Fjord Trends look back: 2017
Fifteen years of making business and design predictions, but how do our thoughts through the years seem to us now?
Fjord Trends 2022 will be our fifteenth report into what’s coming up for the business and design industries. To celebrate this milestone, we’ve asked some of our leadership team to pick out one trend from each of the past 15 years, to share their own thoughts and to ponder how things have panned out since. This is part ten.
This episode our Fjord Trends 2022 countdown is all about 2017 and it’s written by Humza Ijaz, Managing Director — Head of Design, Accenture Interactive, Middle East.
As with everything, context is king, so let’s set the scene for the year leading up to launch, with some cultural references that might take you right back. It was a year of substantial political change, with Donald Trump being elected US President, the United Kingdom voting to leave the EU, and Brazil and South Korea impeaching their presidents. We lost many greats including Muhammad Ali, Alan Rickman, Carrie Fisher and David Bowie, while Pokémon Go brought distraction and joy to millions.
Over to Humza…
My favorite trend: World on wheels
By Humza Ijaz
Here’s how we nutshelled it at the time:
Self-driving cars, also known as autonomous vehicles (AVs), are so close to becoming part of daily life that, given the time it will take to prepare, every organization must consider how to respond. And those institutions that proactively start the work now will reap massive opportunities. Those that don’t, on the other hand, can be left behind.
AVs will redefine the automotive industry, and those organizations impacted by the shifting landscape will have to deal with the changing business models and customer expectations they bring about.
In 2017, as businesses explore a new generation of mobile services, they will turn their attention to cars, viewing automobiles as a connected mobile environment in which things happen via multiple devices. And the ambitious will explore ways to integrate experiences between car and home.
“World on wheels” not only encapsulated a shift in the automotive industry, but it also reframed new services we can avail from new locations and delivery channels. It ignited collaboration of brands in an ecosystem of different sectors, converging to deliver greater convenience. The impact of these newfound alliances makes World on wheels my favorite trend from 2017.
CAFU, a petrol delivery service, started delivering fuel to any location in an effort to skip the inconvenience of busy fuel stations. Soon after, they expanded their offering to include maintenance, battery replacement and car wash. Why would I choose to queue when the service comes to me at a time and place of my choosing?
This shift is not exclusive to car-related services — in UAE, same-day delivery has now been expedited to one-hour delivery, provided you choose from the right selection of goods. Dog grooming services come to your doorstep with a van kitted out for all your pet’s needs. Before my last visit to the UK, my airline enabled me to check-in all my luggage from home — who wouldn’t love that, with two kids about to get on a seven-hour flight? I did my PCR-test at home as well. Convenient, affordable, and the delight these services bring me is on a level with my four-year-old daughter’s joy at hearing the ice-cream truck touring the neighborhood.
Vehicle to Everything technology (V2X) lies at the center of autonomous driving progress over the past few years. In other words, communication. Not just with systems but people too. The relationship we have with cars has certainly evolved over the past few years and the definition of what the car means in our lives is changing too. As regulators and automakers crack autonomous driving and steering wheel-less concept cars with adjustable seating arrangements become a reality, a mobility marketplace that helps me make the most of my time on the go is potentially just around the corner.
World on wheels has forced us to rethink new and exciting ways we can connect with our customers. The role of design allows us to reimagine these new relationships and bring more excitement, convenience and joy to our customers lives — because they deserve it.
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