Global Key Trends 2020

What’s Next in technology often focuses on the obvious: speed, size and cost – but what we seem to forget is that people shape tomorrow’s technology. 

Marshall McLuhan had a point when he said that: “We look at the present through a rearview mirror. We march backwards into the future.” To observe trends, it is crucial to understand that they are interlinked and connected to the past and present of socioeconomic and cultural drivers influencing tomorrow’s government and business success stories. Technology tend to leave people out of the equation – when in fact they are integral to shaping the sociology of technology. At Kjaer Global, we have investigated 4 key clusters of digital technology: SMART – SOCIAL- ORGANIC- WELLNESS. These are the ‘ones to watch’ – impacting how we will live in the future.

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SMART

The Global Brain
The Internet of Things is already here and, by 2020, over 30 billion devices will be connected. We see ‘deep learning’ inspired by artificial ‘neural networks’ and evolved ‘augmented reality’. This enables huge opportunities in all areas of life: politics, education, media, health, commerce and leisure. The Internet will soon be connected to everything including our brains – enabling fast and accurate decoding of multi-layered information.

Strategic ‘Big Data’
As Big Data merges with ‘Social’ content, we see new strategic software and tools to predict behaviours and buying attitudes. Tracking real-time sentiments will enable brands to deliver better experiences. Currently data management and ‘social analytics’ mostly benefits organisations, but soon people will demand a share of their ‘data value’. This ‘Data Mining Boom’ is already influencing media, with the ‘Nate Silver effect’ now inspiring a whole genre of data-driven journalism to predict the future.

SOCIAL

Weconomics
With a global growth of 60% in 2012, Crowdfunding Platforms are set to explode. The US leads the trend, but crowdfunding is also flourishing across the Eurozone. With estimates for annual CFP (CrowdFunding Platform) transactions set to reach $3 billion in 2012, we could see a radical change in the funding landscape for entrepreneurs and SMEs. Increasingly, people will want to own a share in the startups they buy from – being respected partners rather than just consumers.

Global Citizens
With a growing global mobile workforce – people will migrate for career and life experiences to discover new cultures. The demand for affinity networks and familiar touch points that let us learn and share across conventional borders will grow. To deliver real value and engage with the true needs of the Global Citizen and tomorrow’s talent, agility, convergence and seamless services must be incorporated into each and every offering.

ORGANIC

Betterness
Mindful consuming informs 21st-century business models. Cultural storytelling, authenticity and craftsmanship are in demand as we return to local sourcing and manufacturing. Businesses and individuals will join forces to practice ‘Betterness’, such as radical openess and social responsibility, and make a positive impact for the greater good of all. Agility and scalability is key in this – in order to balance costs, transport and ethics – and it will be enabled by clean tech advances and technologies, such as 3D printing.

Mobile Education
The growth of disruptive technologies and dedicated social media MBA programmes is already redefining learning. mEducation, valued at US$70 billion by 2020 and MOOCS (Massive Open Online Course), will result in a major educational transformation. The Codecademy wants to turn tech consumers into empowered code builders and Singularity University is teaming up with entrepreneurs, technologists and leaders globally to define a road map to guide the evolution of new technologies.

WELLBEING

Cloud Health
By 2020, chronic diseases will account for almost 75% of all deaths worldwide. Cloud intelligence will evolve as ‘Quantified-Self-apps’, Mobile Diagnostics and Intuitive Bio Feedback become active resources in our daily lives. Personal digital analysis for balanced health, fitness and diet delivers unique solutions to help us lead better lives. This trend is set to explode as healthcare professionals become involved in designing health management systems and monitoring for prevention rather than just healing.

Enoughism
Challenging the belief that The Good Life is dependent on consumption of stuff, we look elsewhere for new ideals to define a fulfilled life. Businesses now realise that they can achieve success by encouraging employees to adopt a ‘mindful’ approach to work and life in general. Harvard Business School’s course on ‘Positive Psychology as The Catalyst For Change’ is oversubscribed – informing a new generation of business leaders. It seems inevitable that future economic models will consider data measuring happiness levels.

Inspirational Sources

SMART
* The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects – McLuhan >>
* The sociology of technology >>
* The Internet of Things – Cisco >>
* ‘Deep learning’ – NY Times >>
* Data Journalism – ‘Nate Silver Effect’ – NY Times

SOCIAL
* Crowdfunding Platforms  – Crowdfunding.nl >>
* Crowdfunding Transactions – Forbes >>

ORGANIC
* ‘Betterness’ by Umair Haque – HBR >>
* Radical Openness – TED 2012 >>
* 3D Printing – Wired >>
* MOOC’s – NY Times >>
* mEducation – GMSA McKinsey >>
* Codecademy >>
* Singularity University >>
* Envisioning the Future of Education Technology – TFE Research

WELLNESS
* Chronic diseases 2020 – WHO >>
* ‘Positive Psychology as the Catalyst for Change’ – HBR >>
* What’s The Future Of Doctors – FastCo >>