Design Thinking

Chapter 22Future-Friendly Design: Designing for and with Future Consumers

Andy Hines

University of Houston, Hinesight

Introduction

New product ideation and design is aimed at future markets, but the ideas and designs are typically developed using current consumer needs. This chapter offers a framework for understanding long-term values shifts that provide insight into how consumer preferences are changing into the future. Two emerging values types that are driving these changes are introduced and their trajectory over time is described. These shifting values are at the core of five emerging consumer needs, which are illustrated and brought to life with representative future personas. Implications for designers and developers are identified both in terms of adding to a tool kit as well as identifying themes of change cutting across the consumer landscape.

Designers and new product developers (hereafter “developers”) looking to develop innovative designs and products are continually challenged to understand how consumer preferences are changing. If only it were as simple as asking them what they will need in the future! The truth is that they don't know either. Thus, one looks for clues to future consumer preferences. My experience as the Global Trends manager with the Kellogg Company back in the 1990s introduced me to the notion that consumer values provided insight to changing consumer preferences, that is, what they might want to buy. More importantly, there were long-term ...