The year 2024, pioneering the future in a multifacted world

Vision 2024- How do you want to shape the future?

At the beginning of 2024 we return to Vision 2024, which was created at the end of 2021, beginning of 2022. The main message of Vision 2024 was one of transformative adaptation across all facets of life. It underscored the imperative for societies to evolve by reorientating human values towards greater inclusivity, empathy, and community-driven progress. According to Vision 2024, the year will be characterized by an effort to forge a resilient, sustainable future that harmoniously integrates technological advancements with societal well-being in a multifaceted world. It asks: How, as individuals, do we wish to positively influence our future direction?

The call to action is clear: embrace change, foster social cohesion, and prioritize the collective good by building upon a foundation of real values, environmental stewardship, and digital empowerment. This message carries a vision of hope and collective responsibility, urging everyone, individuals, businesses, and governments to contribute to a stable, equitable, and prosperous world.

The introduction of Vision 2024 featured a quote by Bruno Latour: "The world is not a solid continent of facts sprinkled by a few lakes of uncertainties but a vast ocean of uncertainties speckled by a few islands of calibrated and stabilized forms." This sets the tone for 2024 by acknowledging the inherent uncertainties in forecasting the future, yet it also signifies the importance of identifying stable trends that can guide strategic directions​​.

Earthshot Prize award designed by Christine Meindertsma

Saphire by by Sivan Sureskumaran

The world in 2024

2024 will be a year marked by global shifts and challenges. Crucial political events are planned, including numerous elections worldwide affecting democracy's state and a potential shift in the U.S. presidency impacting global policies from climate to defense. Escalating geopolitical tensions, notably with a focus on Europe's role in supporting Ukraine, turmoil in the Middle East, and the intensification of a new Cold War with China will have a big impact globally. Economically, the challenges of inflation will be ongoing, the difficult journey of decoupling economic ties between the U.S. and China, and the transformative impacts of the green energy transition. Globally the challenges of extreme weather events like heat waves will have more impact. Global demographic changes, such as labour shortages in Europe and the growing demand for migrant workers will continue. The new geography of energy resources emphasises the transition to green energy and its geopolitical and economic consequences.

The changing mindset of 2024

More Human A shift in human values will lead to a greater emphasis on well-being, community engagement, and diversity. People will seek more purposeful work, companies will be expected to take strong stances on social issues, and the concept of work itself will be redefined beyond economic value, focusing on societal contributions. People might become more conscious of the ethical implications of their actions and seek to support businesses and initiatives that align with these values.

Economic Pragmatism Due to economic challenges like inflation and the complexity of global trade dynamics, people may adopt a more pragmatic approach to spending. We will see a shift towards seeking value, quality, and transparency in products and services, moving away from impulsive or conspicuous consumption to activities and connections. The focus will be on activities instead of mere experiences.

Adaptability & Resilience As the impacts of climate change become more pronounced, efforts to mitigate and adapt to these changes will be a significant driver. Given the rapid pace of technological and global affairs change, a significant mindset shift could be towards greater adaptability and resilience. People might become more open to continuous learning, upskilling, and adapting to new scenarios, whether professionally or personally.

Virtual Integration People are expected to experiment with AI and digital technologies more, integrating them into various aspects of life. This includes an increased reliance on AI and automation and a greater influence of digital on their spending. With the increasing use of digital technologies, there might be a growing focus on digital wellness, including tools and applications that help manage screen time, reduce stress, and promote mental health.

Threads of Influence by Felicita Gāga

Below are the four chapters of Vision 2024 and how they will evolve in 2024.

A New Age of Humanism

The first chapter, The New age of Humanism emphasizes strengthening relationships within communities and building genuine partnerships to support each other, especially in dealing with crises and uncertainties.

It advocates for guidance from within through spirituality and principled, consistent ethical choices. A value system is seen as a compass for life, with the creation of values through solidarity and generosity leading to a new age of humanism​​.

For 2024 it is important to consider:

In an age of rapid technological change, the pressure of a warming climate, geopolitical developments and many other challenges, the collective focus shifts towards fostering connections, embracing diversity, and cultivating a shared responsibility for the well-being of individuals, communities, and the planet. Policies and practices prioritizing mental health, work-life balance, and equitable access to resources could become the norm.

Humanistic values tend to grow with a re-evaluation of success and happiness, and materialistic measures of success might decline in favour of more fulfilling, community-oriented lifestyles. We also may see a move away from one-size-fits-all towards more personalized approaches.

The need for lifelong learning and skills adaptation will drive educational system changes. The focus shifts towards fostering creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability alongside technical skills.

The focus shifts from being only about us humans to a more holistic view, including the natural world and the non-human. Intelligence undergoes a transformative expansion, transcending traditional boundaries and uniting human intellect with the realms of artificial intelligence and the inherent wisdom found in the natural world.

In design, we see

Attention to neuroscience and neuroaesthetics, the science of the neural consequences of design, colour and surfaces.

