FuturistU > Tactics > Innovation Tactics > Module 2 / 4

Consumer Innovation

Instructor: Mark Onufer
Design Innovation
Download the Design Innovation Trend Report
Innovation and innovative ideas are only great if the end consumer accepts it. Too many times brands and organizations around the world generate interesting ideas without having done the preliminary research or simply disarranged priorities leading to failure. In this module Mark covers consumer innovation and two innovation tactics: NASA with Prioritization Workshops and Bath Body Works and Global Scout Network.

Mark starts by telling a story from the Deputy Chief Technologist at NASA and uncovers the idea that different teams with conflicting goals was the largest hurdle in getting them to Mars. After reviewing lessons on the importance of agility being greater than perfection, Mark breaks down a framework for this workshop. Diving deeper into consumer innovation, this module shows you what it would look like to have a network of ‘consumer research ninjas’ providing local and cultural insights to inform your projects. This showcases how something like flowers can not only inspire an entire line of products, but also act as a cultural backboard for depth and narrative. How could you make better use of your customers in your innovation process?
Related Trend Report: Design Innovation
Workshop Questions:
1. How could you make better use of your customers in the innovation process?
2. Think of 3 factors that could lead to your company's Utopia.
Get Trend Hunter Dashboard

Featured Insights

Trackable Gaze
Software tracking eye movement delivers valuable insight to marketers
Implications - Eye-tracking technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in market research in order to optimize user experience in the digital space. Through the use of biometric tracking software via mobile and desktop devices, brands are better able to understand precisely where consumer attention is drawn, and how they navigate the tools. This new technology speaks to the struggle many brands have had in recent years with understanding how to better establish authentic connections with consumers.

.
Workshop Question - How might your brand leverage eye-tracking software to establish a better connection with your consumer?
3.5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends

Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Smart Gardening
Brands Launch Smart Systems That Automate and Monitor Home Gardens
Trend - Gardening brands are releasing AI‑powered tools such as smart irrigation systems, soil and light sensors, plant‑health apps, and automated indoor or outdoor garden units that monitor conditions and adjust care. These systems use data, machine learning and custom controls to simplify gardening.
Workshop Question - How can we leverage automation and data-driven technology to simplify and enhance the user experience in our industry?
5.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Retail Moodboard
New apps let users create fashion moodboards, share looks, and shop together
Trend - New retail apps combine moodboard creation with social feeds, shared collections, shoppable tags and streamlined checkout so users discover styles, collaborate on looks, and buy directly from boards. These apps provide tailored recommendations based on each user's preferences.
Workshop Question - How can we incorporate collaborative, visual discovery elements to enhance user engagement and streamline the purchasing process?
8.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Modular Biosensor
Health wearables featuring replaceable biosensors gain popularity
Trend - Brands release smart wearables with modular, swappable sensor modules sold separately; users slot cartridges or plug‑in modules into a durable hub to replace failed parts, add features, or buy upgrades. Products include sealed cartridges, standardized slots, and apps to manage modules.
Workshop Question - How might your brand incorporate modular components into your products or services to enhance longevity and user customization?
8.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Chatbot Evolution
AI brands create chatbots with unique social and collaborative features
Trend - AI brands release chatbots supporting multi‑participant conversations, on‑device or local model options, specialist topic agents, threaded discussions and shared workspaces; features emphasize privacy controls, extensibility via plugins and integrations with collaboration suites to serve teams.
Workshop Question - How can we innovate our AI solutions to enhance privacy, collaboration, and domain-specific interactions for users in social and workplace settings?
6.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Microtasking
In the spirit of automating what you hate, AI services assist in small admin tasks
Trend - Though some tech enthusiasts believe AI should be used in every facet of life, some believe it's smarter to "automate what you hate." This means using AI to reduce time spent on mundane tasks. Services that focus on AI used in hyper-specific, repetitive workplace tasks lend credit to this approach.
Workshop Question - How can we leverage AI to automate mundane tasks specific to our industry, enhancing efficiency and freeing up creative resources?
4.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Nuance
AI is evolving to interpret culture, context, and inclusivity with greater sensitivity
Trend - As AI matures, some brands are using it less for automation and more as a cultural lens. Tools like M+C Saatchi’s Cultural Power Index, Brandtech’s Bias Breaker, ARI, and Empwrd’s chatbot show how AI can decode cultural relevance, counter bias, and interpret nuance to help brands navigate complexity with cultural and ethical awareness.
Workshop Question - How might your brand make your presence feel relevant and human?
5.5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Vibe Coding
Intuitive AI coding systems that respond to natural language rather than syntax
Trend - A new wave of programming tools is emerging that lets users create functional applications by describing what they want in natural language rather than writing traditional code. Platforms like Replit's Ghostwriter, GitHub Copilot, and smaller startups are developing AI-powered interfaces that translate conversational requests into working code, making development more accessible to non-programmers while accelerating workflows for experienced developers.
Workshop Question - How can we leverage intuitive AI systems to democratize our field and empower users to achieve their goals with minimal technical barriers?
4.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Taste Identity
Consumers unite streaming and media data to showcase cultural identity
Trend - New platforms are emerging that allow users to aggregate and share their digital consumption habits across multiple services, creating comprehensive "taste profiles" that span music, movies, books, and other media. These platforms move beyond simple recommendation engines to create holistic portraits of users' cultural preferences and consumption patterns, enabling more authentic connections based on shared interests.
Workshop Question - How can your brand help consumers authentically express their preferences and find like-minded communities?
3.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Visual Aid
Brands are designing packaging to be accessible for consumers with visual impairments
Trend - Brands are creating packaging designs with smart solutions for consumers with visual impairments. These solutions include scannable codes or symbols that interact with smart applications to provide either easier-to-read or audio-based information, more effectively supporting shoppers.
Workshop Question - How can we leverage technological solutions to make our products more accessible for a wider range of consumers?
6.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Open-Source Driving
Open source projects are being created to develop and train autonomous driving
Trend - Both companies and individual researchers in the autonomous vehicle industry are launching open-source tools to enhance self-driving capabilities. On both the hardware and software side, these tools are widely applicable and can be used to simulate errors in self-driving models, improving safety.
Workshop Question - How could your brand's product or service benefit from open-source collaboration?
7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Open-Source Autonomous Driving Projects
Open-Source Autonomous Driving Projects
Autoware Foundation is Building Comprehensive Self-Driving
Autoware is an open-source software project designed to facilitate the development and deployment of autonomous driving technology. Hosted by the Autoware Foundation, the project is built on the... MORE
Open-Source Self-Driving Applications
Open-Source Self-Driving Applications
Comma.ai's Openpilot is Easily Installed in Most Vehicles
Comma.ai’s open source self-driving application, known as ‘openpilot,’ is a driver assistance system designed to enhance vehicle automation. Openpilot provides functionalities such as... MORE
Advanced Self-Driving Solutions
Advanced Self-Driving Solutions
Wayve is Building an Embodied AI 'Robot Brain' for Vehicles
Wayve’s Embodied AI self-driving solutions leverage advanced artificial intelligence to enhance autonomous driving capabilities. The technology employs a domain-optimized model architecture that... MORE
play_circle_filledAutonomous Driving Testing Models
Autonomous Driving Testing Models
'CARLA' is an Open-Source Tool for Autonomous Driving Research
The CARLA simulator is an open-source platform designed to facilitate the development, training, and validation of autonomous driving systems. Developed from the ground up, CARLA provides a... MORE
Open-Source Self-Driving Tools
Open-Source Self-Driving Tools
OpenPodcar is a Hardware and Software Self-Driving Solution
The OpenPodcar is an open-source platform designed for self-driving car research. It is based on a hard-canopy mobility scooter, which is modified to become a fully autonomous vehicle. The platform... MORE