RESEARCH REPORT Nro VTT-R-03466-07 28.5.

2007

Weak Signals in Social Media

Report on Two Workshop Experiments in
Futures Monitoring

Toni Ahlqvist, Minna Halonen and Sirkka Heinonen

Espoo 2007

SOMED Foresight Report 1

Cover photo: Sirkka Heinonen

Layout: Auli Rautakivi

ISBN 978-951-38-6357-9
Weak Signals in Social Media
Report on Two Workshop Experiments
in Futures Monitoring

Toni Ahlqvist, Minna Halonen and Sirkka Heinonen

SOMED Foresight Report 1

VTT
Research report VTT-R-03466-07

Espoo 2007
Report’
s title
Weak Signals in Social Media. Report on Two Workshop Experiments in Futures Monitoring.

Customer, contact person, address Order reference

VTT's Digital World Strategic Technology Theme Programme
Project name: Project number/Short name

SOMED project (Social Media in the crossroads of physical, SOMED

digital and virtual worlds).
Author(s): Pages
Toni Ahlqvist, Minna Halonen and Sirkka Heinonen 52 p

Keywords: Report identification code

Social media, digital life, virtual communities, technology fore- VTT-R-03466-07

sight, weak signals, futures window, futures monitoring
Summary
This report presents the key results of two experimental workshops on weak signals in the
field of the social media and, more generally, in the context of digital world. These workshops
were organised at VTT within a project called Social Media in the crossroads of physical,
digital and virtual worlds (SOMED, and within a project entitled Technology Futures Forum
(TFF).

In the workshops, weak signals were identified via the Futures Window method. The method
is described in the report in detail and the outcomes of the workshops are subsequently pre-
sented. The material of the report is intended to be further analysed when seeking new oppor-
tunities and business models for social media. This report is the first one in a forthcoming se-
ries of reports and articles within VTT's SOMED project probing the future perspectives of
social media.

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this report is only permissible with written authorisation from the Technical Research Centre of Finland.

2
 PREFACE

This report presents the results of two workshops on weak signals, and it is concerned with
detecting emerging uses of technology. A special view is taken to the results from the point of
view of social media.

This report is one in a forthcoming series of reports and articles probing the future perspec-
tives of social media. Such foresight approach is first introduced by this exercise of identify-
ing and analysing weak signals of technology, to be followed by two other reports. The sec-
ond report will open up the concept and phenomenon of social media by personal views and
interpretations of various expert interviews in the field. The third report will show a roadmap
of social media. The foresight task of the SOMED project is carried out primarily by Sirkka
Heinonen, Toni Ahlqvist and Minna Halonen in co-operation with other researchers in the
project, as well as with other experts of social media in Finland and in other countries.

We wish to thank all the experts who have contributed in this foresight exercise of social me-
dia within the SOMED project, either as speakers, moderators or as participants in the work-
shops. Our special thanks go to Petteri Järvinen, Petteri Järvinen Ltd, Elina Hiltunen, Finland
Futures Research Centre, Turku School of Economics, and Hazel Salminen, Finnish Society
for Futures Research.

Espoo 25th May, 2007

Asta Bäck

Project Manager
The SOMED Project
VTT's Strategic Technology Theme Programme on Digital World

3
“Wild cards are earthquakes of the mental landscape, while
weak signals are hardly discernible cracks anticipating such
earthquakes.”

Modified after Karlheinz Steinmüller's thoughts (2006)

4
 Contents

1 Introduction .....................................................................................................6

2 Background: social media and the digital world ..............................................8

3 Foresight approaches to social media ..........................................................10

3.1 Monitoring weak signals and building a roadmap .................................10
3.2 Proactive discussion.............................................................................10
3.3 Methods applied in the weak signal workshops....................................13

4 The elaboration and interpretation of the workshop results ..........................17

4.1 Classification of the results...................................................................17
4.1.1 Ideas on prosumerism.................................................................18
4.1.2 Ideas on community ....................................................................21
4.1.3 Ideas on recognition and merits ..................................................23
4.2 Hypothetical idea-to-business aggregates of two weak signals............24
4.2.1 Personalisation and expression of self in social media ...............24
4.2.2 Technologies for community identification in virtual
and real worlds............................................................................25

5 Conclusions ..................................................................................................26

References........................................................................................................27

List of figures.....................................................................................................28

APPENDIX 1. “HARVEST”OF THE SOMED WORKSHOP

APPENDIX 2. “HARVEST”OF THE TFF WORKSHOP

5
 1 Introduction
A new digital culture is emerging in Knowledge Society - a culture of user driven social me-
dia. The concept of “social media”refers to applications where user actions and user gener-
ated content play a central role. Social media may be based entirely on user generated content
(UGC). The most familiar examples of these applications are probably blogs and wikis. Flickr
and YouTube are further apt showcases of social media applications. Social media may be one
of the leading sources of creative business opportunities and new business models in the fu-
ture. One needs to take just a few current examples to highlight this point. Amazon processes
book purchases into recommendations and lets the readers write the reviews. Another exam-
ple, web based search service Cha-Cha, utilises crowd sourcing as a business model to pro-
duce flexible knowledge services. Also, more familiar services may be carried out in new
ways, e.g. “grounded trading”in eBay. We claim that social media processes and applications
can be used to support open innovation and knowledge sharing in companies and institutional
networks. Social media thickens and “re-wires” the relationships between the user and ser-
vice. This re-wiring can be a source of personalised and flexible products.

This report presents the key results of the two workshops on weak signals in the social media
and, more generally, in the context of digital world. Weak signals are signs of possibly emerg-
ing and strengthening trends, which you see if you know how and where to look.1 It is diffi-
cult to identify weak signals, but it is even more difficult to know which signals will be of
relevance to the future. This difficult task is nevertheless worth attempting, since according to
Steinmüller's axiom (2006) hard weak-signal hunting is likely to be rewarding: "The easier
forecasting is, the lower is the intellectual and practical benefit of it". 2

The first workshop on weak signals took place on November 17, 2006 at VTT, Espoo. This
one-day workshop was part of the project “SOcial MEDia in the crossroads of physical, digi-
tal and virtual worlds”(SOMED). The SOMED project aims at supporting the development
of user-friendly and value-adding applications needed in the digital everyday of technology-
mediated communities.

The second workshop was organised on December 1, 2006 in the context of VTT’s 1st Tech-
nology Futures Forum (TFF) 3. VTT’s Technology Futures Forum is an innovative seminar
and workshop concept created by VTT. It aims at highlighting technology foresight, facilitat-
ing the development of VTT’s foresight methodology and strengthening the dialogue between
VTT and its co-operation partners. A short workshop exercise was organised during the TFF

1 Most weak signals do not develop into anything significant. However, those which do so, are invaluable for
observers who will thus gain a competitive edge of such foresight knowledge. See e.g. Steinmüller 2006;
Hiltunen 2006; 2007. The main underlying idea of weak signals is that new things do not develop within
the mainstream but at the fringe.
2 Mark Twain already formulated in an ironic tone the paradoxical difficulty of futures studies: "Forecasting is
difficult, especially about the future."
3 See VTT’s TFF website: www.vtt.fi/proj/tff

6
seminar with the same conceptual framework as in the SOMED workshop, though the topic
of the workshop was somewhat wider than in the preceding social media workshop. The se-
lected topic was the Digital World, which is one of VTT’s four Strategic Technology Themes.
The SOMED project is one the projects included in the Digital World Theme (presented in
more detail in Chapter 2).

Photos © Sirkka Heinonen

Figure 1. Petteri Järvinen posed the question “Hype or future?”to social media, Sirkka Hei-
nonen highlighted the prosumeristic digital society and Elina Hiltunen told how to recognise
a weak signal in SOMED project’s workshop on weak signals, November 17, 2007.

7
 2 Background: social media and the digital world
The SOMED project was initiated at VTT in order to understand, study and develop new
user-friendly and value-adding applications of the digital technology-mediated communities.
The project operates at the crossroads of physical, digital and virtual worlds. It aims to study
the opportunities and problems of the user-driven and user-generated content and the ideas of
digital communities and tribes utilising the new digital platforms, such as Web 2.0. Therefore,
the key research questions of the SOMED project are:

1. What are the human, technical and organisational requirements for future social media
applications and services that people need to manage their lives in the crossroads of
physical, digital and virtual worlds?

2. What kind of applications and solutions can be developed to help people in this task, and
what kinds of business opportunities are present in this environment?

