BUS 317 — Trend Forecasting: How to Spot and Understand Signals of Change
Quarter: Winter
Instructor(s): Mike Milley
Date(s): Jan 25—Mar 1
Class Recording Available: No
Class Meeting Day: Mondays
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 6:30—8:00 pm (PT)
Please Note: No class on February 15
Tuition: $495
Refund Deadline: Jan 27
Unit(s): 0
Enrollment Limit: 24
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Winter
Day: Mondays
Duration: 5 weeks
Time: 6:30—8:00 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jan 25—Mar 1
Unit(s): 0
Tuition: $495
Refund Deadline: Jan 27
Instructor(s): Mike Milley
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Enrollment Limit: 24
Recording Available: No
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
Please Note: No class on February 15
The typical American family once consisted of two married parents and their biological children. By 2035, fewer than 16 percent of US households will fit that model. Shifts like this will reshape how automobiles, appliances, apparel, and other products are designed and marketed, creating opportunities for organizations that recognize change early. Yet meaningful shifts often emerge at the margins long before most organizations recognize their significance.
This course teaches professionals in innovation, strategy, and design how to identify these signals and translate them into actionable insights. Students learn to distinguish meaningful signals from noise, then apply a structured process of signal collection, pattern recognition, and collaborative analysis to develop their own trend forecasts. Drawing on cases from organizations including Nike, Samsung, and BMW, the course also explores how to document and communicate trends to inform creative and strategic decisions. Students leave with a practical forecasting methodology and original trend insights they can apply directly to their work.
This course teaches professionals in innovation, strategy, and design how to identify these signals and translate them into actionable insights. Students learn to distinguish meaningful signals from noise, then apply a structured process of signal collection, pattern recognition, and collaborative analysis to develop their own trend forecasts. Drawing on cases from organizations including Nike, Samsung, and BMW, the course also explores how to document and communicate trends to inform creative and strategic decisions. Students leave with a practical forecasting methodology and original trend insights they can apply directly to their work.
Students who have already taken BUS 132: "How to Think Like a Futurist" will be familiar with the process and tools covered in this course but are welcome to enroll if they are interested in revisiting the process with a fresh set of signals and trends.
MIKE MILLEY
Head of Foresight and Strategy, The New Next
Mike Milley is a forward-thinking research and strategy leader who helps top global brands anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s consumers. He blends strategic foresight, consumer research, and design thinking to drive human-centered innovation. He was a principal futurist at Mercedes-Benz and director of foresight and strategy at BMW Designworks. He also founded Samsung’s Lifestyle Research Lab and uncovered emerging cultural and aesthetic trends at Nike. He teaches in ArtCenter College of Design’s Media Design Practices MFA program. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.