There are estimated eight
trends to watch in 2018 that have the potentials to impact your businesses,
technology and designs, says Accenture
in its latest study, reports ITRealms.
Accenture, ITRealms gathered in the release tagged Fjord
Trends 2018, described these, pressing forces acting
internally and externally on organizations and society.
Also, Accenture stated in
its 11th annual report that rapid technological advancements are altering
the world today, provoking both wonder and angst about the possibilities.
“Whether it’s artificial
intelligence, computer vision or blockchain, emerging technologies are
uprooting the digital and physical experiences of our everyday lives. These
joint forces are simultaneously creating optimism and concern about the
unprecedented wave of change that is unfolding.
“Each of our 2018 trends
is born out of a fundamental tension -- be it a shift, a collision or a parting
of ways,” said Mark Curtis, co-founder and chief client officer at Fjord.
“Digital versus physical, human versus machine, centralized versus
decentralized, speed versus craft, automation versus control, traceability
versus anonymity. Winners in 2018 will be those who best navigate these tensions
and seize the opportunity to collectively design the world we’ll be living in.”
Fjord
Trends 2018 suggests how organizations can navigate these currents and
design for positive change. It examines seven trends expected to shape the next
generation of experiences:
Physical
Fights Back: Digital has had the limelight long enough – there are two
brand experience headliners now. The time has come to blend the digital with
the physical.
Computers
Have Eyes: As well as comprehending our words, computers now understand
images without any help from us. Imagine the exciting possibilities for
next-generation digital services.
Slaves
to the Algorithm: How do you design a marketing strategy to win over the
algorithms – immune to conventional branding efforts – that sit between brands
and their customers?
A
Machine’s Search for Meaning: A.I. might change
our jobs, but need not eliminate them. We can – and should – design our
collaboration with the machines that will help us develop.
In
Transparency We Trust: Blockchain has the potential to create
transparency that will clear the fog of Internet ambiguity, regain lost trust,
and repair relationships with the public.
The
Ethics Economy: Organizations are feeling the heat to take stands on
political and societal hot button issues, whether they want to or not. And
consumers are speaking with their dollars, choosing brands that align with
their core beliefs.
Design
Outside the Lines: Design’s rapid ascedency and newfound respect within
organizations is a win for all. But, in a world in which everyone thinks
they’re a designer, today’s practitioners need to evolve – how they work, learn
and differentiate themselves – if they are to continue having impact.
According to Marcel
Rossouw, Design Director at Fjord in South Africa, the annual Fjord Trend
Report for 2018 provides an invaluable view on how technologies and experiences
are shaping the way we live and do business.
“In South Africa, Blockchain has
the power to create transparency that will clear the fog of internet ambiguity,
win back lost trust, and repair relationships with the customers. Considering
the local economic and political climate, the technology could be a real game
changer to regain control and promote transparency. Automation and the rise of
AI are also forcing organisations in the African continent to design for a
seismic shift in the workplace,” said Rossouw.
“We believe this
edition of Trends will provoke and inspire but, above all,
provide actionable advice for organizations to prepare for the opportunities
ahead,” said Baiju Shah, global co-lead, Fjord and managing director, Accenture
Interactive.
“Many of the thorny questions ahead of us revolve around
human-machine interactions, the consequences of which will be profound for
individuals, society and organizations of all kinds. As digital fades from
being stand-alone to being embedded in our physical world, our relationships
with everything around us will be redefined.”
Fjord
Trends 2018 draws upon the collective thinking of Fjord’s 1,000+
designers and developers around the world. The annual report is based on
first-hand observations, evidenced-based research and client work. This year,
for the first time, it also drew upon the individual insights and perspectives
from 85 clients across five continents, whose views inspired the report.
Nonye Dom/GEE
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