2018 Fjord Trends - Accenture
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2018 Fjord Trends
2018 Trend 01
Physical fights back 4
Fjord Trends Trend 02
Computers have eyes 13
Trend 03
Slaves to the algorithm 22
Trend 04
A machine’s search for meaning 32
Trend 05
In transparency we trust 42
Trend 06
The ethics economy 52
Trend 07
Design outside the lines 62
Introduction
Our annual Trends report is always a team effort, and this Tension
year’s team was bigger and more diverse than ever. More
than 1,000 Fjordians, plus (for the first time) 85 clients Over the past year, we’ve watched a polarization
from five continents, inspired our report, each bringing effect weave its way through many areas of our lives.
their own individual perspectives and experiences to Disagreement is no new phenomenon, nor are the
the table. paradigm shifts we experience across society. The
current gulf between opposing opinions is remarkable
We first gathered insights in all forms—a mix of hastily- and sometimes overwhelming, but also presents a
drawn thoughts on Post-it Notes, elegant (and not-so- moment of great opportunity.
elegant) illustrations, simple scribbles and long-form
copy, and even some musings over a cup of coffee. We Each of our Trends is born out of a fundamental tension,
then took those insights into workshops designed to whether it’s a shift, a disagreement, a collision or a
hone the thinking and spot patterns—and tapped into definitive rift in ideas. Digital versus physical, human
some digital tools to help us gather evidence for our best versus machine, centralized versus decentralized, speed
ideas (because we’re all about blending the physical with versus craft, automation versus control, traceability
the digital). The result? Seven Trends affecting business, versus anonymity … it’s all in this year’s report.
technology and design in 2018.
How we navigate these tensions and design for positive,
Today, we see deep divisions across global populations long-lasting change will be more critical today than ever
on a broad range of issues, which is creating social and before. In 2018, it won’t be enough to be a bystander.
political anxiety. We’re also experiencing tension as a We collectively have the opportunity to design the world
result of deep technological change that is altering the we’ll be living in for decades to come.
world we live in. There is no running from these forces.
For the first time, we feel that there is just one meta Read on to explore Fjord Trends 2018. We hope there
theme for Trends in 2018: Tension. will be plenty in these pages to provoke conversations
about what’s lurking around the corner for you—as an
individual, an employee, an organization or a consumer.
Happy reading!
2 3
Trend 01
Physical Digital is no longer the centerpiece of brand
fights back
experience. The emphasis is shifting onto how best
to use digital as an invisible enabler of physical and
sensory experiences. As interactions with users evolve
from periodic engagements via a screen to consistent,
connected experiences, organizations must create
new services that are deeply integrated in the
physical world.
4 5
What’s going on? Tao Café from
Alibaba
Physical fights back
For the past five years, how we have Service design, which is all about exploring
designed services has been dictated every touchpoint and channel to design an
and limited by the touchpoints that were experience, has a central role to play. The
available to us—the PC, mobile devices and disaggregation of technology components
analog touchpoints. Much emphasis was gives service designers many new
placed on creating experiences delivered avenues to explore as they create the next People are already starting to move away Technologies, mobile payments and the
through digital screens and as a result, generation of digitally enabled services. from intrusive digital technologies and hunt for convenience have positioned
people spent more time interacting via No longer restricted by rigid touchpoints, kick against digital saturation. As a result, China as the leader in what has been
device than in person. sensory and human experiences are front they are receptive to a more personal described by some as the online-to-offline
and center with digital playing a powerful approach to services and products, and (o2o) revolution. o2o is where customers
This is about to change. behind-the-scenes role. as technology becomes more ambient, are identified in the online space then
they are migrating to services like Airbnb enticed via various tools—click and
A major shift is underway in technology, We are now living in a world where that offer physical, human and sensory collect, for example—to transact in an
fuelled by lower costs, the disaggregation technology is everywhere, supported by experiences that create lasting memories. offline environment.
of core technology components, and the Cloud. We exist in a fog that makes
users’ growing angst about their own the digital invisible, and that blurs the In the Asia-Pacific region, 88% of retailers
“screen addiction.” boundaries between digital and physical. plan to implement click and collect
From an installed base of 15.4bn connected systems, according to one recent study.
Until recently, speaker/microphone, devices in 2015, the Internet of Things Alibaba, for example, recently invested
camera, screen and sensors were found market is expected to grow to 30.7bn in US$1.25bn in Shanghai-based Chinese
together in PCs and mobile phones. Now, 2020, and rising to 75.4bn by 2025. online food delivery service Ele.Me—a
they are being pulled apart—the equivalent strategic move to strengthen its position in
of dismantling a Swiss Army knife, the o2o marketplace.
separating its various tools and embedding
each into a diverse array of other places. In a separate move, Alibaba recently
unveiled its Tao Café and smart speaker—
As the disaggregation of core technology called Tmall Genie—to revolutionize offline
accelerates, each individual component retail. By scanning a QR code on the
is blurring into the background. This is Taobao app at the entrance of the store,
freeing organizations to move away from customers are tracked by cameras with
interactions via digital screens and refocus “People are already starting facial recognition. After going through the
on human experiences—this shift will have
a huge impact on how those experiences
to reject intrusive digital checkout doors, they automatically make
a purchase through their smartphones
are designed. technologies and kick against without needing to scan everything
digital saturation.” through a register, and can simply leave the
store with their items in hand.
Data source: IHS
6 7
Physical fights back
Amazon Go prototype grocery store in Seattle. Audi Q7 which features haptic feedback controls. Carnival on board experience and medallion.
