Trendspotting and Future Thinking

Course number

KTH: ME2809, SSE: 8070, KI: 2XX046, KFK: n/a, SU: FE6608

Schedule

Autumn 2010

Dates

Autumn: 31 Aug - 14 Oct, 2010

Worth: 7.5 ECTS credits

Taught at

Konstfack

Entrepreneur or not, it is an advantage to understand where tomorrow is going. This course seeks to introduce the students to the concept trends, trendspotting and future thinking.

Employing the methodology of trendspotting and future forecasting this course provides the toolbox to work with trends. The course is structured around a set of tools that together form a cohesive understanding for the creation, development and dilution of trends. Specifically, the course focus on how you can use trendspotting as a way to analyse and form future entrepreneurial landscapes.

Having successfully graduated from this courses is considered an advantage when applying for the annual and residential SSES trendspotting in India workshop.

Intended learning outcomes

After this course you should perceive trendspotting as a clear, understandable and approachable tool in new business creation and development and be able to:

  • explain the concepts of trends, trendspotting and future thinking
  • investigate the human fascination with the concept of the future and outline pitfalls in future thinking
  • investigate and further develop the different ways in which future thinking can be mastered
  • explore and discuss different types of trends from macro and megatrends to fashionable fads and microtrends
  • reveal and further develop reliable sources for trendspotting. 

Structure

In order for you as a student to be able to take SSES courses they are all scheduled after your daily classes (or workday), with some margin time to ensure you can commute to campus, pick up a coffee and arrive on time.

This course runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays in two to three hour sessions for some seven weeks, but for a detailed timing check out the schedule in the box to the right. Teaching will incorporate lectures, debates, and exercises, as well as presentation from leaders in the field. 

Assessment

  • In- and between-class assignments
  • Participation and Contribution in class/group activities 

Teacher(s)

Ronald Jones

Centre Director, Konstfack

Tel: +46 (0)8 450 41 92
Mob: +46 (0)73 382 68 83
ronald.jones@konstfack.se

Dr. Ronald Jones has an MFA degree from the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Ohio University. He also holds a Certificate from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

After serving nine years as Senior Critic at the School of Art, Yale University, he was appointed Professor of Visual Arts in the School of the Arts, and Director of the Digital Media Lab at Columbia University in New York City. He then served as Provost at Art Center College of Design and became member of the Visiting Faculty at the National Institute of Design in India, and at the Staatliche Hochschule für Bildende Künste, Städelschule Frankfurt, Germany.

Furthermore, he has also served on the faculties of The Royal Danish Academy of Art, Copenhagen, The Rhode Island School of Design, The School of Visual Arts, And The New York, among others.

Peter Majanen

Course Director

CEO Quattroporte
Mob: +46 (0)73 54 60 465
peter.majanen@quattroporte.se

Peter Majanen is a futurist thinker, trendspotter and the current CEO of Quattroporte, a future agency. He is defining the future paths and possibilities for companies such as: ASSA ABLOY (world leader in lock solutions), Coca-Cola and Ericsson as well as a number of Swedish government institutions. Peter is an expert in human values and the application of futurist thinking in idea and concept development. He is currently on the faculty of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at Konstfack where he teaches a course in The Future of Shopping. He is also developing some of the most advanced market places in Northern Europe.

Peter has a background as a Director of R&D at Gallup and Demoskop (Swedish research company) and Director at Kreab (Scandinavia's largest lobbying and communication firm). He is also a PhD-candidate at Lund University, a Master in solo singing at Malmö Music University Collage and he has studied Strategic Design at DomusAcademy, Milan.