When it comes to creating successful automobile designs, it’s just as important to have an effective crystal ball as it is top notch computer software.
With the automotive design process typically running on a 3-5 year cycle, the new automobile models we see promoted through huge marketing campaigns and showcased prominently on dealership floors today represent the culmination of years of development and planning as opposed to the beginning. From concept to prototype to testing, modification, certification and eventually launch the process is far more complex and lengthy than consumers would realize.
One of the big challenges of such a long development cycle is to create a vehicle design that is on-trend with consumer preferences when it’s projected to be released as opposed to when it is originally conceived. Get it right and you have a huge hit on your hands. Get it wrong and you come up with something like the Pontiac Aztec.
Predicting trends are a critical component of automotive design and increasingly auto-makers employ people whose specific goal is to monitor trends and to best predict where consumer preferences as well as business-focused best practices are headed into the future.
The Ford Motor Company has been a pioneer at the utilization of internally predicting trends. Headed by its Chief Futurist Sheryl Connelly, Ford continues to look over the horizon at what is predicted to influence not just auto design, but all aspects of society. Previous examples of correctly identifying trends led Ford to invest heavily into CUVs as well as integrated car connectivity such as is offered through its Sync infotainment system.
Sheryl Connelly, Chief Futurist at Ford Motor Company
Interestingly, Ms. Connelly focuses little of her attention on the automotive industry itself, but rather on what she calls ‘STEEP’, or social, technical, economic, environmental and political trends. By reaching beyond her industry, which has been accused in the past of operating in an insulated manner, she can help Ford to predict trends with greater accuracy and efficiency.
A unique component of Ford’s outreach strategy for the past 4 years has been its Further with Ford Trend Conference. Held at the end of June, Ford invites approximately 200 social media influencers and journalists from a wide swath of disciplines and areas of expertise to its global headquarters in Dearborn, MI to participate in 3 days of discussion and analysis. In addition, Ford invites a host of prominent thinkers, celebrities and industry leaders to conduct breakout sessions or deliver keynotes that relate to the key topics of focus during the conference. Previous notable experts at the conference have included author Malcolm Gladwell, actor and noted environmentalist Ed Begley Jr., fashion designer Christian Soriano, and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.
For the 2014 conference, 4 breakout sessions were scheduled:
Expert Panel during 'The Female Frontier' breakout session
The Female Frontier This session looked at how the increasing roles played by women in society are influencing the future of business, commerce, education, and even brands.
Sustainability Blues A twist on the mandatory environmental breakout, this session examined how the increasing reality of water scarcity around the world is influencing decisions made in governance, industry and humanitarian aid.
Decoding Design A wide-ranging session that examined how creating unique and meaningful experiences is at the heart of design today, as well as how this guiding principle affects all aspects of consumer products and society at large.
What’s the Big Deal with Big Data There are many predictions that by 2020, there will be over 30 billion connected devices, including cars, watches, refrigerators and even toothbrushes. With that as a baseline for discussion, the session explored just what is the big deal with Big Data and how might it influence the technology of tomorrow.
L to R Author Clay Christensen, new Ford CEO Mark Fields & designer Kenneth Cole
The 2014 conference also included for the first time a global product launch as the all-new 2015 Ford Edge was revealed at a specialized event on the first night. Additionally invitees were given an opportunity to drive various Ford products on their private Testing facility in Dearborn during the final morning, as well as take a tour of their Dearborn F-150 assembly plant, notable by its tenure as an assembly plant, its massive size and its unique environmental footprint as it’s home to the largest living green roof in North America.
Notable speakers for 2014 included new Ford CEO Mark Fields, designer Kenneth Cole and NBC News Today Show correspondent Jenna Wolfe.
Green Roof atop Ford F-150 plant in Dearborn, MI
Through the continuous and ongoing dialogue between media, online influencers, global industry and sector experts as well as key stakeholders within Ford Motor Company itself, the Further with Ford Trend Conference continues to provide an engaging and informative two-way dialogue. As someone who has attended each conference so far, I keep a keen eye on how the discussions of years gone by influence the new model releases and technologies found within the new model releases that are soon to come.
Effective prognostication includes a mix of intuition, intervention, discussion and even a bit of luck. Ford appears dedicated to the craft and its continuing position as a global leader in automotive sales suggests that so far, its crystal ball has been clear. While there are no guarantees that this trend of its own will continue, the fact that Ford chooses to always keep an eye to the horizon suggests that they are more likely to be on-trend going forward than off.
Note: Travel and accommodation costs related to attending Further with Ford were provided by Ford Motor Company.
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