As a counter-movement to the digital, the tactility of surfaces will be even more important. Texture is everything.

Blue is the colour of the future. The colour Blue Moon emphasizes the transient nature of life, suggesting that they exist or are visible only for a short time before disappearing or being replaced by something else.

The Stack

The second driver, The Stack, examined how stability depends on global relations and local cohesion. It recognizes that a stable society operates on a human scale and acknowledges nature's limits.

The Stack stresses the interconnectedness of issues and the importance of understanding the mechanisms and history of inequality, especially historical institutional inequalities that affect long-term outcomes. It suggests that problems are accumulating and causing imbalances, indicating that the foundations of society are not solid​​.

For 2024, we see:

The fundamental redesign of the relationship between work and income, valuing work not just on economic terms but also on its societal importance. This includes a focus on investing in children and education. How do you address issues like poverty, inequality and social divides? What the impact on society is will be an important question.

Recognizing and addressing historical institutional inequalities is essential for building a stable future​​.​​ In the age of AI, it is vital to build fair, unbiased systems.

High housing costs and the resulting stress on food security, healthcare, and overall social stability continue to impact people, making them rethink life choices.

We are moving from a purely global focus to a blend of global and local approaches, where global awareness is integrated with local knowledge, actions and solutions.

In design, we see

A continuation of the importance of cross-disciplinary collaborations rooted in culture.

Community-based initiatives and locally focused design.

Storytelling is vital. The story behind the product and the origins of the material, as well as the person who created it, is an important part of the design.

Dark tones with a hint of colour, like the super dark blue Rooted colour, give depth to dark designs, replacing monochrome black.

Climate Care

The third chapter, Climate Care, states that climate change is here right now. This driver highlights that planetary health involves more than mere survival. It acknowledges the irrevocable changes our planet has undergone and the need for a vision to prepare for the long term.

Climate Care calls for a systematic and effective approach to tackle the climate crisis by embracing all perspectives and sharing ideas and actions to address this global issue​​. Significant systemic change is needed; the timeline to 2030 is full of climate goals, but how to reach them? It is a mission for all of us, farmers, manufacturers, brands and end-users together.  

Now that we are approaching 2024, it is important to highlight:

Global warming impacts heighten environmental consciousness. People will increasingly prioritize sustainability in their consumption choices and lifestyle changes; legislation will lead to forced, accelerated change towards circularity.

The urgency of climate change will manifest in more aggressive adoption of renewable energy sources, widespread use of sustainable materials in manufacturing, and greater emphasis on circular economies and making sustainability a core principle. Change is slow, and many companies have yet to turn the ship in their future direction.

A holistic view of climate is needed, combining technological innovation, policy initiatives, and individual and community actions to address the pressing challenge of climate change.

Addressing consumption has been placed under personal responsibility until now while it is also, and maybe even more, the responsibility of the companies creating products and services. Net zero is the only goal.

In design, we see

Calculating the footprint is becoming more important to let people make more informed decisions and manage their footprint. What already exists has the lowest impact; can it be updated, repaired, or redesigned? The initiation of take-back programs can create circular product loops. There should be a change towards access to products instead of owning them.

The focus is on natural plant-based materials rather than recycled petroleum-based ones. Mono material products are important to make recycling easier.

The dark red Cabbage colour has a warm, natural tone and a classic feeling. A long-term colour that will have lasting impact and value.

Digital Worlds

The fourth and last driver, Digital Worlds, focused on the fast development of new technologies. The impact of technology on how we live our lives is much more than we imagined, and this will only increase in the future. Through technological development and collaboration, it is possible to create a digital reality that empowers and helps everyone prosper.

This driver suggests the potential of digital advancements to inspire and change our physical reality, creating foundations for a digital world that empowers people rather than passively accepting automatic evolution​​.

For 2024, we see

AI's impact, development, and acceptance were big in 2023, and technology has developed faster; the speed of change was faster than we could have imagined.

As the digital domain expands, there will be a shift from standard logical patterns to more associative and non-linear ways of thinking,​​ also called divergent thinking.

Can digital worlds exist without being capitalist representations of the physical world? Can it be a domain to shape another world and be relevant?

Individuals should have greater control over their data, finances, and even the governance structures they are part of, moving towards a more equitable and empowered global society questioning the role of big tech.

Google glass-type devices have returned, but will they find their purpose in 2024? New wearables like the AI pin pave the way towards a future less dependent on screens and our mobile phones.

In design, we see

More autonomy and automated systems. From retail concepts without humans to sensing objects. The concept of digital twins, virtual replicas of physical objects, will become widespread, allowing for more efficient and transparent testing and improvement of products​​.

Now that everyone can be creative through AI, there is a chance of a decade of mediocrity, but eventually, cooperation with AI will bring an aesthetic never seen before.

The green/gold Sulphur colour represents the natural and light effects translated to the digital. The glow is needed to enrich digital environments and be used for metallic finishes.