2018趋势（英文版）_41页-4mb

2018 Fjord Trends Summary

Core Content

The 2018 Fjord Trends report outlines seven key trends that are shaping the intersection of business, technology, and design. These trends are defined by a central theme: Tension, which reflects the growing divide between digital and physical experiences, human and machine, and the need to navigate these shifts in a way that creates meaningful, long-lasting change.

Main Trends

Trend 01: Physical Fights Back

• Overview: The emphasis is shifting from digital as the main brand experience to using digital as an invisible enabler of physical and sensory experiences.
• What's Going On:
  • Digital technologies are becoming more ambient and integrated into physical environments.
  • The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing rapidly, with 30.7 billion connected devices expected by 2020 and 75.4 billion by 2025.
  • Companies like Alibaba and Amazon are integrating digital into physical spaces (e.g., Tao Café, Amazon Go).
• What's Next:
  • Organizations need to restructure and develop new skills to integrate digital into physical experiences.
  • The future of service design will involve closer collaboration between physical and digital designers.
• Fjord Suggestion:
  1. Rethink services: Imagine new services enabled by visual data capture.
  2. Rethink data approach: Use visual data to enhance personalization and reduce friction.
  3. Rethink design context: Incorporate human behaviors and emotions into service design.

Trend 02: Computers Have Eyes

• Overview: Intelligent cameras and computer vision are becoming more powerful, capable of capturing, analyzing, and acting on visual data without relying on text input.
• What's Going On:
  • Camera technology is becoming cheaper and more widespread, enabling new applications in various sectors.
  • Companies like Google, Apple, and Alibaba are leveraging computer vision for services such as facial recognition, emotion detection, and real-time feedback.
  • Examples include Google Clips, Apple's Face ID, and Alibaba's use of facial recognition for parcel pickup.
• What's Next:
  • Computer vision will drive more sophisticated and automated services.
  • The integration of AI and machine learning will make cameras more human-like in their ability to interpret and respond to the environment.
• Fjord Suggestion:
  1. Rethink services: Use visual data to create more engaging and personalized experiences.
  2. Rethink data approach: Leverage large quantities of visual data to extract meaningful insights.
  3. Rethink design context: Design services that reflect human emotions and behaviors through visual interpretation.

Trend 03: Slaves to the Algorithm

• Overview: Algorithms are becoming the gatekeepers between consumers and brands, influencing purchasing decisions in new ways.
• What's Going On:
  • Voice-controlled digital assistants like Alexa and Xiaowei are reshaping how consumers discover and make purchases.
  • Algorithms are now used not just for recommendations but for a wide range of services, creating a "third space" between online and physical retail.
  • Trust in algorithms is growing, but so is the issue of algorithmic bias, which can limit brand exposure.
  • Brands like Domino's and Ocado have already partnered with Amazon to enable voice-based ordering.
• What's Next:
  • Algorithms will become more powerful and personalized, potentially reducing the role of traditional marketing.
  • Brands must find ways to influence customer decisions without direct interaction.
• Fjord Suggestion:
  1. Get to know the gatekeepers: Understand how algorithms work and how to be ranked by them.
  2. Design for algorithmic trust: Create services that align with user needs rather than brand interests.
  3. Optimize for algorithmic relevance: Focus on how to influence customer behavior through digital assistants.

Key Insights

• The tension between digital and physical is central to the 2018 Trends, reflecting a broader societal and technological shift.
• Technology is becoming more ambient, allowing for seamless, invisible integration into daily life.
• Computer vision is evolving rapidly, enabling cameras to not only capture images but also interpret and respond to human behavior and emotion.
• Algorithms are reshaping marketing, acting as intermediaries that influence consumer choices.
• Designers and organizations must adapt to these changes by integrating digital and physical experiences, rethinking data strategies, and working closely with both types of design specialists.

Conclusion

The 2018 Fjord Trends report highlights a transformative year in which technology is increasingly embedded in the physical world, and algorithms are becoming central to consumer behavior. The report encourages a shift in thinking from viewing digital and physical as separate entities to designing experiences that blend both seamlessly. With the rise of computer vision and voice assistants, the role of design in creating trust, personalization, and meaningful engagement has never been more critical.