What’s next?
Elsewhere, a growing number of primarily trucks” that sell certain items at discount
digital brands are now placing greater in six US cities. While at the same time,
emphasis on the physical while making the it has accelerated the speed at which it
most of their digital expertise and data to is bringing to market new Amazon Echo
improve user satisfaction. services.
As technology becomes increasingly Audi, for example, has integrated haptic
Amazon, for example, has shifted its affordable, it is dispersed into the physical feedback and gesture recognition into
focus in recent years onto the experiential world. People are being served a growing its vehicles to declutter and minimize
element of shopping with Amazon Go, its number of personalized experiences distractions from the user while driving.
purchase of grocery chain Whole Foods anytime, anywhere, and they will expect Ultrahaptics system pushes the boundaries
and its partnership with Kohl’s—further “As technology becomes many of the benefits they feel today to even further.
evidence of the company’s desire to grow
its physical retail presence.
increasingly affordable, continue and to evolve as they move from
one physical environment to another.
it is dispersed into the
Since 2015, Amazon has opened 11
bookstores, 40 pop-up Amazon stores
physical world and blurs Already, we have seen voice-activated
interfaces shift the emphasis onto a
across the US (mainly designed to into the background.” screen-free physical experience and away
showcase its products), pick-up lockers in from interacting with a digital device
thousands of retail stores, and “treasure as an end in itself. And we have seen
interfaces evolve in other ways, such as the
emerging use of haptic feedback—using
vibrations to provide feedback and guide
behavior, which especially benefits the
visually impaired.
8 9
Physical fights back
Fjord
suggests
At city level, we will soon see a mapping of Already, design specialists are responding.
physical and digital together. In Hangzhou, Carnival Corporation, for example, has
China, Alibaba has been using AI to process developed the Medallion—a wearable
video, social media, traffic and other data smart coin that connects customers to
for its City Brain project, and congestion a cruise ship through a digitally-enabled
01 02 03
has been reduced. Reportedly, they are service called the Compass. It ensures
packaging the system for use elsewhere. each guest receives a unique and seamless
experience with their personal preferences
To capitalize on this sort of thinking, constantly captured to optimize service as Stop viewing digital and Let technology Sharpen your
organizations must re-structure and it is delivered. physical as separate inspire you design skills
develop new skills. Reintroducing a
physical dimension to services provides an Having seen how things were developing, Instead ask: how do we design Traditionally, designers think first Greater physical experience
opportunity to differentiate at scale—which Accenture acquired design and innovation experiences and spaces to about the end user. In this space, design must be connected to
has been harder to achieve in the age firm Matter in 2017. Matter focuses on connect with people around us, designers also need to understand your digital strategy. More digital
of apps. designing products and experiences for a enabled by digital in a physical and look at the technological will be integrated into physical
connected world, adding physical product world? Create experiences that possibilities from the outset in products and services from the
The future of service design will be all design to Fjord’s service design and digital fuse physical and digital. The order to deliver a new generation get-go. As a result, new physical
about blending physical with digital. product creation capabilities. relationship and connectivity of services enabled by digital that and digital design capabilities
Particular skills will be required for each, between devices will be critical— thrill and excite. The joining of may be needed in-house. And
so we will see designers who specialize Organizations will also need to ask and should be invisible. physical and digital design opens closer collaboration between
in physical and digital design working themselves an important question: up a wealth of new possibilities physical and digital design
closely together, with shared goals. This as digital becomes ubiquitous and and opportunities, so think specialists will be a must.
will have huge implications for brands increasingly invisible, what future structure, laterally. As technology falls in
and organizations. Local Motors is brief and role should there be for digital price, indulge yourself in the art of
successfully organizing around this: “We departments or heads of digital? the impossible.
are focused on low volume manufacturing
of open-source vehicle designs, using
multiple microfactories and a co-creation
SaaS platform.”
10 11
Trend 02
Computers
have eyes
Computers have been able to read, comprehend
and react to words for some time. Now, they can
do the same with images. We got here with help
from exponential progress in Artificial Intelligence
and machine learning, combined with the fact that
cameras are built into a greater variety of devices.
Organizations can benefit from engaging with this
powerful new source of data to create new digital
services that add value and are truly compelling.
12 13
What’s going on?
Computers have eyes
iPhone X, source Apple. Google Clips, source Google.
The camera is undergoing its This has been caused by two major shifts. Examples of the technological development
biggest transformation since Louis to cameras’ eyes are starting to appear:
Daguerre publicly unveiled the first First, cameras have become smarter—both Google recently launched Clips—a digital
practical photographic process—the in terms of what they can capture (their camera without a display that takes
daguerreotype—in 1839. eyes) and what they can do with it (their pictures for you, using machine learning
brain). With sharper eyes and smarter to recognize and learn faces, and look for
Over the almost-200 years since, the focus brains, they’re becoming more and more interesting moments to record.
has been on capturing images as the device human-like. In the past, computers were
itself evolved through many varied forms limited by what a human can see and Apple’s newest iPhone X has the ability to
and formats. As a result, intelligent digital process, which was then translated into unlock itself using facial recognition.
cameras are now capturing data which can words for a computer to understand.
be processed through machine learning Today, intelligent digital cameras can use In China, Alibaba is piloting facial
algorithms to provide more sophisticated “computer vision” to capture visual data, recognition technology at 10,000 parcel
insights than we’ve ever before accessed. analyze and act on it without needing pickup locations across Shanghai, to
text inputs. allow users to unlock delivery drop boxes.
