In my last post How To Identify Emerging Trends Part One I provided some advice and steps on finding emerging trends. Now I would like to give you some resources that will assist you in the process. These resources can help you confirm, test, and challenge emerging trends.

1. TrendWatching.com - This website finds trends for you. They claim to have 8,000 plus trend watchers worldwide. They give free monthly trend briefings. My experience with them is that their trends are more current then emerging, but this is still a valuable resource.

2. Gartner Emerging Trends and Technologies - Gartner research identifies trends arising from emerging information technology and assesses their potential impact. These trends are focused on technology and therefore will tend to impact the implementation of business ideas.

3. Google Blog Search - You can find a blog on just about any topic these days. Bloggers tend to be connected to culture and tell you what is happening. Read blogs to see what is happening and what is up and coming.

4. Conferences – Find and attend one key conference in your area of expertise and one related to your area of expertise. The conference in your area will often give you access to emerging trends that have been identified by others in your field. While the conference related to your field of expertise can give you access to a trend in another field that will directly impact you.

5. Demographics – Demographic trends are the easiest trends to identify. These can help you find areas to innovate for. Ask yourself what trends will come about because of demographics? If the mass of the population is aging (as it is in many countries currently) there will be an increase demand for health care, and retirement services.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 26th, 2007 at 12:54 am and is filed under Innovation Resources. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.