Our 21st instalment of the (optional.is) Quarterly Newsletter.
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Predicting the future is harder than we predicted it would be!

REYKJAVIK 02017Q1: Recently, we've been working with a few companies to make some future predictions. Some are just financial projections based on data we've scraped and collected. We're developing this new idea of "Data Due Diligence" to help companies gather any sort of data; sales, competitors, weather, etc. and use that in their models. You'd be surprised how many people just make up numbers in pitches and business plans - there is a better way!

This is especially true when you are working on projects and products that are new or not established. Trying to estimate sales, sign-ups or profits can be difficult, but nae impossible

The other future predicting we're doing is conducting a workshop to think about a company's products in 02035-02045. What will that world look-like and how will they still be relevant. Our first run will be in a few weeks, so we'll let you know about the output.
This is the unbroken seal on King Tutankhamun’s tomb from 01922. It stayed untouched for 3,245 years. Even when we look at predicting trends into the future, somethings we'd never expect to last, do.

Read more about how this rope is nearly 3,300 years old!

And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.

Right at the end of 02015, Matel unveiled a car driven by crickets. 
Who'da thunk that insect racing would be the new F1 in 02023?

Sometimes the future is just weird and no one could ever predict it.

August 17th 02017: Save the Date!

This week, we launched Material Conference. This is a 1-day, 1-track conference all about examining the Web as a Material.

For thousands of years we've developed a deep understanding of the different materials we use on a regular basis. We know the affordances of wood, plastic and metal; how far we can bend, stretch and push their limits. We don't fully have a grasp on that for the Web, so we're exploring what that means. Can the Web be torn, folded or even cut it half? What's its tensile strength? Does it refract things going through it?

Go ahead, take a minute to read about Cherenkov Radiation, We'll wait. When something can break the relative speed of light in that medium, a blue glow is emitted. No physics have been violated, but the material impacts even the smallest electron. How is the Web affecting us?

If you think coming to Reykjavik to learn about what the Web is made of, and if we can make it glow blue, then get your ticket soon. It is a small event, only 60 people.

Furniture of the Future

Articulated Architecture

T-Wave Articulated bench. As you begin to sit, the seating surface appears.
Brian Lee's Wave Bench
Brian Lee's Wave Benches are beautifully bendy structures which appear and disappear with use.

It makes you think about what other objects could do double duty in our lives and still look as clean and simple.
 

Dangerous Doors

The doors created by Klemens Torggler are amazing to watch open and close. With a small movement, these doors gracefully swing and rotate.

Availability Forecast




If you need help with projects in Q2 or Q3, let us know we have some availability to work on interesting things. Data Due Diligence, Futurecasting workshops and more.

Just hit reply!

Thomassons

If you haven't listened to the Thomassons episode on 99% Invisible, go do that first. Next, go to the Hyperart: Thomassons Tumblr blog with loads of pictures of Thomassons. Then start looking for Thomassons in your own city.