Welcome to this 70th issue of our newsletter “Weak Signals and other Trends”. Each week, I sift through hundreds of sources of inspiration to track where we’re heading. If you are a new subscriber to this newsletter, take the time to send me a note and introduce yourself, I love to understand who is reading.
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This newsletter was written this time from Montreal, Canada. This is what I noticed these past couple of weeks, thank you for sharing this newsletter to those who look into the future.
Estelle.
Competitive Intelligence
We don’t have a hundred biases, we have the wrong model. Knowing your neighborhood. Is Google Search dying ? Realtime land cover dataset, useful for change-detection products and derivative maps. Use this search engine to find terms in YouTube transcripts. Why brands should treat TikTok more like a search engine than a social media platform. A web capture tool for online investigations. The first search engine for Internet-connected devices. Introducing Twitter Circle.
Strategic blindspots
Looking at the familiar with “alien eyes” allows you to unlock new business model opportunities while avoiding risks stemming from strategic blindspots.
Uber Eats teams up with Office Depot for on-demand school supplies. Amazon to sell mental health. What Should a Light Fixture Look Like in the LED Era? A personal submarine. Earn shares while you shop. ‘Science fiction prototyping’ to model future threats. Loosing work friends. Demographic changes, what a chart. Ammonia could help clean up global shipping.
We have scheduled the dates for 2022 for our “Strategic Blindspot course” . Our next course will be offered in Montreal on October 26-27, 2022. Registrations are now open.
Our future
Copying you into an embryo for organ harvesting. Ten futuristic cities set to be built around the world. China’s “Involuted” Generation. Healing the brain with your guts. Hybrid brains. The ideal city 2040. The future of investing includes Birkins, and JLo’s jungle dress. These scientists are working to extend the lifespan of pet dogs. The auto industry lost its spectrum fight because V2V was always a fantasy. What Will Roads Look Like in 30 Years? the 10 most populated cities in the world by 2100. Reimagining the city for the new world of work. Air-conditioning clothing.
We keep you updated on those trends and more on Twitter.
Weak signals
Weak signals are indicators of a change, a trend or an emerging risk that might become significant for the future. They allow us to run hypothesis, expand our thinking, and challenge assumptions. How will you interpret those in your industry or field of expertise?
Slacksplaining. Colour & Shape: Using Computer Vision to Explore the Science Museum Group Collection. Read-along with Google. A New Jailbreak for John Deere Tractors Rides the Right-to-Repair Wave. Why the American barbecue is about friendship not food. Frisbee Socialites. Bidding on possible future events. Using emoji trackers to spot emerging signals. Usain Bolt Files for Trademarks to Protect His Victory Pose. It’s corn. French government uses AI to spot undeclared swimming pools — and tax them.
On our radar
I am preparing a training program for McGill for a group of young women professionals in Biotech who are preparing to join their first board. I have researched this week the section relative to unimaginable risks: Unknowns unknowns. Communicating Extreme Volcanic Risk. Climate stress tests. Black swans 2050. Les décisions absurdes. Global risk report 2022.
Numbers
20 - 20 is the new 15.
Down the rabbit hole
This section highlights a subject that lead me to many useful threads, or a single site, that opened many doors.
This week, I went down the rabbit hole into the Tornado archive.
Hodgepodge discovery
Articles for curious minds and the polymaths
Measuring and comparing eco-systems. About Prussian blue. Keeping creatives inspired. The transformation of family. How tech-obsessed the grandparents have become. Hunger stones emerge in Europe. The global distribution of known and undiscovered ants. What have recessions looked like in the past? Email innovation timeline.
Posh Spice and persil: About brands, and this quote :
Above all, I found I had to accept that effective brand communication... involves processes which are uncontrolled, disordered, abstract, intuitive... and frequently impossible to explain other than with the benefit of hindsight.
Feeling good
How far can you go by train in 5h? Pretty maps. Leonardo’s to-do list. Glacier mice. Weather photographers. Let them write your LinkedIn post.
Photo by Christopher Ison: “Storm Eunice”
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And do not miss the next issue:
Revisit: around this time last year, I published issue 26.
Thanks for reading Weak signals and other trends!
Contact me at Competia with your feedback or ideas. Thank you for reading.