Emerging Trends

At Shaping Tomorrow, we help businesses and organisations identify emerging trends to assist future planning. Our unique AI system, Athena scans the internet and social media for trends and provides a wealth of information. These emerging trends, at a macro level, can be; social, technological, economic, environmental, political, consumer, industry or technological.

Through implementing a programme of trendwatching, businesses and organisations can identify patterns, predict the future and be better prepared for what’s to come. Once identified, in collaboration with you, we create strategic scenarios to identify opportunities, mitigate risk and develop policy.

Trendwatching meaning

So what do we mean by trendwatching? Trendwatching is about spotting current and emerging trends (new ideas, issues or technologies below the radar now but that might mature into a key issue in the future or become a major trend in its own right) and analysing how they might change in the future.

The s-curve is a good way to demonstrate emerging thinking and depicts the archetypical life cycle of an emerging trend, for example new technology or public policy issue:

A weak, or embryonic, signal is an indicator of a potentially emerging issue that may become significant in the future. Weak signals can help define the parameters of a not yet existing product, policy or service.

Weak signals go hand in hand with trendwatching, and, at Shaping tomorrow, we monitor them to understand and anticipate change.

When looking at past and emerging trends, it pays to look cross-industry. Innovation that is happening in other sectors today may be the future of another sector tomorrow.

Trendwatching and emerging trends help organisations:

Discover early warnings
Appreciate new realities
Keep up to date with market developments
Develop sustainable and innovative products and services
Develop future policies
Identify opportunities for growth and progress
Stay ahead of the competition

Trendwatching report

At Shaping Tomorrow, we have a wide-variety of open source information that can be used for your own trendwatching report. This covers a huge range of industries, social issues and subject areas, including:

Migration
Gender
Population
Poverty
Religion
Travel
Trade
Waste
And many more...

These are also provided with an indication of how likely, impactful and timely these changes are likely to be, as demonstrated below:

If one of these areas is of particular interest to your business or organisation, then you can view a more indepth trendwatching report which includes source links from over 80,000 foresight sources and more than 200,000 experts, influencers, think-tanks and information pundits from around the world that Athena can consider and collate.

For example, if you are a retail business and emerging trends around shopping and e-commerce are important for you, then you can view constantly-updating news stories about shopping emerging trends, as shown below:

By being armed with this information, you can then be better prepared for what may happen in your sector in the future and take steps to ensure that you can take advantage of the changes.

Businesses that want more than just the news sources, can subscribe to Shaping Tomorrow’s platform for an enhanced trendwatching report containing data such as:

Geographical location information - where in the world are these emerging trends going to be most felt?

In which organisations and sectors are these emerging trends most prominent?
SWOT and S-curve analysis of these trends
Leading and lagging indicators of when trends are likely to occur

Below is an example of how this data can be presented, for use in reports, presentations and commentary to key stakeholders:

At Shaping Tomorrow, we have found that there are a number of areas where emerging trends are especially important, including technology, business, healthcare and information technology, so we will now take a look at each of these industries in more detail.

Emerging technologies

Emerging technologies are changing the world faster than ever before. From the future of blockchain, cryptocurrencies and the future of reality technologies, knowing what is emerging is vital because emerging technologies can have a big impact on how organisations operate.

In addition to the many emerging technologies that we review here at Shaping Tomorrow, access to our AI tool facilitates the searching of our database containing 80,000 foresight sources to discover emerging technological change, for any topic relevant to you and the needs of your business or organisation.

The results are then presented in a toolkit of newsfeeds, newsletters, presentations and reports, allowing you to respond to the data generated and consider how best to take advantage of the trends identified.

Emerging Trends in business

Emerging trends are a key element of any business. By understanding and paying attention to these trends, businesses can gain a valuable insight into the future and stay ahead of the competition.

By understanding the most important - and likely - trends, businesses can focus their efforts in the right areas and maximise their potential for growth. Some of the most important emerging trends in business currently include:

The rise of digital cryptocurrencies
The increasing use of mobile devices
The growth of online retailing
The rise of social media
Crowdfunding
The sharing economy

Each of these trends holds great potential for businesses that are willing to adapt and capitalise on them. By understanding and embracing Emerging Trends in business, organisations can stay ahead of the curve and ensure future success.

Emerging Trends in healthcare

As emerging trends in healthcare continue to evolve, with new medical procedures and treatments being developed, it’s important for healthcare organisations to stay up to date with these emerging trends in order to provide an informed care/cost balance.

In recent times, the most significant trends within healthcare have been related to coronavirus. Since we entered the phase of ‘living with the disease’, it became time for organisations to consider how they could adapt to the new normal. One example of this is how coronavirus has sparked renewed interest in improving the quality of the air we breathe, specifically the air inside buildings. Although the current focus on indoor air quality is directly related to the coronavirus pandemic, future innovations could help prevent a future pandemic or simply reduce the severity of the seasonal flu and other more common airborne viruses.

Understanding how technology is impacting the healthcare industry is also important. There is a continuing rise in VR and augmented reality technologies being used in medical settings. These technologies are incredibly effective in helping surgeons plan and execute complex surgeries, as well as helping patients recover from surgery.

Another important trend to watch is the rise of self-care. With more and more people taking an interest in their own health, there has been a corresponding increase in the popularity of self-care products and services. This includes everything from fitness trackers to meditation apps to organic food delivery services. As people become more interested in taking care of themselves, we can expect to see even more products and services catering to this market.

Longevity and life extension have also become increasingly important in recent years, as medical science has made great strides in combating age-related diseases. As a result, the average lifespan is steadily increasing, and this trend is likely to continue in the future. Healthcare organisations need to be prepared for this shift, and adapt their services to meet the needs of an ageing population.

Emerging Trends in information technology

Emerging trends in information technology are also evolving, and organisations must be aware of these changes in order to stay ahead of the competition.

One example of an emerging trend is collaborating with machines. This trend involves using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to collaborate with humans in order to improve efficiency and productivity. For example, AI can be used to help employees sort through data or make recommendations for products or services. Similarly, machine learning can be used to identify patterns and trends that would otherwise be missed by humans. By collaborating with machines, organisations can improve their ability to make decisions and respond to changes in the market.

It is important for businesses to keep up with Emerging trends in information technology in order to stay competitive. By understanding how new technologies are impacting the market, businesses can develop innovative products and services that meet the needs of their customers. Additionally, by being aware of emerging trends, businesses can identify opportunities for growth and progress. By staying ahead of the competition, businesses can ensure that they are able to maintain a leading position in the market.

What people say about our emerging trends services

“I am finding very valuable information that I cannot get from other places. The site is extremely easy to use and very helpful as I project future trends in education.”
Anonymous client

“Tools such as Shaping Tomorrow are an invaluable mechanism to identify new trends and reflect how one can take advantage of new opportunities. I use all the time! A great and cost effective resource.”
Anonymous client

“I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your excellent presentation at our annual FBI National Executive Institutes Associates conference held in San Francisco this past May. I received nothing but positive feedback on the value of recognizing trends and applying foresight to some of today's problems and realities. I hope to establish some form of working relationship in the future with "Shaping Tomorrow" regarding our training and research responsibilities."
Anonymous client

If you would like to find out more about our emerging trends services, then please contact us using the form below: