The secret weapon for seeing the future: weak signals (part 3)
Where to find weak signals?
Ok, now I have written what weak signals are (=weird new stuff) and what to do with weak signals (=collect and combine). This post discusses about where to find weak signals.
The answer is easy. Weak signals are everywhere. Today, I do not see any challenge to find weak signals because of internet. The biggest challenge is to open your eyes and see the weak signals and register them in your brains, in the “weak signals folder”. Unfortunately the usual, non-futurist reaction to weak signals is just to ignore them, because they seem so insignificant.
As I am a futurist, one of my tasks is to collect weak signals. I will reveal my favourite sources for finding weak signals here:
Media (tv, radio, social media, papers): This is simple. The more you observe the world and media, the more signals you see. Expose yourself also to atypical media for you. Look at the fringe media. Try to burst your own cozy bubble. Read magazines that you would not order to yourself. Follow interesting people in social media. Follow also people that you do not agree with. Listen to podcasts and radio, watch tv, read newspapers, try to find fringe channels etc.
Traveling: In my work I travel a lot. Traveling is an excellent way to spot weak signals. Ideas spread around the world and by traveling you will find various new ideas.
Fairs, exhibitions, conferences and seminars: Fairs are places where companies go to show their new innovations. What an effective place to spot weak signals! For example in CES is an annual consumer electronic show in Las Vegas, where companies show their latest gadget to audience.
This autumn I visited a conference and exhibition of synthetic biology. That was really eye opening for me. I spotted for example headphones that were partly made out of mushroom.
Universities: In the universities the students have still possibility to create and be innovative before they go to work in bureaucratic big companies that destroys people’s imagination (just kidding, or am I…). But to be serious: universities are many times hubs for innovation. The do research of various topics, are very connected around the world and have people from many cultures. This all spurs for new innovation = weak signals.
“Weird” and “fringe” people: Observe the fringe people, they might actually be pioneers. Change usually starts among some people that think differently. Just think about first women that started to demand something like right to vote in the elections! How weird were they! Or have you heard of weird people who have installed a NFC chip under their skin and used it as a key to their house? Well, that was me a couple of years ago.
If you find a odd, pioneer person, be happy to have a long discussion with her. She could revel the next trend of the future.
Art: Someone (I do not remember who) once said that artists are sensitive people that feel the changes happening in the society and then express these changes in their art work. I am not sure about this, but certainly artists’ task is to create something new and shocking. So: follow arts, visual, written or performing arts. Do not forget the street art!
Every day life: Do not underestimate your daily life! You really do not have to travel to other side of the world to see the signals of change. Just tune your senses to recognize the signals in your daily life. For example: I was having a glass of juice in the coffee shop in my favourite shopping mall. Because there is a fuzz about reducing the single use plastic, they had changed their plastic straws to straws made of paper. How ecological they were!
Kids (and young people of all ages): It is interesting to see the world of the kids: what are their favourite plays, games, social media tools, what subjects they learn from school, what are their new learning tools, how do they communicate with their friends etc. My favourite places to find weak signals are toy shops.
From my own kids I have learned several things that have been new to me. For example my daughter, who is enthusiastic in reading, uses application called Wattpad, where she follows various writers. My son is interested in computer games, and he watches videos of people that are playing computer games in Youtube.
To summarize: Weak signals are everywhere, but futurist’s favourite sources are:
- Media
- Travelling
- Fairs, exhibitions, conferences, seminars
- Universities
- Weird and fringe people
- Art
- Everyday life
- Kids
What are your favourite sources for weak signals?
This is a series of writings explaining the idea behind weak signals. The serie contains following posts:
Post 1: What is a weak signal?
Post 2 : What to do with weak signals?
Post 3 (this post): Where to find weak signals?
Post 4 : How could organizations use and crowdsource weak signals?
Are you interested about my ideas? If so, you could book my webinar lectures and key-note speeches via my web page www.elinahiltunen.com
