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Trend Analysis

Trend analysis helps you understand how technologies, behaviors, and cultural shifts are developing over time. As a creative technologist, you don't just want to build something that works, you want to build something that fits the world it enters. Analyzing trends allows you to identify what is emerging, what is fading, and what that might mean for your project or concept.

Trends can involve technology (like generative AI), behavior (like screenless interaction), or societal shifts (like sustainability awareness). Understanding trends gives you a broader perspective and helps you avoid reinventing the wheel, while still allowing room for innovation and critique.

Starting Point

  • Begin by collecting examples: What technologies, platforms, or behaviors are gaining traction in your domain? Look at blogs, industry reports, tech news, and public datasets.
  • Use a simple trend canvas like this one: What is rising? What is declining? What is a reaction to something else? What is emerging in a niche?

Key Points

  • Don't just collect trends — analyze what they mean. Ask: why is this trend happening, and what needs or values does it reflect?
  • Evaluate the relevance for your project. Does this trend align with your user, your context, or the system you're building?
  • Identify risks of blindly following trends. Could this create ethical issues, short-term thinking, or technical dead-ends?
  • Document your findings with examples, short descriptions, and a reflection on how they influenced your choices.