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Design Readings Software

Watch “What happened to ‘simple’ design?” with David Pogue

Products have become overly complicated with an abundance of features, causing frustration among customers. Correspondent David Pogue delves into how simplicity in technology can simplify our complex lives.

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Economics Trend Watching

Economy in Germany: Shortage of Skilled Workers Reaches an All-Time High

According to a new survey by the Ifo Institute, based in Munich, a record 49,7 percent of companies are currently short of workers.

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Design Readings

Watch “Seeing the New Normal: From futures visions to business decisions” with Jutta Johansson & Virpi Vaittinen 

The world is changing rapidly – how to stay ahead in this changing and unstable environment? How do we see the everyday of tomorrow? How do we translate futures visions to business decisions?

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Design

Watch Kim Goodwin’s “Bring Back Human-Centered”

In this keynote at IxDA’s ILA 2018, Kim Goodwin talks about how designers can keep human-centered values at the center of our practice […]

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China Consumer Behavior Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: Rising cost of luxury goods slows to 2009 level

Price increases for luxury goods and services in China this year are at their slowest level since 2009 but continue to outpace inflation, according to a report by the Hurun Research Institute. China’s Luxury Consumer Price Index, which measures price changes in 62 luxury items, rose 4.94 percent in June from a year earlier, 2.79 […]

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Design Economics Innovation Trend Watching

Watch Alex Steffen’s “The shareable future of cities” talk at TED

How can cities help save the future? Alex Steffen shows some cool neighborhood-based green projects that expand our access to things we want and need — while reducing the time we spend in cars […]

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China Economics featured Trend Watching

Living in China: braving the traffic

Back in 2009, China became the world’s largest automobile producer with the world’s largest automobile market, selling over 8 million units […]

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Innovation

Watch Philip Zimbardo prescribe a healthy take on time at TED

Psychologist Philip Zimbardo says happiness and success are rooted in a trait most of us disregard: the way we orient toward the past, present and future. He suggests we calibrate our outlook on time as a first step to improving our lives […]

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China Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: passenger car sales increase 59.26% year-on-year

China’s passenger car sales in August increased 59.26 percent from one year earlier to 977,300 units, the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATRC) said recently […]

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China Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: extending old-for-new car, appliance selling spree

China is going to expand schemes that give domestic consumers a discount if they trade in old cars and household appliances for new ones, said Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Jiang Zengwei […]