Two of the key principles of social media are participation and content creation by users. For
a research project this means the application of participatory research methods, e.g. studying
social media empirically by utilising social media together with users and within the research
group. The SOMED approach also calls for the activation of actual web users to co-operate
with researchers as co-researchers. In the project there will also be prototype construction
utilising Web 2.0 type beta approach. The SOMED project will strive for the analysis and
development of social media through the creation of an interactive space, Open Web Lab
(Owela).4 Owela was launched on 19th April, 2007 and it aims at becoming a communication
forum and a virtual think tank to innovate new forms of social media and it will improve un-
derstanding of future users and their needs. It is also intended as a platform to gather feedback
from a wider audience.5 Owela is a virtual laboratory where new tools of social media are
used to enrich interactive web-based research methods (e.g. blogs and online focus groups)
and through Owela the project will also study the various aspects relevant to social media,
such as trust, identity, anonymity, esteem, and context.

Background for the second workshop of weak signals was provided by the Digital World
Theme. The Theme has some key connections with the definition of social media, as one can
perceive from the following principles of the digital world crystallised by research professor
Heikki Ailisto (Ailisto 2006):

• Anti-complexity: The high-tech society wants simplicity, seamlessness and adaptivity,

devices ”that just work”. High-level tools for application developers

4 http://owela.vtt.fi/

5 For the moment, there is only a Finnish version available. An English version is under planning.

8
• Prosumers = Producer + consumer. User created content, Digital Me, peer-to-peer, con-
sumer involvement

• Niche world: customer tailored products & services (e.g. elderly), new channels crucial for
building niches

• Connecting digital and physical: Mobile computing, ubi-connectivity, location services,

identity management, physical browsing

• Transition of telecom: Extreme competition, free services, digital convergence & ”all-IP”,
packaging software and services (ASP) -> disruptions and new entrants

These principles characterise the playground of social media quite well. The on-going trans-
formation towards more user-generated content happens parallel with some deep socio-
technical transformations, e.g. digitalisation of the built environment, peer-to-peer network-
ing, segmentation of the markets, and polarisation of the digital divide.

Photos © Sirkka Heinonen

Figure 2. Both team and individual work was needed when monitoring future through weak
signals in the 2 workshops organised by VTT in November-December, 2007.

9
 3 Foresight approaches to social media

3.1 Monitoring weak signals and building a roadmap

In the context of a social media project, the foresight approach to social media means probing
future perspectives of social media by (1) identifying weak signals of future digital user cul-
tures, (2) exploring and identifying core issues and challenges through expert interviews and
narratives, and by making a (3) roadmap on the anticipated developments of social media in a
post-digital world.

In the identification of weak signals, in identifying core issues involved, as well as in con-
struction of roadmap for social media, the drivers, applications and implications of foreseen
developments of social media will be charted and analysed. Milestones regarding technologi-
cal, business-wise, social, and cultural viewpoints will be defined. The weak signals are here
analysed via the Futures Window (or Monitor) method. It is an experimental visual exercise,
where the visual images are “triggers”for the participants to identify different future-oriented
meanings and characterisations (more details in Chapter 3.3). These characterisations can be
further analysed and clustered in order to form some future oriented views on the application
playground and potential business models of social media.

In the project, the roadmap of social media will be based on essential clustered elements of
social media in the digital culture such as IP everywhere, what you feel is set up as metadata,
and increasing digital equality: technology enhancing user skills, know-how, abilities and
empowerment. The roadmap to be produced in this project will be experimental, as is suitable
for the whole research area: tests and experiments will be made on the creation of visually
“living”roadmap that can be packaged for example in DVD format. The data for the roadmap
will be collected in structured workshops and through interviews.

3.2 Proactive discussion

Technology tends to change rapidly, whereas societal changes take more time to evolve.
Technological changes have an impact on society that cannot be underestimated. Various im-
plications from technology change on society are based on the users’applications, as well as
on their attitudes. Users will have their voices more and more heard. 6

The future will be more than most people think (Glenn 2006; Heinonen 2006b). Acceleration
of change changes what we believe is possible. Computing everywhere, nano-bio-info tech-

6 New user cultures have their impact on business models as well. A young generation of cyberspace is referred
to as a Protean generation (Rifkin 2000; Heinonen 2006a) whose use culture is based on the quickness and
smoothness of transactions. They are less interested in accumulating things. However, when they do so,
they buy their things online. As a further characteristic, they are willing to pay for services and upgrades,
but they expect to get their software for free. Järvinen (2006) reminds us that the present legislation on in-
tellectual properties is not in concordance with the user culture of the present remix generation in this ac-
cess age. YouTube would not be YouTube if you had to pay for access or use.

10
nology, and cognitive science accelerate that acceleration. Just 25 years ago, there was no
Internet, World Wide Web, PCs, or mobile phones, European Union, WTO, ICC, or NATO in
Eastern Europe. There was no talk of globalisation, genetically modified food, stem cells, or
AIDS pandemic, and most believed that a nuclear WW III would have destroyed the world by
now. This is emblematic of the human tendency to over-emphasise long-term forecasts and to
underestimate or overlook short-term forecasts.

Conscious-Technology
(Post-Information Age)

When the distinction between these

two trends becomes blurred,
we will have reached the
Post-Information Age

HUMANS BECOMING
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
CYBORGS
BECOMING INTELLIGENT
2030
2015

2000
1985
© Jerome Glenn

Figure 3. The way to the post-information age according to Glenn (2006).

What will happen in the next 15-25 years?7 Which emerging technologies, synergies, and
ethical implications are coming up? Will lines of genetic code be written like software code to
create new forms of life then merged with computational intelligence (AI)? Life extension
begins to look like a realistic option, not to mention 3-D printing and seawater agriculture.

7 An annual report on the state of the future by the Millennium Project (MP) under the auspices of World Fed-
eration of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) is an insightful resource for foresight intelligence. The
2007 State of the Future is the 11th annual edition by Jerome C. Glenn and Theodore J. Gordon, co-
founders of the Millennium, including a CD containing over 6000 pages of research behind the printed edi-
tion. The Millennium Project helps understanding global change and strategies to improve the human con-
dition - as reported by a unique system of futurist networks (national and regional nodes) around the world.
Weak signals is one of the methods described in the methodological guidance of the Millennium Project.

11
More than half of the world spends more than half its time in cyberspace, which starts to ap-
pear more “real”than 3D reality - cyber space blurring distinctions.

Emerging technologies, synergies, and ethical implications will be numerous and complex.
Future ICT, marketing, competitive intelligence, info-warfare, info-terrorism, and organised
crime may be inter-linking. How will people know what to trust? Stem cells from cows, pigs,
and goats will produce meat without producing the animal. Solar power satellites will satisfy
world’s electricity needs without producing greenhouse gases or nuclear waste.

Glenn (2006) envisions that the era following the information age or digital age will be Con-
scious-Technology age. This age will become manifest when the fusion between humans be-
coming cyborgs8 and the built environment becoming intelligent takes place.

Emerging applications of technology can show two sides of one coin. For example, internet
services facilitate every day life in many ways. And yet, there are always some serious nega-
tive impacts such as net addiction, computer crime, time slavery, etc. Petteri Järvinen (2006)
questions the hype approach to social media and recommends combining easy-to-use applica-
tions and ethical considerations. Special attention should be paid to ensuring how new tech-
nology promotes the well-being of vulnerable groups such as children, the young and the old
in digital society.9 Järvinen (2006) views Web 2.0 from a broadband approach which he con-
siders a fundamental change. This is because constraints on time fade away when you do not
have to pay per minute use. Transfer of big files such as images and videos has also become
easy and fast with broadband connections. Web 2.0 means a seamless connection of various
services added to each other, e.g. information on available houses can be linked to their loca-
tion on map. Web 3.0 services would a step further and they would be capable of providing
rational answers to the user's needs on the basis of background data. Järvinen (2006) points
out that Web 2.0 works essentially through the architecture of participation. If all the hype and
coverings are taken away, what is left is "People need people". Social networks become more
and more important, and internet can be regarded as a network of feelings, emotions, and ex-
periences, instead of being a plain information network.

