ME2829 Trendspotting and Future Thinking 7.5 credits

What unites different disciplines is the concept of speculating about future trends. Thinking about the future and what potential clues can divulge about how it will reveal itself unites people across disciplines and professional purposes. It is an area that is not owned by any one discipline. This course seeks to introduce the students to the concept of these trends, trendspotting and future thinking. Furthermore the course will introduce the students to the tools needed to understand trends and their role in society and how to best foresee and work with them in new business creation and development.

Each lecture will focus on a different tool in the trendspotter’s toolbox, and be organized around the students insights gathered using the tool and discussions about the applicability of these insights. These tools include, but are not limited to: interdisciplinary thinking, scenario planning and uncertainty management.

After this course the student should perceive trendspotting as a clear, understandable and approachable tool in new business creation and development and be able to:

• Explain the concepts of trends, trendspotting and future thinking
• Investigate the human fascination with the concept of the future and outline pitfalls in future thinking
• Investigate and further develop the different ways in which future thinking can be mastered
• Explore and discuss different types of trends from macro and megatrends to fashionable fads and microtrends
• Reveal and further develop reliable sources for trendspotting

Students must have a minimum of 120 university points.

Information om kurslitteratur kommer att meddelas inför kursstart.

Literature will be announced in connection to the start and communicated to enrolled students..

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

• PRO1 - Project, 7.5 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

There are three assignments in the course, introduced by the respective teacher in context to a specific lecture:

Assignment 1: Future Scenario

Assignment 2: Trends in Practice

Assignment 3:

         Component 1: Reflecting on and communicating a possible future (video).

         Component 2: Synopsis, combining the two prior assignments.

         Component 3: Workshop participation.

Grading scale

Students that successfully complete an SSES course will be graded according to the couse syllabus.

Attendance is compulsory.

Terrence Brown

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

Replaces ME2809

The course language is English.

The course is offered within the framework of the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship.

Responsible institution: University College of Arts, Crafts and Design (Konstfack)

Course director: Pmme van Hoof, pomme.vanhoof@sses.se

Queries can be addressed to SSES Education Coordinator via registrar@sses.se