Meanwhile, Chinese facial recognition start-
up Face++ has developed a face-detecting
14 15
Amazon Echo Look
Computers have eyes
system now used in several apps including Cars are using intelligent cameras to assess Bosch vision for In early 2017, Amazon added a camera to its
one to transfer money through Alipay (a their environment, process the data and automated driving. new-look Echo, which enabled it to see and
mobile payment app used by more than respond accordingly—like a driver would. hear all. A user can now use it hands-free
120m people), which scans the user’s face Bosch has created the Automated Mobility to take a still or video selfie, and view it on
as the only security credential. Academy that focuses on teaching vehicles their smartphone to check how the they
how to drive. Using sensors, hardware and look before going out.
In entertainment, Disney’s research arm is software, Bosch’s Mobility Solutions deliver
experimenting with facial recognition to connected mobility that allows driverless “The ‘brain’ attached to In Singapore, meanwhile, Sushi Express has
gauge how an audience is responding to
a movie. Computer vision is a major step
cars to become a reality.
these eyes is getting worked with Hewlett Packard Enterprises
to install cameras that track the popularity
forward. And as computers become skilled The “brain” attached to these eyes is evermore powerful, thanks of dishes on a sushi belt, gauge which
at understanding what they see, they can
spot patterns in data otherwise invisible
becoming ever-more powerful thanks to
Artificial Intelligence and machine learning.
to Artificial Intelligence are hot and advise chefs when to prepare
fresh replacements, reducing waste on less
to humans. No longer do we need to manually input and Machine Learning.” popular dishes.
information to help a computer interpret an
image—a growing number of devices can
read our emotions and respond in real time.
16 17What’s next?
Computers have eyes
Nanit baby monitor.
The second shift is that eyes are now These shifts combine to bring a further Eye capture linked to Artificial Intelligence Microsoft recently launched the Seeing
present in all sorts of objects—from smart level of sophistication and automation and machine learning will generate data AI app for the blind and visually impaired
wallets for catching thieves to smart to our products and services. Software containing more powerful insight than ever community to help people get a fuller
contact lenses—thanks to the relative developer Eric Raymond once stated that “a before, and designers will have to figure out narrative of the world around them by using
cheapness of camera technology. computer should never ask the user for any how best to unlock it and utilize it to create computers as their eyes. The app narrates
information that it can auto-detect, copy, compelling new products and services. the world around a person, explaining
For most of us, our cameras and our or deduce.” Already, there are examples This is both the big opportunity and the what’s in front of them and recognizing the
phones are the same device—and once of how computer vision is taking digital big challenge. faces of people they are with.
that camera starts to see, it can do much services to a new level—and directly asking
more than take a picture. For example, with the user less and less. We are already seeing a diverse array of This new wave of computer vision will
Google’s multilingual machine translation new applications for computer vision require computers to act more like humans.
service, travelers can use their phone to emerging. For example, Nanit is a baby
translate, simply by pointing it at text. monitor that watches a child sleep through It’s easy for a computer to process
a camera, then processes the information, information but, this year, we will see
providing insights on the emerging patterns computers processing information while
impacting sleep quality. reacting to the surrounding environment—
“This new wave of computer vision will require using cognition and language skills to
computers to act more like humans.” process information more like a person.
18 19Computers have eyes
Fjord
suggests
01 02 03
Nest Cam IQ Indoor
Rethink Rethink your Rethink the
services approach to data design context
With better quality input comes better The true potential of computer vision
quality output, and better output will drive depends on humans recognizing and Organizations must start Expect more data: eye capture As computers get better at
better insights and outcomes. This will offer trusting the fact that cameras and imagining the new generation of will eliminate the current friction- reading the emotions of people
significant opportunities for organizations computers are becoming smarter and more services they could create once generating steps of requiring using computer vision, human
to develop a new generation of services. integrated into daily life. This technology information is more routinely and a user to manually input data. behaviors and intrinsic features
is ground-breaking, but none of it matters ubiquitously captured visually. An Consider what data can be will need to be designed into
It will be important to consider both if humans won’t allow it into their physical important first step is to consider extracted from processing large services to fully interest and
the micro and macro implications. For spaces and daily lives. the degree to which the devices quantities of visual images, and engage users.
example, what could a camera embedded or service responds to customers which would be most useful.
in a bathroom mirror detect about the Security and privacy will be important dependent on what it “sees.” Prepare for lots of different levels
health of the person who uses it that issues for users in order to build trust and of data input, and plan today how
morning, and what services might that acceptance. People will be free to choose best to prepare to accommodate
inspire? What services could be built from whether or not to invite intelligent cameras that so data is not too unwieldy to
insights harnessed from 10,000 such in- into their homes and lives. Designers must use effectively.
mirror cameras? figure out not just how to make this feel
safe and comfortable but how to make the
experience valuable.
20 21Trend 03
Slaves to
the algorithm We are looking at a new marketing environment, which
is neither online retail nor a brick-and-mortar store.
In this “third space,” algorithms are performing the
role of gatekeeper between consumers and brands,
and they are indifferent to the branding efforts
that influence buying decisions people make for
themselves. How do you define a marketing strategy
when visual and empathy-reliant cues are removed?
22 23What’s going on?