When bearing in mind the rapidly changing world of technology at large, it is highly challeng-
ing to anticipate the future perspectives of a new area such as social media. Therefore, it is of
crucial importance besides looking broadly for weak signals as early indicators of new
emerging trends or phenomena to determine first what are the core issues in the social me-
dia and how they might evolve in the future. The following Figure 4 illustrates the essential
issues as a mind map of social media as seen in the foresight task of the SOMED project. It is
our aim to complement and modify this mind map in the course of the SOMED project. This

8 Glenn (2006) defines a cyborg as a human depending on technology for vital life sustaining functions. For
example, a driver is dependent on his or her glasses at high speed ride, in other words he or she is a cyborg.
9 When pondering what kind of user-driven applications for young generation there might be, it is worthwhile
bearing in mind that the young care for their friends, parents even, and grandparents. Such applications as
facilitate this caring might be initiated, without forgetting that the young of today will become themselves
older quite soon. The young of the future will be again a new generation with a new kind of readiness for
conscious technology applications. (Heinonen 2006a).

12
mind map will be reviewed after the expert interviews of the forthcoming second SOMED
Foresight report. Eventually, the mind map will be reassessed in the roadmapping process to
be in concordance with the fast developments of this amoeba-like field of social media.

Figure 4. The mind map of social media in the foresight task of the SOMED project.

3.3 Methods applied in the weak signal workshops

The material analysed in this report is collected in two workshops organised in the fall of
2006: the first workshop took place on the 17th of November at the VTT headquarters in the
Digitalo, Espoo, Finland, and the second workshop organised on the 1 st of December at VTT
premises in Espoo, in the context of VTT’s first Technology Futures Forum (TFF).

As a brief description of weak signals the following statement can be used: weak signals are
today’s uncommon, new embryonic technological applications or innovations that may turn
into significant trends in the future.

You can make a weak signal test, following the thinking of weak signals researcher and de-
veloper of Futures Window method Elina Hiltunen (2007). According to her, something is a
weak signal if

1) it makes your colleagues to laugh

2) your colleagues say: no way, it will never happen
3) it causes confusion
4) no-one has heard about that before
5) your colleagues want the issue to be discussed no more.

If you get 1 to 5 “yes”answers from the test, you have found a weak signal. If you score for
all five, you have an excellent weak signal in your hands. If you want to know more about
this, see www.vtt.fi/tff and Hiltunen (2007).

13
In the workshops, the weak signals were identified via the Futures Window method (Figure
5). The purpose of the Futures Window is to trigger the employees to think of the future. It
might also give new ideas for people working with product or market development.

Figure 5. The general idea of futures monitoring (Hiltunen 2006).

In short, Futures Window method applied in the workshops consisted of four elements: (1)
physical appliances (monitors or flaps), (2) content (visual presentations, weak signals, which
initiate interpretations), (3) a matrix for the structuring of the interpretations and (4) a modera-
tor (futures reporter). The futures reporter’s task is to produce material (e.g. images of weak
signals) to the futures window and to stimulate and steer the discussion on the relevant topics.
The photos of Figure 6 present moments of the SOMED workshop process. In the workshop,
flaps were used as an appliance to present the visual weak signals. Figure 7 presents some
examples of the visual weak signals utilised in the workshop.

14
Figure 6. Futures Window workshop process as applied in the workshop.

Virtual gardens to
your beloved pets
at your home

Belgian mobile phone operator

Ello gives 100% of its profits to charity

Elite Pet Heavens 8

18 www.petheavens.com

New Beetle Art

Design your own car in Internet
15 13 Eye jewellery, Holland

Jesse Sullivan test-drives a brain-powered artificial arm 37

Source: www.popsci.com
14

Figure 7. Examples of the visual weak signals used in the workshops.

15
An innovative Foresight Workshop for detecting weak signals of future developments in so-
cial media was arranged by the SOMED project on 17th November, 2006 at Digitalo in
Otaniemi, Espoo at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The workshop was structured
to proceed as two interlinked phases. Phase I was the identification of weak signals by means
of the Futures Window method. In this phase the participants were divided into four groups.
All groups discussed through the visual presentations and identified preliminary thoughts and
ideas provoked by these images. Phase II for elaboration of interpretations of visual weak
signals followed after this. In this second phase, the possible societal and economic effects of
the weak signals were elaborated. The key questions were the following: What are the main
potential effects of the idea? How will the identified and characterised idea affect on the
building of the social groups? What kind of ICT applications may it foster? What kind of new
products, services or business models may come about? What are the main social potentials
and bottlenecks of the idea? These questions were answered in a structured discussion and
brainstorming.

As a wider application, Futures Window can be utilised as stimulation in different surround-

ings (Figure 8). For example, it may be installed in canteens, coffee rooms, elevators, lobbies,
toilets, or where ever a company’s employees happen to stand still for a while. The Futures
Window applied to such an “open space” has been piloted at VTT’s Digitalo (lobby) for a
week in February 2007. People working at Digitalo received the following week a link to a
web questionnaire inviting comments, views and suggestions for further developing the
method. A delightful number of responses was gathered, and the results have been reported in
detail (Hiltunen 2007).

Photo © Sirkka Heinonen

Figure 8. Futures Window pilot at VTT Digitalo lobby, Otaniemi, Finland.

The second workshop on weak signals of technology was organised within the first Technol-
ogy Futures Forum (TFF) at VTT, Otaniemi, on the 1st of December, 2006. The following
chapter elaborates and interprets some of the central results of the workshops. The full results
from the workshop can be read in Appendices of this report.

16
 4 The elaboration and interpretation of the
workshop results
In this chapter, we elaborate and interpret the results of the workshop based on the hypotheti-
cal triad presented in Figure 9. The figure presents a view on the playground, the players and
motivation, of social media. The idea is that the basic building blocks of social media are pro-
sumers (the prosumeristic expression of user identities), community and recognition or merits.
The starting point of the triad is the social and communal side of social media. In this hypo-
thetical triad, technology as such is not the main driver of the developments of the social me-
dia, although technological application might have a significant role in the initiation of the
application or on the ways how the lead users are using the applications. The idea is that dy-
namic links are acting between the building blocks of the social media triad. Therefore, the
most important analytical foci are the links between these blocks. As a part of the basic hy-
pothesis it is presumed that these links form the most important sources of new services, ap-
plications and business models in the field of social media.

Consumers/Producers Services, applications, Community

Prosumers Business models

Se s,
rvi ti on
a
Bu ces, lic els
sin ap a pp od
es pli , m
s m ca es ss
od tion r vic sine
els s, Se Bu

Recognition, merits

Figure 9. The playground of social media as interpreted on the basis of the workshops.

In the following subchapters we are going to work with the “raw data”produced by the two
workshops following the triad of social media. Firstly, the data is elaborated and classified on
the basis of the three building blocks of the triad: prosumers, community and recogni-
tion/merits. After this, we will form a few examples of the idea-to-business aggregates of the
most potential weak signals.

4.1 Classification of the results

In this chapter we classify and elaborate the results of the workshop in order to form some
logical continuum from ideas to business models. These presentations are not to be read as
decisive definitions of social media products, but rather as inspirational tools that give the
impression of the production possibilities in social media. The issues marked as bold in the
following tables represent topics that emerged as the most central during the discussions.
Other issues are more descriptive or otherwise related to the central issues.

17
4.1.1 Ideas on prosumerism
This first subchapter presents the key idea-to-business chains under the rubric of prosumer-
ism. We identified seven larger clusters (Tables 1a, 1b and 1c): personalisation and expression
of multiple identities or expression of one identity, personalised services and marketing, chro-
nobiological applications, real/virtual connection, low-tech and retro interfaces, extended
senses and functional objects. The detailed descriptions can be read from the Tables 1 a,b,c.

Table 1a. Prosumeristic idea-to-business chains, part 1.

