RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
Current trends and moods are relevant to my projects requirements and goals.
Sketchbooks Research & Analysis Ideas for Week 7.
A trend is a direction in which something - emotional, intellectual, or spiritual moves that have a consequential impact on the culture, society or business sector. Trends are a fundamental part of our emotional, physical, and psychological landscape. A style is different in its distinctive manner, aesthetic, method, or way of expressing something new.
Trend forecasting is about identifying the new and the next. Understanding and utilising trends provide opportunities for clients and future projects.
The future belongs to those who prepare for today – Malcolm X
Companies like IDEO, The Future Laboratory and David Carlson identify trends and their cultural relevance and then work with clients in a hands-on way to translate these cultural shifts into saleable products. The process involves identifying the movement, motivations, audience, associated brands, and impact on the client (Raymond, 2010).
Forecasting concerning my project
The role of communities
The trend of global designers emphasising togetherness and celebrating cultures to repair the damage inflicted by world governments preaching separatism, fear, and brutality is forecast by Li Edelkoort (Edelkoort, 2019). My project seeks to rebuild communities broken by the greed and corruption of African politics through sport and the involvement of community members in workshops to transform the landscape into vibrant spaces through connection, interaction, and collaboration.
What will endure is what is uniquely human – Jennifer Lenard, The David Report
The trend of Community Spirit by The Next Big Thing has significant implications for the future. More excellent value is being placed on interpersonal relationships as people place more faith in family and friends, a trend set to revolutionise the way communities are built and run. Communities will become more autonomous, with residents having more influence over their neighbourhoods and citizens involved in local development (In groups we trust – Next Big Thing, 2020).
Society embraces human involvement, togetherness, the building of ethics and collaboration in communities – Li Edelkoort.
Fig. 1: Skoop, 2020.
Craft
My project involves community members participating in workshops to create vibrant designs to transform their sporting landscapes. Current trends place a massive emphasis on craft, craftsmanship and anything handmade (Edelkoort, 2019).
The workshops are a place to craft, engage and escape the harsh realities of daily life in Africa. On-trend with economies and communities focused on participating in experiences that make them feel good and stress-free, as mentioned by Faiths Popcorn Brain-Reserve (Case Studies | Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve, 2021). The same could be said for the joy and happiness experienced while playing sport.
Edlekoort places a strong emphasis on communities becoming more united, and designs attempt to reflect a happier, more optimistic feel – the backbone of my project (Edelkoort, 2019).
Fig. 2: Popcorn, 2016.
Sustainability & the environment
All materials and paints used in my designs with be environmentally friendly and long-lasting to keep in line with the trend of designers working in harmony with their environment rather than manipulating it (Edelkoort, 2019). The David Report places inclusive sustainability through environment influence, innovation, affectivity, aesthetics, quality, authenticity, and compatibility. Materials used in the design should benefit society and the environment, have lasting aesthetic appeal and quality, and inspire people to love the creations over lifetimes. Design outcomes should connect with the history, present and future to create authentic experiences with meaning, value and a strong sense of cultural identity (Carlson, 2009).
The celebration of Black Talent
The Future Laboratory highlights the necessity for year-round representation and celebration of Black Talent in the Proud to Be movement encouraging black communities to celebrate and share pride in their heritage and culture. II hope to align my project with this trend in collaboration with local Black African artists and sports personalities (Owusu, 2021).
Fig. 3: The Future Laboratory, 2021.
IMAGINE
Mission Statement
Adidas sponsored fun, inclusive community workshops in collaboration with black African artists, painting vibrant, colourful sports infrastructure gives communities hope, and somewhere they look forward to going each week and take pride in. Community upliftment provides a safe space for the youth to escape the harsh realities of everyday life in Africa.
Mood boards to contextualise my research into emerging trends and how they are appropriate to my positioning statement and target audience.
REFLECTION
Reflect on positioning and trends: How can emergent themes, trends and moods elevate your project goals? How can trend forecasting help you speak to your target audience?
The future is not written; instead, it remains open. The end is multiple, undetermined, and open to a large variety of possibilities. That which will happen tomorrow depends less on prevailing trends or any sort of fatalistic determinism, and more on the actions of groups and individuals in the face of these trends – Michel Godet
Trends are an excellent checklist to ensure my project is on the right track and will have a significant and lasting effect on its targeted audience. It also provides that I am not ahead of the curve but instead drifting seamlessly in the direction society and communities are already heading.
My research into trends has left me feeling more confident about my project concepts, audience, execution plan and outcome, including
cultural influences, community involvement, a focus on craft and collaboration with black artists and sportsmen .
Reference: Raymond, M. (2010) The Trend Forecaster's Handbook (Links to an external site.). London: Laurence King.
Reference: Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve. 2021. Case Studies | Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve. [online] Available at: <https://faithpopcorn.com/case-studies/> [Accessed 6 November 2021].
Reference: Carlson, D., 2009. A Checklist for Sustainability. [online] David Report. Available at: <http://davidreport.com/the-report/a-checklist-for-sustainability/> [Accessed 6 November 2021].
Reference: Static.davidreport.com. 2009. [online] Available at: <http://static.davidreport.com/pdf/360.pdf> [Accessed 6 November 2021].
Reference: Next-big-thing.net. 2020. In groups ,we trust – Next Big Thing. [online] Available at: <http://www.next-big-thing.net/blog/in-groups-we-trust/> [Accessed 6 November 2021].
Reference: Edelkoort, L., 2019. Forecasting for Design Futures – Li Edelkoort - IPL Packaging. [online] IPL Packaging. Available at: <https://www.iplpackaging.com/forecasting-for-design-futures-li-edelkoort/> [Accessed 6 November 2021].
Reference: Owusu, A., 2021. Proud to Be: Why we need Black leaders across all sectors. [online] Thefuturelaboratory.com. Available at: <https://www.thefuturelaboratory.com/blog/proud-to-be-why-we-need-black-leaders-across-all-sectors> [Accessed 6 November 2021].
Image 1: Skoop, T., 2020. “We will design out of hope and not out of fear”. [image] Available at: <https://www.burda.com/en/news/we-will-design-out-of-hope-and-not-out-of-fear/> [Accessed 8 November 2021].
Image 2: Popcorn, F., 2016. Here’s What Top Trend Spotter Faith Popcorn Sees for 2016. [image] Available at: <https://fortune.com/2015/12/30/faith-popcorn-predictions-2016/> [Accessed 8 November 2021].
Image 3: The Future Laboratory, 2021. [image] Available at: <https://www.thefuturelaboratory.com> [Accessed 8 November 2021].