Slaves to the algorithm
Netflix
Three developments are ramping up shared, the more personalized the results Spotify Discover Weekly It has become common for brands to
to transform marketing over the year they got. This is how Spotify learned how create a bot with the primary function of
ahead: the rapid evolution of data-driven to consistently recommend new artists and providing an extra interaction to deepen
algorithms, the evolution of voice-enabled tracks, and Netflix new films and box sets the connection between the brand and its
digital assistants and users’ growing trust that users would instantly love. customers. Examples include PINK, from
in both. Victoria’s Secret, which learns about its
Recently, the use of these algorithms has customers’ preferences to recommend
In the beginning, data-driven algorithms rapidly expanded beyond recommendation specific styles of bra. In entertainment,
were introduced to make it simple to find alone, spurring the development of a Lionsgate launched a Power Ranger Alpha
just what users wanted in a sea of choice, broad range of other propositions with 5 bot ahead of a movie release to engage
which saved them time, money, and best Artificial Intelligence. audiences by giving them a chance to
of all, headspace. The more data the user chat with Alpha 5, the Power Rangers’
robo assistant.
24 25“In 2018, the rapidly- In spring 2017, it was predicted that users Customers have taken a little while to get
evolving voice- of voice-enabled speakers—a market
dominated by Amazon, which has an
used to trusting algorithms, but we can
now see evidence of a marked shift in the
controlled shopping estimated market share of 70%—would way they discover and decide what to
marketplace will increase by 130% by the end of the year.
And the market looks set to continue
buy. Already, customers are actively and
passively deferring to algorithms.
create a ‘third growing significantly, given that 25% of
space’ for retailers smart speaker owners now use them for 11
or more tasks.
In 2018, the rapidly-evolving voice-
controlled shopping marketplace is
and brand owners.” expected to create a “third space” for
Slaves to the algorithm
Though it has taken time for customers to retailers and brand owners. Sitting between
get comfortable with algorithm-powered online outlets and physical bricks-and-
services, trust levels have now reached the mortar stores, this new marketplace will
point where customers are confident using be powered by algorithms rather than
them for purchases. Inevitably, it wasn’t conventional browsing, where customers
long before the first brands struck deals will make lots of buying decisions without
with Amazon to enable customers to order even seeing the products first.
via Alexa simply by speaking to her. These
pioneers included pizza chain Domino’s and
Amazon Echo Dot UK online supermarket Ocado.
Less common are impartial bots created The arrival and rapid evolution of voice-
by third parties with the primary aim of enabled digital assistants, (such as
empowering or just making life easier for Amazon’s Alexa and WeChat owner
the user. Examples include DoNotPay—a Tencent’s Xiaowei) has transformed
“law bot” that will challenge parking fines the experience of seeking product
on a user’s behalf, and banking bots such as recommendations—making it more
Cleo which aims to be the Siri of personal immediate, engaging and reactive than it
finance. The creator of DoNotPay has was in text-based chats. And customers are
recently extended the bot’s capabilities to embracing it much faster than predicted.
helping refugees claim asylum.
The challenge is this: when your customer
Then you have text-based recommendation has been seduced by the immediacy and
services that also enable users to make fun factor of engaging with the likes of
purchases. Early examples include brand Alexa instead of directly with your brand,
owner-created messaging bots like how do you reach that customer? Alexa and
Sephora’s, which launched on messaging her rivals have in-built biases, so the key
app Kik in 2016. In addition to providing lies in finding ways around them.
personalized beauty tips, product
recommendations and reviews, it allows
users to buy products mentioned in their
chat—without leaving Kik.
26 27What’s next?
Slaves to the algorithm
Amazon Echo Some organizations will be able to create Then comes bias. When a customer
gatekeeper algorithms, and their success chooses a digital assistant on a particular
will rely on their understanding of what platform, they will essentially lock
different groups of their customers value themselves into a relationship with that
Market signals are already telling us “As the Machine Learning best and want most from such services. platform’s partners, creating barriers to
that as algorithm-based assistants
continue to develop and thrive, they will
that powers these Other organizations, however, will find
that some gatekeeper algorithms have
competing brands. Essentially, homes will
be turned into stores without packaging
become significant sales channels. As algorithms continues the power to limit their direct access to and signage, making retailers’ traditional
the machine learning that powers these
algorithms continues to rapidly evolve,
to rapidly evolve, more their customers. attention-grabbing strategies obsolete. This
will have multiple implications for brands as
more personalized and preference-based personalized and There’s a strong chance we will soon see a well as retailers.
services will emerge.
preference-based desensitized algorithm sitting in between
an organization and its customers—one
Gatekeeper algorithms will appear to make services will emerge.” that does not notice things like visual
customers’ lives easier, but they will need branding efforts, celebrity endorsements
to understand the difference between self- or advertising campaigns. Being inherently
serving services created to meet a brand’s empathetic beings, people are influenced
primary interests—typically, to sell more— by such things, but algorithms are
and others designed for customers’ benefit. not. This poses a potential problem for
As consumers distinguish between these consumer packaged goods and retailers:
two types of service, they will eventually if the gatekeeper between a brand and its
choose the ones that best meet different customers isn’t susceptible to the efforts
needs, and which they trust the most. it makes to win customers over, how will
brands connect with shoppers?
28 2901 02
Get to know Adapt to the new
the gatekeepers marketing environment
Understand them, understand In a world in which ingrained
how to be ranked by them, consumer behaviors are
understand how to bypass them. bypassed, find new ways to
Consider carefully whether prompt your brand and purchase.
a product or service can be Brand names will operate like
designed to make it past the a secret password so train
gatekeeper, and how to earn customers to ask for you by name
customer loyalty once it does. rather than something generic
Consider creating collaborative (like “shoes”). Brands synonymous
Slaves to the algorithm
or complementary services on an with a category (like Kleenex) have
existing platform, as Domino’s did the clearest advantage. Hone
with Alexa. additional tactics that aid brand
recall and differentiating features.