Generic idea Potential users / Potential technologies / Potential business models

segments / products / services
needs
1. Personali- § Need to express § Transforming tapestry >
sation and the virtual iden- you don’t need to make
expression of tity in public decision that will last for a
multiple iden- § A trusted mem- long time (compare the first
tities or ex- ber of multiple point)
pression of virtual communi- § My doctor avatar >
one identity; ties searches automatically
Will people personified medical knowl-
become prod- § To a situation in
which every util- edge in the internet
ucts and
brands? How ity article tells § Personalised and up-
can one de- about yourself dating clothes and gadg-
velop many (bicycle, car, ets; Gangs formed in the
credible brands flat), exhibit own virtual world could be rep-
to oneself? identity resented in the real world
by gang “signs”> you iden-
tify your clan in the real
world > clans could be
formed e.g. on the basis of
Second Life or Warcraft or
MySpace user group
§ T-shirt with Internet con-
nection that is presented
as a image in the shirt >
printed on the intelligent
fabric > own avatar could
be represented in the shirt
§ ”Chameleon car”>
changes its colour in differ-
ent parts of the town or in
the different season >
some want to be seen,
some want to be modest
§ Modular production as the starting
point for personalised products; do-
it-yourself concept into industrial
processes, ”tuning”; Could the prod-
uct be pre-personalized in advance?
By a celebrity, for instance?
§ Services for personalisation; e.g.
personal trainers that offer options
for personalisation; lifestyle design
consultants
§ Copyright profit; companies can
resell users plans
§ Selling quick mobile feedback
services for the different products
§ Comment service for personal-
ised products; Who will be the au-
dience? Where the comments will
take place?
§ Collective planning with friends
over the net; visualisation and dis-
cussion
§ Selling the personalised publicity
”15 minutes of fame”; e.g. cus-
tomer could perform for a one min-
ute in the biggest monitor of New
York Times Square or in a public
broadcasting network?; regular cus-
tomers will get publicity as a side
product…
§ Public self in public space > you
get x amount of crowd, ”open you
life”in big brother fashion > you can
also see the crowd in the virtual in-
terfaces

18
Table 1b. Prosumeristic idea-to-business chains, part 2.

Generic idea Potential users / Potential technologies / Potential business models

segments / products /
needs services
2. Personalised § Firms to attract § Dynamic advertising > § Could one get paid from reading
services and people with short term adverts, when the adds or get services in ex-
marketing needs to distin- one has to do something change > ”read that, you get this”>
guish quickly > personalised clickbots > bots that click the adds
advertising e.g. for mobile and you get paid
phones > ”come in 15 § Consumer research application
minutes and your world embedded inside the object; e.g.
will explode” takeaway pen or flapchart
§ Tailored advertising >
your see adverts only on
themes you are inter-
ested in
§ all the things are covered
in same coatings; drive-in
art gallery; do-it-yourself
advertising
3. Chrono- § People who § Different kinds of physio- § Basically the same business model
biological appli- want to optimise logical metrics as in other kinds of sporting and effi-
cations their efficiency § body plotter to measure ciency equipment
stress and human body
and forces for example to
take a nap; smart chair
which give an alarm if you
have been sitting by your
desk for too long
§ On-off switching, precise
timing

19
Table 1c. Prosumeristic idea-to-business chains, part 3.

Generic idea Potential users / Potential technologies / Potential business models

segments / products / services
needs
4. Real / virtual § People who § Virtual music shelf § Selling the objects
connection; want paper ver- § Collectable items in 3D § Selling storage space; collective
concretisation of sions of the prints of recyclable mate- libraries
electronic events memories from rial
or memories as cyberspace
real world objects § Photo (e-)books
§ People who
have a strong
need for con-
creteness
5. Low-tech and § Older persons § Fake mechanics; with § Selling nostalgy with social media
retro interfaces; § Counter- high tech core; could be § Selling the curiosity factor and
technology min- trendsetters compatible with new digi- people’ s need personalize and dis-
gled in everyday tal devices tinguish
objects and non-
alienating user
interfaces
6. Smells and § Users with § Remote senses > sends § Integrated remote sense service
other senses different needs you a “smell sample”from concepts with updating and mainte-
integrated into § eHealth applica- phone nance
the interface > tions § Perpetual remote
extended senses for safety >
senses in digital senses e.g. fires and dif-
world fering smells in your
house and warn you if
there is something differ-
ing from normal; could be
used in the eMonitoring
for example of demented
patients
7. Functional § User with differ- § Bags that give you stuff §
objects ent needs > “find my mobile”or “find
my lipstick”
§ Digital shopping list
connected to the bag
§ Traceable clothes; track-
ing kids
§ Networked clothing
§ clothing that can cool
and heat using green
technology
§ Invisibility cloak for
women, who want jog in
the night; could be a po-
tential risk also

20
4.1.2 Ideas on community
This second subchapter presents the key idea-to-business chains in the theme of community.
We identified four clusters (tables 2a and 2b.): technologies for virtual community identifica-
tion in real world, virtual tribalism with real world effects, socially responsible virtual com-
munities and temporary digital disconnection.

Table 2a. Communal idea-to-business chains, part 1.

Generic idea Potential users / Potential technologies / Potential business models

segments / products / services
needs
1. Techno-logies § Ad-hoc identifi- § Filtering, to researchers: § Trust-based community engag-
for virtual com- cation; recog- the representative of this ing; members of the community can
munity identifica- nises enthusiasts company is ready for utilize the material produced by the
tion in real world of a certain questionnaire > some community (e.g. products decorated
hobby from a pre-questionnaire should with certain patterns, virtual prod-
certain distance be filled ucts) for free; to non-members the
services are expensive
§ At the present the profit comes from
the adverts > in the future the par-
ticipation in the virtual community
could be free of charge, but influenc-
ing and interacting will be charged
2. Virtual tribalism § Members of § Organisations with § Service platforms for the virtual
with real world virtual clans virtual offices or eWork communities to share different ob-
effects § Feeling of be- facilities on the remote jects; e.g. cars with maintenance
longing island; places for the and credible booking system
creative professionals
who want combine work
and leisure in new ways
§ Shared ownership of
goods or services; e.g.
pets, cars or houses
(bookings on the web)
§ Crowd sourcing; firm
buys directed and tailored
services from the private
persons
§ Public art > art pieces
that demand participation,
adds etc.

21
Table 2b. Communal idea-to-business chains, part 2.

Generic idea Potential users / Potential technologies / Potential business models

segments / products / services
needs
3. Socially re- § Consumer who § Online services for ex- § Platforms for idea generation
sponsible virtual like to know how changing and creating § Exposing of the product chains
communities their money is socially responsible
used ideas; e.g. Habbo Hotel § Totally explicit production chains
closed the site at night
time
§ Charity operators and
other charity actors
§ User generated ser-
vices or campaigns; e.g.
do-not-consume day,
save energy campaign
4. Temporary § For everyone § Solutions that allow § Services offering possibilities for the
digital dis- suffering from maximum of personal temporary digital disconnection; e.g.
connection ICT overload control; includes colours, portable silence booth for offices
sounds § Peaceful summer cottage in the
§ Proactive filter soft- middle of the city; stress-free cafe
wares and agents; filter, (a white space with textile walls)
which makes all websites § Total ICT tailoring; design of inter-
look better; relaxing ap- faces with very easy disconnection
plications; pop-up exer- capabilities
games for office workers;
chill-out software for PCs
§ Digital secretary, who
recognises the users con-
text; filters the messages
before they reach the
user
§ Noise cupola for open
offices; used when pri-
vacy and silence is
needed.
§ Walls that can identify
emotions; recognises
your mood and adapts
accordingly
§ Collective applications;
e.g. collective silent mo-
ments in the internet

22
4.1.3 Ideas on recognition and merits
This third subchapter presents the key idea-to-business chains in the third corner of the social
media triad, namely recognition and merits. We identified three clusters (Table 3): recogni-
tion or merit in the virtual community, ideological enterprises and weirding.

Table 3. Idea-to-business chains based on recognition and merits.

Generic idea Potential users / Potential technologies / prod- Potential business models
segments / needs ucts / services
1. Recognition § Services that are directed for § Referee system of the scien-
or merit in the the extreme hobbyists and ”self tific world as a business
virtual com- enhancers” models > meritification, to
munity § Swapping and circulating > be merited
hobby circles, ”one pimps up § One business model of
dolls and sends them all over the social media is based on
world to see”, globally circulating recognition, getting a merit
Friends -book > everybody tries to be the
best in the world > other
kinds of models might be
peer system and hobby cir-
cles
2. Ideological § Communities with § Enterprises that offer quality § Business model is based on
enterprises shared ideology services with competitive prices transparent production
§ Consumers who § Profits will go for some cause chains and voluntary partici-
want to have control pation
on how their money
is used
3. Weirding § People who want to § Biohacking > creation of mu- § Platform for the weak sig-
be different; “weir- tants and peculiarities nals in personal trends;
dos” § Self-decoration; e.g. piercing speed is critical > e.g. tattoo-
ing has rapidly become
§ Self-enhancing; e.g. machine mainstream cultural form
muscles
§ Moulding of human body
§ Enlarging the IQ with implanted
chips > design babies

23
4.2 Hypothetical idea-to-business aggregates of two weak
signals
In this further elaboration, we present a hypothetical way to describe the key attributes (pro-
sumers, community, merits) of the social media applications and the business ideas that could
link these key attributes. Again, these examples should not be read as definitive and ready
business plans, but as inspirational examples of the business potentials in social media. The
examples highlight the social and communal aspects of social media with purpose.

