Trendspotting & Future Thinking
Course Number
KTH: ME2809, SSE: 8070, KI: n/a, KFK: n/a, SU: FE6608
Start date
10-03-30
End date
10-05-27
7,5 ECTS credits
Professor Ronald Jones, Konstfack
Peter Majanen, Konstfack
Taught at Konstfack
Thinking about the future and what potential clues can divulge about how it will reveal itself unites people across disciplines and professional purposes. It is an area that is not owned by any one discipline. This course seeks to introduce the students to the concept of these trends, trendspotting and future thinking. Furthermore the course will introduce the students to the tools needed to understand trends and their role in society and how to best forsee and work with them in new business creation and developement.
Key Topics
After this course the student should perceive trendspotting as a clear, understandable and approachable tool in new business creation and development and be able to:
1. investigate the human fascination with the concept of the future and outline pitfalls in future thinking
2. investigate and further develop the different ways in which future thinking can be mastered
3. explore and discuss different types of trends from macro- and megatrends to fashionable fads and microtrends
4. reveal and further develop reliable sources for trendspotting
Structure
There will be 2 weekly sessions lasting 2 hours each for 7 weeks. Each session will focus on a different tool in the trendspotter’s toolbox, and be organized around the students insights gathered using the tool and discussions about the applicability of these insights. These tools include, but are not limited to:
1. Visioning and scenario planning
2. Blogs and blogging
3. Anthropology and sociology
4. Interviews and focus groups
5.“Coolhunting”
The course will mix and match lectures with debates, discussions and exercises by the students as well as leaders in the field.
Assessment
• In- and between-class assignments
• Participation and Contribution in class/group activities
• Blog creation and maintenance
Available Autumn 09 and Spring 10
Schedule Trendspotting spring 10