The Observer’s Designer DIY series

The huge influx in advanced technologies such as digicams, portable projectors, GPS units, and mini-computers are enabling the digital world to bleed across the divide into our physical world. Augmented reality (AR) is exactly what it sounds like: physical reality is being augmented with digital information. AR is going to allow us to take advantage of the wealth of digital information available by overlaying that information on top of our physical world and perhaps even alter our experience with reality.

As we live in the knowledge age and become exposed to fancier gadgets by the day, people tend to forget about the simplest of things that had a hand in sculpting society. It’s become more important now than ever to revisit the people, brands and philosophies that have been influential in history. In a time where changes are happening at such a rapid pace, staying true to one’s roots has become as relevant as it’s ever been.

If the bleak, desolate gloom of the recession has brought anything to the table, it’s that it has inevitably brought people closer to one another. Whether it’s lending that helping hand or working closely to accomplish a linked cause, people have without a doubt been more ardent in contributing to communities.

Crowdsourcing is the concept of product development efforts outsourced to a large crowd rather than an individual or a small team. The distinction is not merely one of size, but the open call for input and often voluntary participation. More efficient collaboration is enabled from advancements in information technology as parties may collaborate without the administrative costs that usually scale with the size of an organization. The current trend has evolved to cover diverse traditional industries ranging from fashion to microfinancing.

Borne out of a need for individuality and personalization, this concept of customization and even going as far as DIY has really picked up steam. Being unique has almost become a prerequisite in the lives of not just trend setters but the majority of Western-influenced generations after baby boomers.

An enabling technology concerned with very very small matters. How small? A thousandth of the width of your hair. Why is that so special? Because materials behave differently at that scale and playing around with them require new approaches. With new thinking comes new possibilities, so all that buzz is not surprising. Whether as a marketing buzzword or the dangerous technology portrayed in fiction movies, we will definitely be seeing more of "nano" in the years to come.

Today’s urban dwellers find themselves with busier schedules and are constantly on-the-go. With less time at home, much more commuting and wandering the city streets, they’re looking for much more in their daily lives to compensate and help them handle this fast paced lifestyle.

Sustainability has been relevant from product designs to more efficient actions as the whole eco-movement has not only been a trend but a way of life. Humanity, as a global community, has finally come to its senses that we can no longer go on with irresponsible acts against the planet.

The key to building a successful business often begins with the recognition of a market opportunity. Today’s marketplace asks for much more than simply receiving the ends, as the demand for a unique customer experience is on the rise. Creative minds are able to benefit from this global trend by crossing traditional industry boundaries to reinvent business models that provide niche markets with a unique tailored experience.

With people looking towards healthier and more eco-friendly lifestyles, it's no surprise that there’s been an explicable reunion with nature. Revisiting more natural and earthy attitudes has quickly become a fixture in many design ethos and inspirations.