4.2.1 Personalisation and expression of self in social media

Figure 10 presents our elaboration of the social media triad in the context of personalisation
and expression of self. In this cluster, we identified the attributes of the triad in quite a wide
sense and then made some notions about the services, applications and business models that
could be potential in the theme. This situation presents a somewhat archetypical case of social
media. In the prosumer box in we noticed that the idea of personalisation fits almost every
virtual community. The key idea is that the prosumer should be trusted member of the com-
munity in order to produce something of value. In the box of community we figured that in
order to form a community there should some basic core idea. As we mentioned above, the
community could be almost any kind virtual community built on the definitive core idea that
keeps it together and acting. The recognition and merit box in the bottom of the Figure 10 is
also crucial in keeping the community alive. In fact, the core idea of the community might in
its capability to merit rewards for its key members. Community’s ability to reward merit
might be a key function in all of the successful applications of social media. This notion,
however, requires some further empirical investigations beyond this report.

Services for modularization and collective

planning: visualisation, design in a group, firms
can profit on the reselling of the user-generated
designs; commenting and enhancing services,
publicizing services, logistics of material
exchange (swapping)

Members and users of the virtual Community based on core idea; swapping,
communities; trust is the key publication, commenting, blogging

Private commenting and Public commenting and

feedback services: ad-hoc, feedback services: ad-hoc,
mobile and spontaneous mobile and spontaneous

Recognition and merit for actions; ”best

Warcraft fighter”, ”best video editor”, “best
blogger on environmental issues”

Figure 10. Example of the idea-to-business aggregate on personalisation and expression of

self in social media.

In Figure 10 the characterised services and applications between the attributes of prosumers
and community are the following: services for modularisation and collective planning, com-
menting and enhancing services, logistics of material exchange (swapping). The idea is that
business model should give a way to realise the core idea of the community, be it swapping,

24
playing a role game or debating on politics. Between the attributes of community and merit
the important service is linked to the provision public feedback. Public feedback service en-
sures that the comments are disseminated to all of the participants of the community. Between
the attributes of merit and prosumer the loop is closed. Here we figured that feedback services
would be more private and of ad-hoc nature.

4.2.2 Technologies for community identification in virtual and real worlds

Figure 11 presents a kind of similar situation in social media triad. Instead of personalisation,
the focus in Figure 11 is on the real world connections of social media communities. The pro-
sumer and community are much the same as in the previous figure: the prosumers should be
trusted members of the community built on some core idea that keeps it alive. However, the
recognition and merit is built differently: in Figure 11 the merit comes from the recognition of
the member of community in the real world with some application. This application allows
spontaneous meeting of the members of the virtual community. This identification could be
achieved, for example, via mobile phone peer-to-peer identifier. This identification could stir
some interesting business opportunities. Filtering services could be needed in order to identify
the members. The business model is focused on trust-based community engaging, where
members of the community can utilise the material produced by the community for free.
However, to non-members the services are expensive; interacting will be charged. In this way
the communities can act as profiting service providers.

Filtering services: to identify members of virtual

community in real world; trust-based community
engaging: members of the community can utilize
the material produced by the community for free;
to non-members the services are expensive;
interacting will be charged

Members and users of the virtual Community based on core idea; swapping,
communities; trust is the key publication, commenting, blogging

Private commenting and Public commenting and

feedback services: ad-hoc, feedback services: ad-hoc,
mobile and spontaneous mobile and spontaneous

Recognition and merit for actions; ”a

distinguished member of a virtual
community”, spontaneous face-to-face
meetings

Figure 11. Example of the idea-to-business aggregate technologies for community identifica-
tion in the virtual and real worlds.

25
 5 Conclusions
In this report we have presented and analysed the results of the two workshops on weak sig-
nals in the field of social media. In the workshops, weak signals were identified via the Fu-
tures Window method. The method was described in the report, together with the outcomes of
the workshop.

As a conclusion, we can formulate that the ideas behind the notion of social media should be
further analysed and explored. There are lot of technological solutions and possibilities to
develop social media applications, products and even business models, but the core idea of
social media seems to be somewhere else than in mere technology. This brings to mind Hei-
degger's classical notion that the essence of technology is by no means anything technologi-
cal. Similarly, we have to dig deeper in the essence of social media. The mystery of social
media is in the understanding of the communal and social issues connected to the uses of new
media applications. The key questions are: What are the main motivators why the users are
contributing to these services? What are the key motivations of the users? Shortly: What is the
critical “beef”of social media? These questions cover a lot of interesting societal phenomena,
such as globalisation of ideas, recognition, formation of communities and new ways of utilis-
ing media applications. Furthermore, on the basis of the workshop material the core idea of
social media seems to circle around the ideas of self-actualisation, multiple identities, trust
and multiple social ties of virtual community.

Obviously the above mentioned questions should be further analysed. After these issues are
thought out then we might ask the following question: What kind of business models could be
developed on the basis of social media? When asking this question one should always think
about the value added. What is the added value of providing some service via the “social me-
dia technologies” instead of some other way? Answering these business related questions
might lead to potential new solutions and even disruptions. From the workshop results one
can extract quite a few of new potential business models for social media. Some of these al-
ready exist in one form or another, but some are still emerging or even quite far in the future.
As a solution: let’s keep exploring!

26
 References
Ahlqvist, Toni (2006). Social Media - heikkojen signaalien työpaja 17.11.2006. Core Group
meeting of the SOMED project 24.11.2006. Powerpoint presentation, 7 ppt slides.

Ahlqvist, Toni, Halonen, Minna, Heinonen, Sirkka (2007). Weak Signals of Relevance to Fu-
ture Perspectives of Social Media - Some results from a SOMED Workshop on Weak Signals.
Presentation material prepared for the 2nd LIFT Conference in Geneva. Powerpoint presenta-
tion, 15 ppt slides.

Ahlqvist, Toni, Halonen, Minna, Heinonen, Sirkka (2007). Social Media Applications for In-
novative Working Environments. Paper presented at the 9th International Conference of
Finland Futures Research Centre and Finland Futures Academy. Culture as Innovation –The
Search for Creative Power in Economies and Societies. 6–8 June 2007, Turku, Finland.

Ailisto, Heikki (2006). Digital World -theme. The 1st Technology Futures Forum 1.12.2006.
Powerpoint presentation.

Glenn, Jerome (2006).Emerging Science & Technology with Some Suggestions for Research
& Policy. TFF In-House Session 6th June, 2007, Espoo, 35 ppt slides. The Millennium Pro-
ject. www.stateofthefuture.org.

Heidegger, Martin (1977). The Question Concerning Technology, p. 3-35 In: Heidegger, M.
The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays. New York, 182 p.

Heinonen, Sirkka (2007). Social media in working communities - tentative ideas on new pos-
sibilities for promoting creativity and innovativeness. VTT SOMED project steering group
meeting 13.2.2007 Digitalo VTT. Powerpoint presentation, 12 ppt slides.

Heinonen, Sirkka (2006a). The Protean Use Culture - agile digital lifestyles in Experience
Society. Presentation in the Seminar on "Youth Go Online". Nokia Research Centre, Ruo-
holahti auditorium, Helsinki. December 19, 2006, 30 ppt slides.

Heinonen, Sirkka (2006b). Mindset of foresight and prosumeristic digital society. SOMED
workshop 17.11.2006. Powerpoint presentation, 24 ppt slides.

Hiltunen, Elina (2007). The Futures Window –A Medium for Presenting Visual Weak Signals
to Trigger Employees’Future Thinking in Organizations. Helsinki School of Economics.
Working Papers W-423. 26 p. http://helecon3.hkkk.fi/pdf/wp/w423.pdf

Hiltunen, Elina (2006). On identification and elaboration of weak signals. SOMED workshop
17.11.2006. Powerpoint presentation.

Järvinen, Petteri (2006). Social media - hype or future? SOMED workshop 17.11.2006.
Powerpoint presentation, 13 ppt slides.

Steinmüller, Karlheinz (2006). "Thinking Out of the Box". Weak Signals and Wild Cards for
European Regions. Turku, 23 ppt slides.