Could one-click purchase ads be
the savior of impulse brands (and
Already, Amazon’s Alexa is more likely to Brands will need to understand how to get advertising)? Consider how to
recommend Amazon Prime products for past an algorithm that enables its user to inject purchase prompts into the
first time orders. This makes it more difficult purchase products without seeing them, environment where the customer
for any other brands to have their products and they will need to find new ways to is—in the home, car or elsewhere.
included in Alexa’s search results— influence customers’ decisions and their
particularly lesser-known brands. customers’ chosen algorithms.
03
Fjord
Recommendation algorithms are deemed There is a precedent for this in search
by their creators to work best when they are engine optimization, which aims to
neither too formal nor too novel. Typically, maximize a website’s visibility to online Beware the backlash
suggests
these algorithms tend to exploit known search engines. Algorithm optimization will
preferences rather than encouraging users be next. Prepare for the possibility that
to browse new options. New or smaller, less once algorithms’ newness wears
familiar brands will find this an obstacle to off, market fatigue dampens
their efforts to gain traction. consumer enthusiasm. Or that
consumers begin to worry their
Over the year ahead, packaged goods assistant has too much power
and retail brands will need to learn how over their decisions. Algorithms
to navigate a new environment in which have limitations. Consider how
previously reliable consumer behaviors, they might be gamed, or hacked,
like impulse-buying, will be eliminated or and how could that affect trust
greatly reduced, and standard marketing in them.
objectives like acquiring market share will
become more of a challenge.
30 31Trend 04
A machine’s
search for
meaning
Where once the “threat” to jobs was the introduction
of production lines, typewriters or motorized vehicles,
the hot topic now is the rise of Artificial Intelligence
and robots. Organizations must stop talking about
it and start designing for this change, by coming to
terms with how to enable people and machines to get
the best out of each other.
32 33What’s going on?
Deep learning was used by a Harvard-based team to improve
the accuracy of pathological diagnoses.
A machine’s search for meaning
The early days of Artificial Intelligence Already, machines can do a lot of our heavy Many are fixated on which jobs AI and Crucially, though, the debate is shifting
were intrinsically linked with robots, but lifting (literally and figuratively), and every machine learning will make obsolete, but away from which jobs will go, and onto new
the rise of digital—and the software and time they do, they get smarter. Not so long this preoccupation is misguided. and innovative ways in which people and
networks that underpin it—have decoupled ago, manual labor looked most challenged machines can collaborate.
AI from robotics and extended its reach to a by AI, but its growing capability could see it True, machines have traditionally replaced
broader range of machines. intervene in many knowledge worker jobs, humans in jobs involving repetitive tasks A Harvard-based team recently devised an
too. In China, for example, a robotic dentist in non-changing environments, and they AI method that could identify cancer cells
recently completed its first independent will continue to do so. Yet, now that today’s with 92% accuracy. In their experiment,
implant surgery on a patient. AI-driven machines having decision-making pathologists beat the machines by
capabilities and can do anything from achieving 96% accuracy. When they worked
Furthermore, realization is growing that detecting and picking only ripe apples to together, however, the combined forces
machines are becoming, in the words of driving a car, they will encroach into a more of human pathologists and AI accurately
Fjord designer Paige Maguire: “another type diverse array of professions. identified 99.5% of cancerous biopsies,
of user”—a collaborator or co-worker. brilliantly showing how AI and people are at
their best when they collaborate.
34 35In a recent global study, Accenture
identified new job categories—Trainers,
Explainers and Sustainers—where humans
will complement the tasks performed by
cognitive technology, created by the rise of
AI-enabled machines.
Following its US$775m acquisition of
robotics company Kiva, Amazon now
employs more than 45,000 robots—and is
still recruiting and employing people.
Google is now using AI combined with
human reviewers to identify and remove
controversial content across YouTube. A
powerful benefit of the collaboration is
reducing the exposure of human reviewers
to graphic content.
A machine’s search for meaning
In early 2018, drones are due to deliver
vaccines to the remote island nation of
Vanuatu as part of a partnership between
the island’s government and UNICEF, to Pepper by Softbank
provide practical help for health workers on
the ground.
Humanoid robots Pepper and Nao, made by
Japanese company Softbank Robotics, have “The introduction
recently been trialled in two Singapore
preschools. The robots helped teachers
of machines won’t
by asking children questions about a story always mean fewer
they had just heard, prompting them to
select answers on the screen. Again, the
jobs for humans—just
idea is to complement, not to replace. different ones.”
The introduction of machines won’t always
mean fewer jobs for humans—just different
ones. Mortgage brokers spend as much as
90% of their time processing applications.
Such tasks are well-suited to being taken
over by AI, which would liberate the
mortgage brokers to focus on ambiguous
cases and spend more time interacting with
people rather than screens.
36 37What’s next?
We need to rethink the way in which
machines and people coexist, and design
ways to help them get the best from
each other.
To avoid what has been called by some a
“robot apocalypse,” organizations must
pool collective ingenuity, intelligence
and relentless optimism to invent new
ways for machines to amplify our own
human capabilities. The key is to plan for Microsoft HoloLens
A machine’s search for meaning
a future in which people and machines
work collaboratively.
