Design Trends 2006: An Introduction

This week at Utobia, I'll be going over some recent findings from STEP magazine and their forcast for 2006. Here is an introduction from Nancy Bernard:

"One trend vector continues without change: The vast majority of the winning entries come from the design side of the world. Corporate and commerical work continue to be in the minority. As an industry observer this bothers me. I want to see everything. As a trends analyst, it doesn't bother me at all. If you want to look at trends, look at trendsetters."

"Trends start with two types of people: youth and creatives. Design students are crypto trendsetters (they're still experimenting in secret). Designers are trendsetters. Design competition judges are uber (German word for 'ultra', or 'hyper') trendsetters. The things they're doing now will show up in mainstream design a few years from now. Maybe longer--if you look at regional design competitions, you still see a lot of design ideas from the mid- to late '90s, nicely polished and professionalized."

"So, what vectors are the trendsetters pushing forward now? First, let's look at design tropes--visual preferences and techniques, then let's look at trends in concepts, and finally let's consider the social forces that have driven these design trends and see what they suggest for the future."

to be continued...