27
 List of figures
Figure 1. Elina Hiltunen tells how to recognise a weak signal in SOMED project’s
workshop on weak signals, November 17, 2007. ............................................... 7

Figure 2. Both team and individual work was needed when monitoring future through
weak signals in the 2 workshops organised by VTT in November-
December, 2007. ............................................................................................... 9

Figure 3. The way to the post-information age according to Glenn (2006). ......................11

Figure 4. The mind map of social media in the foresight task of the SOMED project.......13

Figure 5. The general idea of futures monitoring (Hiltunen 2006)....................................14

Figure 6. Futures Window workshop process as applied in the workshop. .......................15

Figure 7. Examples of the visual weak signals used in the workshops..............................15

Figure 8. Futures Window pilot at VTT Digitalo lobby, Otaniemi, Finland......................16

Figure 9. The playground of social media as interpreted on the basis of the

workshops. .......................................................................................................17

Figure 10. Example of the idea-to-business aggregate on personalisation and

expression of self in social media. ....................................................................24

Figure 11. Example of the idea-to-business aggregate technologies for community

identification in the virtual and real worlds. ......................................................25

28
Appendix 1. “Harvest” of the SOMED workshop
SOMED workshop on weak signals of social media 17th of November 2006
Programme
_____________________________________________________________________________
BRAINSTORMING ON WEAK SIGNALS
- SCANNING THE POSSIBILITIES OF SOCIAL MEDIA –

Organized by VTT’s SOMED project

(Social media in the crossroads of physical, digital and virtual worlds)

Time Friday 17.11.2006 from 9:00 to15:00

Venue VTT’s Digitalo, Vuorimiehentie 3, Otaniemi, Espoo

PROGRAMME

9:00 - 9:10 Opening - Futures Monitor on Weak Signals

9:10 - 9:30 Mindset of foresight and prosumeristic digital society
Sirkka Heinonen, VTT

9:30 - 10:00 KEYNOTE SPEECH

Social media - hype or future?
Petteri Järvinen, Petteri Järvinen Ltd.
10:00 - 10:20 Discussion on the basis of the keynote speech
10:20 - 10:40 On identification and elaboration of weak signals
Elina Hiltunen, Finland Futures Research Centre
10:40 - 10:50 Tuning into brainstorming mode and workshop tasks
Toni Ahlqvist, VTT

10:50 - 11:45 Task 1: Elaboration of conceptual framework of social media in

order to identify weak signals and ideate development possibilities

12:15 - 13:00 Task 2: Grouping and refining weak signals

13:00 –13.45 Task 3: Selecting and elaborating weak signals to be followed in

the SOMED project
13:45 - 14:45 Preliminary results from the workshops
14:30 - 15:00 Concluding discussion

29
Workshop data

Workshop 1 (moderator: Toni Ahlqvist)

Number of the picture Identification of the weak signals for the image. Which emerging issue is at stake in the
and a short depiction image?
4. Silence Booth Safe havens free of technology
Public privacy
6. Virtual travelling Guide activities based on voluntarity
new communality (figure 41)
extreme small group experiences
8. Ello Mobile Alternative business models (X)
13. Eye jewellery Enhancing yourself
distinguishing
bioimplants
15. New Beetle Personified products
One does not have to commit oneself for a long time to anything (X)
18. Elite Pet Heavens Screen for tailored context
Wall that can identify feelings (X)
21. Metro Naps chair Overperforming, exceeding (X)
22. Radioaktiivikello Social time as efficiency, controlling the time, distribution of time, ”efficiency rhythm”
23. Apple-TV Persofied selfplanned gadgets > 3D printing
Integration of haptic technologies into everyday objects (X)
33. Ecopod Human as a part of nature’ s system, acknowledged as a business model, no compulsory green-
nes, homes made of recyclable materials > Is the weirding a counter-trend?
43. Allerca Every thing has to be available or be bought, pet plants > Is 33 a couter-trend?
Combination (13, 25, 37, Weirding (X)
35, 14)

Other post it -pads:

Kuva 5: communicating wearables
Kuva 17: ”Plusses”for the net community, compare market storest
Kuva 22: Social media, how much time for anything > workforcer
Kuva 26: objectification of living beings / plants, from real to ”plastic”
Kuva 28: new screen technologies > screen that will adapt to the its environment
Kuva 32: disconnecting from everything, new communitarianism in networked society
Kuva 34: independent big brother -sites
Kuva 40: virtual ”self doctor”inside the body, ”bot”Kuva 44: wind power stations to the sea > out of peoples living environments
Photo © Sirkka Heinonen

Figure 1. Three participants of Workshop 1 are discussing visual weak signals.

30
 Perspectives of social media
Interpreta- Where this idea might lead in the future? Potential Potential products Comments
tions of the users? / services
signals /business models?
Personalized Self planning tiresome > could there be Firstly busi- Personal trainers How to com-
products > small services > module production ness users, that offer different municate the
One does not Identification technologies > recognises fro example options for per- success of the
have to common hobbies, protection of individual exhibitions, on sonalization service > >
commit one- would be better also > filtering, to research- then daters Material produced e.g. user
self for a long ers: the representative of this company is and common by the community amounts >
time to any- ready for questionnaire > some pre- people that members of what are the
thing , 3D questionnaire should be filled the community can meters? >
printing, Inte- utilize for free > possibility of
gration of Dynamic advertising > short term adverts, manipulation
when one has to do something quickly > products deco-
haptic tech- rated with certain How to build
nologies into personalized advertising e.g. for mobile
phones > ”come in 15 minutes and your patterns, virtual and communi-
everyday products etc. > to cate trust and
objects world will explode”
others than the credibility?
Tailored advertising > your see adverts members of the
only on themes you are interested in community these
Comment services for the personalized products are sold
products > Who will be the audience? for high prices
Where one can comment?
”Chameleon car” > changes its colour in
different parts of the town or in the different
season > some wants to be seen, some
wants to be modest
Will people become products and
brands > How one can develop many be-
lievable brands for oneself? How to surf in
different communities? > In times of change
it is dangerous to commit to one brand… >
”One wants to adapt with any price”, “punk
rocker for the night, business loo for a day””
weirding People want to be distinguished from one People who Services that are
another > search for publicity are into ”en- directed for the
”Recognition”> ”A cool guy” hancing” extreme hobbyists
and ”self enhan-
Weirding requires a public always cers”
Moulding of human body Speed is critical >
Biohacking > creation of mutants and pecu- e.g. tattooing has
liarities rapidly become
mainstream cul-
Enlarging the IQ with implanted chips >
tural form
design babies
Enhancement could become a cause of
pride
”One wants to distinguish oneself with any
cost”
Alternative The question depends on the idea of the Anybody, At this moment the
business social media service and on the goal of the hobby ent- business model is
models firm that is ffering the service husiasts based on money
eBay > different kinds of exchange plat- from the adverts >
forms in the future the
participation in the
A bank has been put up in England that is virtual community
based on communitarian principle will be free of
Swapping > hobby circles, ”one pimps up charge, but influ-
dolls and sends them all over the world to encing and inter-
see”, globally circulating Friends -book acting will be

31
 Referee system of the scientific world as a charged
business models > meritification, to be There might
merited emerge enter-
Could one sell ”15 minutes of fame”> E.g. prises that do not
perform for a one minute in the biggest want to grow mas-
monitor of New York Times Square > Could sively > competi-
one buy broadcasting time from the public tors will have hard
network? > Regular customers will get pub- time competing
licity as a side product… ideological com-
munities
Crowd sourcing > micro outsourcing > one
buys services from the private persons > Is the business
”take a picture, you get an euro” model of social
media based on
Could one get paid from reading the adds
recognition, getting
or get services in exchange > ”read that,
a merit > every-
you get this”> clickbots > bots that click the
body tries to be the
adds and you get paid
best in the world >
other kinds of
models might be
peer system and
hobby circles

Screen for Public space > you get x amount of crowd,

tailored con- ”open you life”in big brother fashion > you
text can also see the crowd
, Wall that Public art > art pieces that demand partici-
can identify pation, adds etc.
feelings Wall that can identify feelings > recognises
your mood and adapts accordingly
Transforming tapestry > you don’ t need to
make decision that will last for a long time
(compare the first point)
Pet/plant, that lives on a common input
Over excee-
ding

