Fjord launches Annual Trends report 2015

Fjord launches Annual Trends report 2015

Why will automated helplines be axed in favor of services manned by real human beings? How can “nearables” and “hearables” help to make our smart phones even smarter and more powerful? What can Uber or Airbnb teach the business world about digital disruption going physical?

These are just some of the questions asked – and answered – in Fjord’s Annual Trends report 2015 which seeks to highlight the impact of digital on the real world and explore how this will shape both consumer expectations and service design over the coming 12 months.

In true Fjord fashion we have sought insight and inspiration from experts within Fjord and from our colleagues in Accenture, and we have distilled their thinking into nine core ideas. These include why Asian start-ups are breaking down the boundaries between traditional service categories to mash instant messaging with banking and shopping. And why the rise of emotional interfaces means that businesses will need to evolve their digital personalities.

Once again this year we have identified meta-themes including:

The digitalization of everything is becoming a reality
Software is now becoming embedded in the environment very fast indeed, in ways that we will all be experiencing and talking about. At the same time, people are replacing automation when it comes to the front line of customer service.

Consumers want to be enchanted
Maybe it’s the result of a generation weaned on Harry Potter, but Generation Y are hard to surprise: they confidently expect services to become more magical – for example by guessing your intent or making boring transactional stuff disappear. Companies that can conjure with skill, will differentiate themselves.

In 2015 the winning digital brands will seek to connect the gaps between services, devices and places. These gaps can’t be avoided but they can be managed much better. Platforms that scale to do this are essential and the owners of these will be at the top of the value chain.

If we had to pick one word to sum it up, it is this: ambition.

However in itself, this is not enough: the best organizations will figure out how to deliver on ambition – but in a way that places consumer needs ahead of commercial imperatives. Fjord’s Trends report 2015 is hosted on the Accenture Interactive site and has its own dedicated SlideShare page. You’ll also be able to follow our updates on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Our 2015 Trends aim to provoke, inform, inspire, but above all to provide actionable insight. We call that Design at the Heart.

Read, discuss, share, and enjoy.

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