We can succeed if we evolve appropriate
interactions between people and machines Designers will help organizations identify The more human-centered and social
that are powerful enough to redefine the how they need to evolve, in order to we make these interactions, the more
nature of work. design experiences, products and services complexity and flexibility we also
for the new world that lies ahead. They introduce—not a trivial challenge. Machines
BMW is already setting a strong example. will also help redefine the nature of the need to learn about people’s inconsistent
One of its latest concept cars is designed to working experience and develop a new use of language and the ways in which we
mitigate miscommunication with driverless generation of products and services— marry words with gestures, and they will
vehicles by building a pseudo-relationship some automated, others collaborative— have to be able to interpret and reproduce
between the car and its passengers to make to harness humans’ and machines’ a new etiquette.
them feel safe when being driven around by combined strengths.
a machine. Organizations must redesign their culture,
Moving forward, organizations must gearing it toward meaningful work and
As a discipline that starts and ends with deepen their understanding of AI, consider constant learning. Looking ahead, at least
people, design will have a central role to and address some of the deeper issues and 45% of what people are currently paid to
play in enabling organizations to design optimize strategies accordingly. Important do is open to automation. If it happens,
solutions that enable their people to questions they must now ask themselves this shift will converge with the dominant
become comfortable with the addition of AI include: how will we interact with culture of millennials in the workplace. A
in the workplace. machines; how will we learn to work with Fidelity study showed millennials would
them; how will they learn from us; and how take a pay cut of US$7,600 if they could
will we create two-way communication? find a more purposeful work or a better
Robotic warehouse, Amazon culture elsewhere.
38 39Fjord
suggests
01 02
Think collaboratively, Design for
not competitively interaction
Let people do what they do best Think how quickly you can tell
and let machines do what people a machine to do something,
do worst. Start by considering and how quickly a machine
which work activities are most can tell you what it has done,
There are certain unfulfilling tasks that from some kind of AI intervention between WeWork co- meaningful to us. Better, find but remember they don’t have
working office
A machine’s search for meaning
will need to be automated because “purely aesthetic and purely technical— the best way for both to work the same diversity and rich
space, Austin.
people do not want to do them anymore. incrementally tweaking designs, optimizing collaboratively and pool their communication skills of people.
Organizations will need to act with column widths, and experimenting with strengths. Remember to take Design machines to ask questions
care, however. If automation is imposed color schemes.” your people on the journey with and clarify their instructions: less
from the top without taking employees you—to build trust in the impact ambiguity = a lower error rate.
on the journey, rebellion and sabotage The design discipline must further evolve of machine learning and AI, they
could follow. in response to the growing need for must feel reassured, included
combining human-centered design with and informed.
To enable staff to evolve as previously machine learning. Already, companies that
unimagined careers emerge, organizations provide design services are making moves
03 04
need to start transforming their cultures to in this direction. Recently, our Accenture
facilitate continuous learning. They must colleagues launched Accenture Applied
skillfully nurture new talent (especially if AI Intelligence, and IDEO acquired data
takes over the work traditionally done by science company, Datascope. Be transparent, Future-plan for
juniors) and encourage more experienced be inclusive staff evolution
talent to be ready to absorb a constant flow There will be a need for a new generation
of new information. of automated products and services Algorithmic transparency should Who trains the next generation
that harness the strengths of effective be central to your brand values. if AI is doing all the junior work?
Organizations will have the opportunity collaboration between humans and Staff and customers alike must Organizations need a plan for
to upgrade and optimize their design machines—this relies on successfully have an understanding of how enabling their staff to evolve.
approach and strategy with design for a combining human-centered design and decisions are being made. Remember, the journey must
certain degree of automation. Mark Rolston, machine learning. These new products and Technology fails when it is not be taken together in order to
founder of Argodesign, has identified a services will be essential to solve problems inclusive. AI has the potential make the most of what can be a
“fat middle ground” that could benefit that we can only imagine today, such as to fail on a grand scale. Ensure synergistic relationship between
how to build visibility into machine-to- diversity of people, data, and AI- people and machines. Employee
machine conversations so that people enabled machines to keep biases experience is a key differentiator
understand how machines communicate in check. in the search for talent.
with each other.
40 41Trend 05
In transparency
we trust
It’s hard to judge what’s authentic in a digital world
where it’s almost impossible to identify the origin
of information and who has had a hand in changing
it. Worse still, falling trust in key institutions has
compounded the issue. In 2018, designers will do
a lot of work using blockchain—a potential solution
to this trust crisis—but they will need to help people
understand it and build faith in it. Organizations will
need to shift their emphasis from “touch points” to
“trust points” when carving out market differentiation.
42 43What’s going on?
People’s trust in key institutions—
businesses, governments, media and
NGOs—is plummeting, and their belief
that “the system” is working for them is
crumbling. Driven by globalization, pace of
innovative disruption and a breakdown in
social values, this crisis is at a tipping point.
Technology has given us unprecedented
control and autonomy to fulfill our on-
demand needs and curate customized
experiences, but it has also fuelled our
fears and made us feel more vulnerable.
With many individuals unsure or even
oblivious to how their data is harvested,
used, shared and protected, data security,
privacy, and lack of transparency have
become major concerns.
In transparency we trust
Trust can be regained if organizations
actively engage with the problem. One
option is to use blockchain technology. By
creating services based on this technology,
it will become less crucial that consumers
trust organizations themselves, so long
as they trust blockchain. This shift has the be changed retrospectively, and unlike a patient, who has another, can access the
potential to reinvent our conceptual model “Driven by globalization, pace of innovative disruption and a conventional database, the chain of blocks information. That information is only shared
of trust. breakdown in social values, this crisis is at a tipping point.” is connected without a single organization when the doctor or patient shares their
officially designated to administer and private key with a third party—say a hospital
A blockchain is a shared, decentralized, oversee it. or a specialist.
secure database which enables any system
or device connected to a network—for For example, a blockchain for a patient’s
example, a file server, a computer or a medical records would comprise a series
printer—to be connected to it. Each entry of records—each stamped with the date
on that database is a block. No entry can and time when it was created. Only the
doctor, who has one private key, and the
44 45“Blockchain will enable us to
introduce an open platform to
share data between parties”
Dubai, which
has pledged
to become a
blockchain first
economy by
2020.