32
Workshop 2 (moderator: Elina Hiltunen)
Number of the pic- Identification of the weak signals for the image. Which emerging issue is at stake in the
ture and a short image?
depiction
4. Silence booth information bloat, need for silence, counter phenomena, doing something for oneself in public
space, to retire into private space, uninterrupted communication, private, a yen for privacy, own
turf, a booth into which mobile phone signals can’ t penetrate, nobody can’ t localise you (mobile
phone), technology free area.
12. Lamborghini Everything must be available in supermarkets, you don’ t have to go elsewhere, regular customer
gets everything, centralised shopping, ”Lamborghini bought in Citymarket”, Will buying a car be-
come commonplace, cf. art supermarket, status changes, art paid off by instalments, cars invade
everyplace even shops, also PCs and mobile phones came into supermarkets, shops are widening
their selection?
13. Eye jewelry Is it a contact lens or is it attached on eye?, Is it digitally produced on the superface of the skin?
digital manipulation of skin and body, a step further from coloured contact lenses, a wicked effect,
masking ego / self-expression, eyes are the mirror of the soul, now they are covered, dollars fig-
ures into eyes; Eyes shouldn’ t be covered – white contacts lenses are ill-natured; dark sunglasses,
what are you hiding?
14. Robot arm It’
s so difficult to get rid of your body; sad; suffering; life isn’ t perfect without having every part of
the body; artificial limbs are getting better eg. lightness; has there been enough development work
on these, lots of nonsense is developed; Americans have exoskeleton clothes, which give extra
power; war produces men without arms and legs, what if all the technology know-how would be
focused on developing artificial limbs, for decoration purposes one could change his right hand
into artificial arm. They could be produced more, suppose your thoughts are wandering, what will
your artificail arms do?; Can they be controlled?
15. Customised beet- Personalisation, a bit like coloured extra covers for mobile phones; will professionals be paid, car
le mechanics are expensive, that can’ t be cheap; one should have a possibility to do his own work of
art; people pay up to €2000 for retouching vehicle registration plate, suppose it’ s always possible
when one can afford it, customised houses: round house
37. Tattoo, bodypier- Skin substitutes clothes as a means of expression; reshaping something what a human being
cing should be, but in another direction; present already not a freak anymore; also changeable screws
on head; conception of beauty is changing, not freak status anymore; an extra arm attached with
screw and steered by thought; an extra arm could be useful, an artist had cosmetic surgeries;
nowadays it wouldn’ t be so freaky
39. Rat in the bud, a Why one couldn’ t put spare parts to animals? Do animals become spare part stocks for humans;
rat with an ear grow- dubious that for one species animals are utilised, couldn’ t ears be produced industrially; would
ing on its back somebody take an ear grown on rat’ s back; do you start hearing something else; I would like to
take an electronic ear integrated with a mobile phone for example, repulsive, disgusting, as dis-
gusting as people growing knots, except people are free to choose animals aren’ t
40. Pill camera
43. soft + tech
45. allergic cat
Photo © Sirkka Heinonen

Figure 2. Workshop 2 elaborating and exchanging ideas.

33
 Perspectives of social media
Interpretations Where this idea Potential Potential products Generic Comments
of the signals might lead in the users? / services technolo-
future? /business mod- gies
els?
Silence booth living room for re- For everyone Can a peaceful colours,
laxing without a suffering from summer cottage be sounds, slow
mobile phone ring- ICT overload productisised in the precedes
ing; smart home; middle of city?; speed; well-
face-to-face works stress-free cafe (a defined;, no
white space with banner ads;
textile walls); one should
in messenger off- have maxi-
line, by computer mum control;
always “working”; filter agent
filter, which makes
all websites look
better; relaxing,
eyes wide open and
you see mountains;
pop-up once an
hour gym moment;
chill-out software
for PCs
Deglutible ca- rate my guts, once children, for dieting or check- small cam-
mera upon a life; know- mothers, es- ing vein conges- eras, remote
ing oneself better; pionage, doc- tions; game to play controlling;
doctors own thing tors, autodi- in your digestion remote con-
for example data agnoses system; a lot of trol by mobile
bases etc; to dis- medical applica- phone; pre-
solve queues for tions; check child’s hensile uten-
medical care; pa- insides for external sil;
tient can autodiag- parts like pins; spy touch screen
nose their condi- camera; search for
tion drug-running; can-
did camera; on ear
cats, which How does the ma- for older peo- community, a cat cat commu-
don’ t cause nipulation affect ple’s security, can be divided by nication
allergic reac- cats in their integ- company several people; TV machine
tions rity?;robot nose hanging on cat’ s can be hit
which is not aller- neck; virtual cat; driven over
gic to cats; key screen cat to write by a car;
chains with ani- on, cat message, could be 3-4
mals within test device for monitor- years in the
tubes; amebas ing old people; neighbours
ordered by inter- health meter, which house; will
net; let’
s make prolongs the period the mes-
technique softer: an old people can sage reach
hide the cat inside live in his proper its destina-
computer; could home, cameras in tion? mes-
technique be “dog eyes, cat measures sage in a
like”and produce blood pressure bottle?
wellbeing

beetle art customization in feeling of belong- Could it be

different catego- ing; those who have personal-
ries, will there be a the same kind; own ized in ad-
counter reaction, club; clans, like vance? By a
people do not want motorcycle clubs; celebrity, for
to do things by spontaneous loca- instance?
themselves, firms tion information

34
 will get by with a from the cars; real
little effort, people world car games or
will plan and buy a net game where
product? Counter- you can spot differ-
trend to this is ent kinds of cars;
bore- car tribes though
dom/saturation- Is everybody can
the concept suit- speak to each
able for all the other; all the things
products? Do we are covered in
want top design same coatings;
that is well thought drive-in art gallery;
out? Does it stand do-it-yourself adver-
out too much? tising
Customisation of
living beings, could
one grow a child in
the back of a
mouse? Art as a
separating force.
eye jewelry Customisation, matchmaker,
digiprinting, blinks the
eye; seeks if
screen that could two people
be spread out to suit each
the skin > one other (or
could merge into handshake),
environment, a eye jewellery
moving tattoo, per- analyzes the
sonal identifier in product in-
the eye, iris recog- formation of
nition. the food; eye
Money to the eye screen; gang
chip, usb in the tip sign
of the finger, infor-
mation technology
muscles

35
Workshop 3 (moderator: Hazel Salminen)
Number of the pic- Identification of the weak signals for the image. Which emerging issue is at stake in
ture and a short the image?
depiction
15: Plan your own People design for themselves; a possibility to contribute to the appearance of different
car products; demand for individuality; individuality and being different; customisation;
personalisation
48: Invisibility cloak control over identity; need for privacy and hiding; possibility to locking away with ur-
gency; getting rid of nonsense when needed; voyeurism
9: Energy from solution to the increasing consumption of electricity; ecology; user generated energy
dance floor (not only content), recycling of energy; partying to the max
4: Silence booth Escape from digitality, techno peace; counter reaction to noise; mental calming down;
possibility for calming down, not to be reached, counterbalance for every kind of mes-
saging, mobile phones etc
8: Charity operator Ethicality in economy; ethical business; idealism with the means of modern techniques
1: Message rabbit Easy way to have information on arrival of messages, what kind of messages, and on
which device they have arrived; when one wants to be make part of an online commu-
nity, but wants to define when to be visible and when to react; always online without
sitting by the computer all the time; control over digistream; humanisation of technique
45: low tech + soft retro spirit; soft values become important; countertrend to techno hype
touch
37: Metal implants new sensations; emphasis on personality, being different; tags under skin in the fu-
ture, we will be URLs
42: Ice cream for Extended consumption; extension of the concept of family; animal is more important
dogs than human being; control over nature
21: Nap chair overlapping of work and private life; understanding of physical needs of people; need
for a private and silent space

Photo © Sirkka Heinonen

Figure 3. A moment of reflection during Workshop 3.

