The Trend Forecasters Handbook [Paperback]

I'm currently writing my thesis on the allure and ambiguity of the trend forcasting industry so i was extremely excited when this book came into print..I don't believe it works as a 'handbook' in the sense that after reading the book you would not be fully equipped with all the abilities of a trend forecaster. However it is highly interesting and the only publication that i've come across to address the subject directly. A must read for anyone with a social, creative or curious interest in the trend forecasting industry.

Forecasting is popular as business consulting these days and that is reflected by quite a few recent published books that cover forecasting and trend analysis.

This book gives a good overall look on trend forecasting. And although it gives more the big picture view, still it succeeds in covering how to do trend forecasting. Do keep in mind that this book is more design focused (whether it is clothing, fashion, furniture, interior design or architecture).

There are various levels in how you can explore this book:
- Glancing over the beautiful pictures, great designs or structures illustrating trends.
- Reading on trend forecasting techniques
- Reading the case studies
- Reading the chapter contents
- Reading the inserts

Design wise this book is really great to flip through, with fantastic pictures, superb layout and structure. It has been a while since I really enjoyed flipping through a great book like this one.

Superb!

Techniques (about 1 page for each technique covered):

- Global trend forecasting sites (Chapter 2)
- Selecting your expert panel (Chapter 2)
- Depth interviewing (Chapter 2)
- Boundary crossing (Chapter 3)
- Improving empathy (Chapter 3)
- Using observation (Chapter 3)
- Ensuring network diversity (Chapter 4)
- Collaborative innovation networks (Chapter 4)
- Successful question framing (Chapter 5)
- Undertaking photographic case studies (Chapter 5)
- The European School and the American School of scenario planning (Chapter 6)
- Successful role playing (Chapter 6)
- Running a successful workshop (Chapter 7)
- Working through the innovation process (Chapter 7)

Case study (4 pages each):

- Piers Fawkes (Chapter 1)
- Ilse Crawford (Chapter 2)
- Li Edelkoort (Chapter 3)
- Sean Pilot de Chenecey (Chapter 4)
- Chris Sanderson (Chapter 5)
- Carston Beck (Chapter 6)
- David Carlson (Chapter 7)
- Marco Marsan (Chapter 7)

Inserts (about 1 page for each):

- The diffusion of innovation curve (Chapter 1)
- Double dressers (Chapter 1)
- Cross-cultural analysis and its uses (Chapter 2)
- The anatomy of a trend cartogram (Chapter 2)
- The authentic bicycle (Chapter 2)
- The Pantone view colour planner (Chapter 3)
- Hierarchical networks and how they work (Chapter 4)
- Collaborative networks and how they work (Chapter 4)
- Distributive networks and how they work (Chapter 4)
- The Friend Wheel (Chapter 4)
- Paul Griffith's visual portrait (Chapter 5)
- Jammer's visual portrait (Chapter 5)
- Callebaut's `Lilypad' (Chapter 6)
- Trendfunnel (Chapter 7)
- Opportunity cartogram (Chapter 7)

Contents:

Foreword
Timeline
Chapter One - The anatomy of a trend
- Definition of a trend forecaster
- Definition of a trend
- Memes and trend viruses
- Diffusion of innovations
- Diffusion of innovation types
- Diffusion of innovation curve
- Summary
Chapter Two - The trend forecaster's toolkit
- Stuff: New things in the culture
- Cultural brailling
- Cross-cultural analysis
- Summary
Chapter Three - Intuitive forecasting
- Left- and right-brain thinking
- Whole-brain thinking
- Gut intuition
- Expert intuition
- Strategic intuition
- Summary
Chapter Four - Network forecasting
- The law of weak-tie networks
- The rule of diversity in networks
- The 80/20 principle
- Hierarchical networks
- Collaborative networks
- Distributive networks
- Summary
Chapter Five - Cultural triangulation
- Triangulation
- The interrogation stage
- The observation stage
- The intuition stage
- Writing up your report
- Summary
Chapter Six - Scenario planning
- The origins of scenario planning
- Scenario planning stages
- Summary
Chapter Seven - Insight, strategy and innovation
- The inspiration stage
- The translation stage
- The immersion stage
- The product development stage
- Summary
Notes
Glossary
Index

I am a senior lecturer/course leader in Fashion Promotion and use this book across many subject areas on my course; it is now a core text on the BA programme. As well as trend forecasting it is useful in many other subject areas and for research methods in general, I recommend it for any kind of fashion course. It has an excellent balance of visual and written content and the methods of analysis featured are helpful tools for our students to use when working on creative projects.