Other industries—and governments—are Dubai has pledged to become a blockchain-
Inhabitants of a UNHCR Refugee camp - s focus for the also turning to blockchain technology. For first economy by 2020, aiming to conduct
ID2020 project by Microsoft, Accenture, Fjord and Avanade. instance, blockchain is being explored as the majority of the Emirate’s business
an enabler of peer-to-peer energy trading. using blockchain. Meanwhile, Sweden
It allows households that consume and is adopting “smart contracts” powered
also produce energy to buy and sell it by blockchain for a land registry system.
directly, with a high degree of autonomy They are programmable contracts that
A blockchain can serve as an open, shared, and security. self-execute when certain conditions are
yet secure database recording transactions met, which streamlines an antiquated and
In transparency we trust
between parties efficiently, verifiably Blockchain will enable us to introduce laborious process.
and permanently—a growing number of an open platform to share data between
organizations are now starting to harness parties—including a car’s manufacturer, Self-executing contracts represent a
these strengths. In fact, the volume of owner, passenger, infrastructure providers powerful example of a Living Service—a
investment in blockchain startups is and insurers—which will be necessary if new generation of contextually-aware and
expected to eclipse US$3 billion by the end we are to make autonomous driving viable. indispensable services set to transform
of 2017. For this reason, Jaguar Land Rover recently and improve the way we live, brought
announced it was backing UK start-up about by harnessing a combination of
The best-known use of blockchain DOVU, which is using blockchain to build a technologies to deliver a new layer of
technology is bitcoin—the digital “crypto- global marketplace for transport data. connected intelligence.
currency” which is transacted without
middlemen (banks), without transaction In the public sector, Microsoft, Accenture,
fees, and without the need to give your Fjord and Avanade recently worked with
real name. The price of bitcoin, now one ID2020 to develop a global ID system
of a number of digital currencies, jumped powered by blockchain for use by 1.1bn
in value by 900% between January and people in distressed situations without
November 2017. Data source: Coindesk ID—such as refugees—to create a legal and
permanent identity.
46 47What’s next?
Platforms like FollowMyVote—a blockchain
venture allowing for secure, anonymous
voting, monitored in real time—are
developing just this in the US. In South Asia,
blockchain is being discussed as a powerful
opportunity in a region where trust in
financial institutions was already low—even
before the 2008 financial crash.
In collaboration with Thales, Accenture
recently launched a blockchain-backed
proof of concept to help defence enforce
supply chain standards.
UK advertiser The Marketing Group has
launched Truth—the first global media
agency powered by a blockchain-based
trading desk to build a cleaner media
supply chain with 100% transparency.
Designing services and products with trust
as their hallmark characteristic will bring
new opportunities—but also challenges. It
will require new language and techniques,
In transparency we trust
and it will depend on people understanding
what blockchain is, accepting its
deployment and trusting it. Otherwise,
blockchain’s potential to reverse the
general crisis in trust will not be realized.
Organizations must act now to understand Because blockchain enables anything to
and harness blockchain’s potential to be traced to its origin with all additions Image source, Spotify
deliver transparency and the role it can play made visible along the way, it is now being
in rebuilding trust—between organization explored as a way of addressing concerns
and customer, and between organization about the integrity of elections and fears “Organizations must act now
and employee—as doing nothing risks a
further distancing between these parties
about hacked votes.
to understand and harness
and, at worst, failure to connect and blockchain’s potential
compromised credibility.
to deliver transparency
and the role it can play in
re‑building trust.”
48 49“Organizations will need to
prepare for an inevitable
shift from ‘touch points’
to ‘trust points’.”
Fjord
suggests
01 02 03
Organizations will need to prepare for Expect more leading organizations to invest
an inevitable shift from “touch points” to in blockchain following Spotify’s recent
“trust points” as quality of trust rather than acquisition of start-up Mediachain. Spotify
quality of interaction provides competitive needs to ensure it pays the right people Act now Design for trust Open up for collaboration
In transparency we trust
advantage. They must explore, too, how to for every track that is played via its service.
build trust through radical transparency. This task grows harder as its user numbers Take understanding blockchain To earn trust, an organization Despite significant investment,
And at all times, their focus must be fixed grow but it is also difficult because many off the “too hard to do” list must be transparent. It will scaled implementation of
on the human response to transparency, of the billions of tracks played on Spotify and educate yourself and your be important to design new blockchain technologies is slow
without getting hung up on the technology daily don’t have the proper metadata to workforce (all employees, not navigation systems that simplify due to many industries’ wariness
that can deliver it. ensure that the correct songwriters, artists just those in technology roles) complex business processes and about privacy, governance,
or rights holders are tagged. This means about its potential. Blockchain demonstrate transparency. Once protection and the high degree
Expect new and innovative uses of royalties may not be registered, or could go is not just a “deep technology” the trust crisis is addressed, we of collaboration required to share
blockchain technology such as Alice.si—a missing. Spotify’s acquisition of Mediachain phenomenon—it’s a game- will see new services emerge, and store data. Collaborate with
UK service which uses blockchain to offer is designed to address this need. changer. which will capitalize on far deeper trusted partners to maximize
charity donors the option to track their levels of trust. blockchain’s potential.
donations, and which keeps funds secure
and releases them only when a chosen
charity’s goals are achieved.
