNOCENTRIC BIOLOGY
We are moving to an era when technologies resemble or replace nature – genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, medical implants. By learning to use these technologies, we move away from the natural and move towards direct interference with nature, connecting what is biological what is synthetic, the world of atoms with the world of bits, what is made of carbon and what is made of silicone.
Trends: Bioeconomics, Human +, Sickare to Healthcare
GLOBALIZATION
The trend related to deglobalization has been visible for a long time – especially at the economic and technological level. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated this trend. Taking into account other trends, such as increasing polarization, loss of social cohesion, and the disappointment of developed societies with democracy, this trend will continue to intensify in the coming years.
Trends: Self-sufficiency, Resilience, Hyperlocality, A-commerce
CLIMATE TRANSFORMATION
It translates the challenge we have faced as humanity into concrete actions – the transition to a circular economy, a low- or zero-carbon economy. Climate transformation is associated with many challenges, both social and economic, but also a completely new legal order.
Trends: Disrupted supply chains, Raw material crisis, Migrations, Loss of biodiversity, Resilience, Clean energy, Autonomous transport, Conscious consumerism, Circular economy, Smart life, Neoplastic
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES
A phenomenon that has lasted for years and is constantly deepening, which has resulted in a change in the social structure around the world. Along with the technological progress and the broadly understood development – social and economic – on the one hand, the length of human life increases, and on the other, the number of childbirths in the world drops significantly. This has huge, multi-dimensional consequences – both short-term and long-term.
Trends: Silver Tsunami, GenZ Influence, Zalpha, Urbanization, Inclusiveness and Diversity, Women’s Empowerment, Loneliness, ReCity, Sexuality Normalization, A-commerce, Hyper-personalization
HEALTH CRISES
The 21st century is the age of health crises. The COVID-19 pandemic is not the first and certainly not the last. The number of epidemics will increase due to climate change, loss of biodiversity and the increasing expansion of humans into areas that were previously inaccessible to them. Another health crisis that we are currently facing is drug resistance in bacteria, an epidemic of civilization diseases (insomnia, diabetes, depression) and cancer. Each epidemic has a gigantic impact on the functioning of societies, the economy and individual sectors.
Trends: Mental well-being, Loneliness, Digital health
LOSS OF SOCIAL COHESION
The progressive technologization of our lives and related to it algorithmization that locks people in information bubbles, excessive use of social media causing a sense of loneliness and the inability to build deep, close contacts, and finally the COVID-19 pandemic have caused today’s societies to lose the social cohesion necessary for proper functioning.
Trends: Loneliness, Polarization, Disappointment with democracy, Loss of self-steering, The power of opposition, Anti-Science, Anti-Tech, Transparency, Migrations, Inclusivity and diversity, Being Good, Privacy, Robotized life, Social economy.
Consider which of these trends affect your private and professional development and join the future-oriented journey with the FUTURES project!
by ITEE