Consumer Trends as an Element in User Centric Design 28.10.2004 Timo Veikkola
Trends building a tool Some sort of a tool is needed for providing knowledge and insights... MEGA TREND SOCIETAL TRENDS CONSUMER & LIFESTYLE TRENDS DESIGN TRENDS COLORS & MATERIALS TRENDS megatrends macrotrends mesotrends microtrends decades 10 years 5 years 6months to 3 years
Global mega and societal trends AWARENESS CULTURISM TECH-PARADOX GLOBALIZATION WELLBEING INFORMATION SOCIETY DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE GRAY POWER NEW STATUS EXPERIENCES INDIVIDUALISM FEMINIZATION TOLERANCE & EQUALITY NETWORKED SOCIETY
Global Mega, Societal & Consumer Trends Mega trends Globalization The world is understood as global flows, global relations and global economies. The world is becoming smaller due to media and global economies. Demographic change Developed countries are aging which affects education and employment and increases immigration. Societal trends Change drivers of values and attitudes CULTURISM Changing cultural forms and traditions. Popularity of ethnicity. AWARENESS about inequality. Need for corporate trust & responsibility. AGING SOCIETIES Growing importance of education and health. TOLERANCE & EQUALITY Mature adults will become a more powerful group of consumers and decision makers. Consumer trends Change drivers of consumer needs NEW TRADITIONALISM LOCALIZED PRODUCTS ETHICAL CONSUMPTION ETC... FLOW OF SENIOR PRODUCTS GENERATIONAL MARKETING YOUTH INVATION ETC... Feminization Better integration of women and feminine motivations, supported by the blurring of gender roles. Individualism Growing autonomy of the individual from collective rules, traditions and taboos. Diminished meaning systems leaving void in people s surrounding world. Pace of technology adaptation Towards information society. Networks are becoming interactive and fluid. Increasingly interactive patterns of human relation foster new tech and new tech reinforces human networks EQUALITY & TOLERANCE Females are working more outside home, getting married and having children later. Increased tolerance of homosexuality. Search for new male identity EXPERIENCES desire for entertainment and new sensations. the desire for indulgence, transgression, refinement, selectivity... NETWORKED INDIVIDUAL New forms of individualism. NEW STATUS New paradigms for wealth and richness are emerging. WELLBEING Hedonism and health are main drivers of wellbeing trend. AWARENESS Criticism towards technological progress and products. WELLBEING People experience crazy pace of life - stressful life and information overload. Need for holistic approach. TECH PARADOX Technology positivism and tech criticism. NETWORKED INDIVIDUAL tech enhancing community forming. WOMANLY ATTRIBUTES in products METROSEXUALS UN-GENDERED PRODUCTS RE-GENDERING ETC... EXPERIENCE SHOPPING DEMOCRATIZATION OF LUXURY REQUEST FOR QUALITY OF LIFE SOFT HEDONISM SEARCH FOR MEANING & SPRIRITUALITY GREEN CONSUMPTION SLOWING DOWN NEED FOR HUMAN & EMOTIONAL TECHNOLOGY EMERGENCE OF VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES
Societal & consumer Trends the logics Mega Trend: Societal Trends: Consumer Trends: INFORMATION SOCIETY AWARENESS TREND Green products Less is more attitude Implications: Longevity & evolutionary nature of the solution. WELL-BEING TREND Slowing down Search for balance between mind & body Hedonistic health Spirituality Implications: Enhancing health Focus on the essential Decreased complexity TECH-PARADOX TREND Green consumption Slowing down Request for human & emotional tech Request for holistic product approach Implications: Provide clear benefits Intuitive UI Emotional approach in graphics, sounds etc... Design for all
DIFFUSION of trends Trends occur first among leading edge and tend to DIFFUSE later to mainstream.... CHASM AWARENESS WELLBEING TECHPARADOX postmaterialism self-development pragmatism & selectivity materialistic orientation Leisure = relaxation & having fun active adoption of mature tech Leading edge Mainstream 2.5% 13.5% 34% 34% 16% Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority Late Majority Laggards
Leading edge vs. mainstream values The main differences are.... LEADING EDGE: They give us an idea how values & attitudes may change. Good adaptability ready to change their attitudes. Postmaterialistic values. They create their own community. Flexible & autonomous - hierarchies are irrelevant. Love to learn self-realization & well-being. Pragmatism regards to tech. Have a dream, don t abandon yourself. MAINSTREAM: They represent prevalent attitudes, values & practices Slow in change behavior will change before values. Consumeristic drive. Community = Family & friends, strong togetherness. Traditions, but with modern twist. Roots & heritage are important. Relaxation & fun. Active openness towards tech, but need a certain degree of maturity. Search for table & regular, but not boring life.
Trends diffusion from Leading Edge to Mainstream SOCIETAL TREND: CULTURISM AWARENESS TOLERANCE WELLBEING NEW STATUS EXPERIENCES NETWORKED SOCIETY TECH-PARADOX LEADING EDGE: cultural eclectism concerned in theory & practice self-development postmaterialism new social currency creating communities pragmatism & innovation MAINSTREAM: renewal of traditions no influence taking place slowly relaxing & enjoying materialism fun & routine breaking maintaining family mature technology