50 51Trend 06
The ethics
economy
Organizations have started to take political stances
on issues of general concern and, over the coming
year, this will grow more commonplace—driven by
customers’ and employees’ accelerating expectations.
No organization will be able to afford to sit back and
claim to be neutral. Navigating this new territory
successfully starts with preparing to have every
action (and inaction) closely scrutinized and used as
a differentiator for customers choosing between two
otherwise comparable options.
52 53What’s going on?
“Companies are nothing
more than a collection of
people. So, by extension,
all companies should
have values.”
- Tim Cook.
San Francisco Pride week
Apple CEO Tim Cook explained in His sentiment neatly highlights the new
September 2017 why he has openly environment in which organizations now
The ethics economy
campaigned for gay marriage and opposed find themselves and how they must prepare
religious freedom laws, despite a tradition to best meet evolving employee and
of US corporate leaders keeping their customer expectations in the year ahead.
political views to themselves.
Until now, it has been enough for an
“People should have values,” he said. organization to be reactive. As customers,
“Companies are nothing more than a we wanted brands to make us feel like we
collection of people. So, by extension, all were making good choices, so Patagonia, Tim Cook: Image source, Apple
companies should have values. As a CEO, The Body Shop, shoe brand TOMS and
I think one of your responsibilities is to others like them helped us to feel like we
decide what the values of your company were being responsible.
are, and lead accordingly.”
54 55More recently, customers have demanded
brands do the right thing—quickly owning
up when they make a mistake, for example.
Inaction is dangerous, as shown by the
backlash against United Airlines when it
failed to quickly apologize for mistreating
a passenger when removing him from
a flight.
Organizations responded because they
feared losing business, and they started to
recognize that customers hold the power
to build or tear down brands with their
spending behaviors and online actions.
Consider the power of hashtags. In the past
12 months, individuals and organizations
have been sent into a spin by the significant
consequences of their ethical decisions,
made widespread by prolific social
media campaigns.
Public scrutiny is the new normal, and
social media has become a volatile and
intimidating platform where brands can
respond to current affairs. The public’s
mood can change fast—and share prices
impacted accordingly.
“Organizations The financial app Triggers, which notifies Across the board, consumers and
responded because investors of micro news events that impact
stock value, is just one example that shows
employees now expect to be able to make
their voices heard in bigger decisions. More
they feared losing how deeply companies are affected by importantly, they expect organizations to
business, and they seemingly minor everyday affairs. listen without being asked.
started to recognize While being reactive was previously A growing number of organizations are
The ethics economy
that customers enough, customers and employees now
expect brands to proactively represent their
meeting this demand in a variety of ways,
including taking a stand further away from
hold the power ideologies and bring their ethical beliefs to home. For example, in response to the
to build or tear life across a broader canvas of issues and
concerns. This has coincided with a decline
devastation wrought on Puerto Rico by
Hurricane Maria, Tesla sent giant batteries
down brands.” in people’s trust and faith in governments, coupled with solar panels. These batteries
which has created an opportunity for can store solar energy for use day and night
organizations to step up in opposition to and as such, allowed workers to begin to
controversial policy. rebuild the infrastructure—a move that
Tesla recently sent giant batteries, went beyond the kind of disaster relief aid
coupled with solar panels, to Puerto we are used to seeing.
Rico, in response to the Hurricane
Maria devastation.
56 57What’s
next?
John Lewis recently got rid of ‘Boys’
and ‘Girls’ labels in children’s clothing.
A growing number of organizations are “Taking a stance in 2018 Taking a stance in 2018 will not—and Two great examples of the way ahead can
making their ethics clear across a range of
issues by spelling them out in manifestos
will not–and cannot–be cannot— be about charity, corporate
social responsibility or damage limitation.
be found in retailing. British department
store John Lewis recently decided to
distributed to employees. For example, about charity, corporate Nor can it be about organizations being retire “boys” and “girls” labels in children’s
Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark
Zuckerberg recently wrote and distributed
social responsibility or reactive, taking action only after concerns
are voiced.
clothing—not due to public pressure, but
simply because it believed this would
a 6,000-word outline of Facebook’s damage limitation.” be a good thing for gender equality
role in everything from promoting civic Instead, it must be about organizations and diversity.
engagement to combating global crises. being proactive and drawing a line in
the sand on one or more of the many IKEA has committed to employing
In our 2017 trend Unintended issues now concerning their customers refugees at production centres in Jordan
Consequences, we highlighted the need for and employees. as part of a long-term plan to create
The ethics economy
organizations to confront the unexpected employment for 200,000 disadvantaged
impacts of their products and services, Forward-looking organizations are already people around the world through social
business strategies and actions. Within interrogating themselves and their business entrepreneurship programs.
just one year, a new paradigm has become practices to understand their own actions
clear: organizations can no longer claim (good and bad), and also to consider events Over the year ahead, organizations and
to be neutral or unaware. They must be beyond their immediate realm so that they design consultancies must ask themselves
proactive, identify and understand their can make informed decisions on when and some hard questions if they are to meet
position on a broad range of issues—before how to take a stand. their employees’ and customers’ ethical
they are forced to take a stand. expectations. How does a company please
everyone on topics that have been taboo or
never discussed on a massive scale? How
far should companies go in responding to
58 59You can also read
