Short Course Spotlight: Trend Forecasting

Our five day Trend Forecasting course explores and analyses trends in various industries, allowing you to use your trend insights to generate innovate ideas in general and for your business.

We spoke to Els Dragt, independent trend researcher and trainer, and teacher on the course, to find out her top five reasons to take this short course. This is what she came up with…

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You will never look at the world anymore like you used to

In this course you will learn the art of looking sideways and get practical tips on where to find seeds of change.

You will learn by doing and put new trend tools into practice right away

This course is very practical and hands-on and you will work with worksheets and canvases to guide you through the trend research process.

You will go out in the friend to practise trend spotting

Change is happening outside in the world, right now! You won’t be inside the classroom all the time during the course, because you will go trendspotting.

You will understand trends and change from a human perspective

Trends are often told from a technological perspective, but this course will show you the human side of trends. We will use insights and techniques form sociology and psychology to scan for trends and analyse them.

You will be able to use trends as a springboard for creating innovative solutions

Insights from your trend research can be applied in various ways. You will practise using trends as a starting point for ideation and creative brainstorming.

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With over 15 years’ experience, guest lecturer Els has worked at several research agencies and presented trends for a multitude of clients, from non-profit to commercial ones, such a Viacom, Nike, ABN AMRO, City Football Group and the Dutch Ministry of General Affairs. Els has published several trend related books, such as ‘How to Research Trends’ (BIS Publishers, 2017). As a guest lecturer, she shares her trend expertise with students around the globe.

“I’m teaching this course because I find it important to share with you how to understand trends from a human perspective. I want to stretch your way of looking at the world and I want you to feel the power of exploring by looking sideways. Spotting trends, analysing them and applying your trend insights will make you less resistant to change. At the end of the course you will feel the agency to influence and create the future yourself.”

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Short Course: Trend Forecasting