36
 Perspectives of social media
Interpretations of Where this idea Potential Potential products / Generic tech- Comments
the signals might lead in the users? services /business nologies
future? models?
15 Plan your own To a situation in which Home buy- Do-it-yourself cus- discussion sites, Especially when
car: through par- every utility article tells ers, interior tomisation: houses drawing and doing big in-
ticipation to per- about yourself (bicycle, decorators and other big ex- visualisation vestments it
sonalised mass car, flat), exhibit own penses, home interior softwares would be useful
production; need identity; manufacturing products, companies to try in advance
for standing out; processes can’ t pro- can resell users plans how they would
do-it-yourself duce everything for look like and to
concept into everybody, production have comments
industrial proc- must be planned in a from friends.
esses, ”tuning” way that there is a way
for individualized
design; social media
can be utilised in the
planning process ->
collective planning with
friends over the net
48 Invisibility A paradox: the invisi- Women, who Invisibility cloak to smart clothing anonymity in the
cloak: control over bility cloak would be want to go walk home safely at internet is the
identity; need for safe and unsafe in the jogging in the night; invisible police, substitute of
privacy and hiding same time -> invisible night, celebri- invisible terrorists social media to
in good and bad police state (are all ties, police, the invisibility
policemen good or do terrorists, cloak.
they abuse of their burglars etc
power, if they would be
able to use invisibility
cloaks); invisible terror-
ists; anybody can enter
every where.
9 Energy from digital exchange econ- online services for social media’ s
dance floor: user omy/cooperative, exchanging ideas; principles of use
generated energy social responsability – data bank system for
(not only content); handing back to soci- ideas
ecological depth ety
to the community
4 Silence Booth: a complete mixing of employees digital secretary, who filtering techni- Is the silence
possibility to calm work and leisure time and stressed recognises the users que booth for those
down, to be in people context, filters the who need peace
silence, not to be messages before they and quiet or for
reached -> con- reach the user; noise those talking to
centration cupola for open office, mobile phones?
used when privacy
and silence is needed.
8 Charity operator ethical emission trade, aware con- Fair trade of all prod- smart code/bar
ethical business elimination of exploita- sumers ucts; fair trade digital code technology,
and idealism by tive capitalism (coun- assistant; ecological
the means of tries of low cost of foot print code, open
modern technique labour), worldwide product source
system codes/histories in peer
to peer network, cf.
Consumer Gadget
1 Message rabbit: improved presence For older Message filtering
when one wants persons, who robot, which alarms
to make part of an have devices the receiver, when an
online community, to make important message
but also wants to them aware arrives.
define when to be of the arrived
visible and when messages +
to react; always for those who
online without receive too
sitting by the many mes-
computer all the sages
time; control over
digistream; hu-
manisation of
technique
45 Low tech + soft side be side futurist for those who mechanical watches ”fake mechanics” nostalgy, in

37
touch: retro spirit; and retro products, are fed up and cars, integrated – with high tech social media
soft values be- communality with home electronics - core
come important; ubiquitousity
countertrend to
tecno hype
37 Metal implants: location of people elderly peo- microchip wallet under nanotechnology,
new sensations; (dementics, children); ple; children, the skin; as an identi- microchips
emphasis on compulsory for for whom fier instead of pass-
personality, being everone parents port; microchip jewel-
different; tags worry about lery
under skin in the
future, we will be
URLs
42 Extended animals are “over friends of innovation forum for audiovisual
consumption; cared”and people eat animals, products for pets; pet devices for
extension of the unhealthy: animals are people who blogs; sites for pet communication
concept of family; appreciated more have pets dating; care service,
animal is more when the pet is in day
important than care (video connec-
human being; tion over the internet
control over na- for pet owners to see
ture their pets)
21 Nap chair: body plotter to meas- Habbo Hotel
overlapping of ure stress and human closed the site at
work and private body and forces for night time
life; understanding example to take a
of physical needs nap; smart chair which
of people; need give an alarm if you
for a private and have been sitting by
silent space your desk for too long,
office chair-bed;
collective silent mo-
ments in the internet

38
Workshop 4 (moderator: Minna Halonen)
Number of the picture Identification of the weak signals for the image. Which emerging issue is at stake in the
and a short depiction image?
1 nabaztaq WiFi rabbit Big brother is watching you & continuous control of information channels, for how long will we bear
up? Computers with humanity and emotions. Peripheral devices camouflaged as interior decora-
tion.
40 camera pill Nanotechnology. Limits of digital recording. Almost invisible physical agents are wandering among
us and registering events.
25 finger implant Medical technique. Going towards The Lawnmower Man (science fiction movie, 1992). Human
being is an idiot, who probes extreme experiences at the expense of himself and his well being.
Human being becomes a machine, supplied with extensions. The body can be fixed up “improved”,
even if there is no illness. Technique gives extra power – an equivalent for drug use?
37 uglifying Ugly becomes beautiful. Mainstream vs. counterculture. Antisuperficiality. In order to be distin-
guished from the masses it is not enough to beautify oneself – people want to uglify themselves.
Physical appearance is important.
19 digital photo frame Concretisation of electronic events or memories is important. Continuos changes – static image is
not enough, digital, continuously up dating images are needed. Is anything authentic or stabile
anymore? What is the effect of digital sharing? Pushing digitality by force.
33 coffin People don’ t want to consume after death. Individual human being wants to take his personality
with him to the grave. ”Earthly”attitude towards circle of life/nature coming back Physical appear-
ance not so important.
8 ello Ethical consumption. Business out of charity. How in earth will there be any business and income
in the future? Stakeholders are so wealthy that they don’ t care about dividends.
30 absolut impotence Human being is the weakest loop – doesn’ t work. Culture jamming – antiadvertising.
48 invisible cloak The right to have control over oneself and one’ s own visibility. One doesn’t want to be everywhere
all the time. Childhood dream coming true? Internet celibacy community
22 time visualisator Haste and scheduling. Control over time. Giving meaning to neutral things: the passing of time is
compared to danger and alarm. The change of the conception of time, is there enough time, does it
even exist?.

Photo © Sirkka Heinonen

Figure 4. Listening to an opinion during Workshop 4.

39
 Perspectives of social media
Interpretations Where this idea Potential Potential prod- Generic tech- Comments
of the signals might lead in the users? ucts / services nologies
future? /business mod-
els?
Figures 22 & 48. On-off switching, Everyone on Reminder (for Chronobiological People are ”ro-
The change of the precise timing: one’ s own way, example on TV) measuring in- botised”, going
conception of there is virtual time to one’ s own ”It’
s time to go struments, a under skin is
time, is there and real time. Is needs. bed.”Remote dream capturing ethically very
enough time, the scheduling control for life. In device or is a dubious.
does it even done by the de- the reminder there dictating machine
exist? As a paral- mands of family, is an order of a better solution
lel phenomena, work or virtual importance. after all?
people don’ t want communities? Big Physiological
to be always brother is watch- conditions, chro-
available. ing. We leave nobiology, (pulse
electronic traces rate etc.), a differ-
all the time, a ent manifestation
need to determine for space and
one’ s own visibil- place: trembling
ity. rabbit in bed helps
to wake up!
Figures 37 & 33. Games for every easy to use (for Bottlenecks: know-
On the one hand age. Memory real) user inter- how, money. A
physical appear- games for pen- face principled possibil-
ance is very sioners, virtual ity is not enough.
important and, on meeting places Is there a lack of
the other hand, it courage in realis-
isn’ t important at ing truly simple
all. services?
Embarrassment of
riches is mixing the
setting. The mar-
ket rules drop bad
solutions.
Figure 19. People will want Virtual music Human beings
Concretisation of paper versions of shelf, collectable have a strong
electronic events digital photos in items in 3D prints need of concrete-
or memories is the future also. of recyclable ness,
important material, photo (e- Being physical will
)books be a basic need for
human beings in
the future also.
Figures 40 & 48. Consumer re- A device which
Almost invisible search inside recognises small
physical agents advertising pen! agents in sur-
are wandering roundings
among us and
registering
events. The right
to have control
over oneself and
one’ s own visibil-
ity.

40
Participants of the workshop on 17th of November 2006 at VTT

Somed researchers at VTT:

Ahlqvist, Toni
Bäck, Asta
Halonen, Minna
Heinonen, Sirkka
Hiltunen, Tapio
Karppinen, Kaarina
Kasesniemi, Eija-Liisa
Kiviniemi, Jukka
Laakko, Timo
Lattunen, Ali
Melin, Magnus
Näkki, Pirjo
Nummiaho, Antti
Nurmi, Olli
Palviainen, Marko
Vainikainen, Sari
Virtanen, Tytti

Invited keynotes:
Hiltunen, Elina (Finland Futures Research Centre, Turku School of Economics)
Järvinen, Petteri (Petteri Järvinen Ltd)

Facilitator:
Salminen, Hazel (Finnish Society for Futures Research)

41
Appendix 2. “Harvest” of the TFF workshop
Technology Futures Forum workshop 1st of December 2006
Programme
_________________________________________________________________________
1st Technology Futures Forum (TFF)
Quo Vadis, Technology?
Date Friday, 1 December, 2006 at 8:00 - 17:00
Venue VTT, Otaniemi, Espoo, Finland

PROGRAMME
8:00 - 8:30 "Window to the Futures" - experiment with futures monitoring of
weak signals for technology development
8:30 - 8:45 Opening Words of Technology Futures Forum
Sirkka Heinonen, Chief Research Scientist, VTT

Session 1 Technology Foresight to Strategies

Chair: Jouko Suokas, Executive Vice President, VTT
8:45 –9:15 Jarno Pelkonen, Manager, Technology Strategy, Nokia
WorldMap and Nokia Foresight Process
9:15 - 10:45 Wolodymyr (Walter) Derzko, Professor, University of Toronto
Smart Technologies in the Smart Economy
Comment: Raimo Launonen, Technology Manager, VTT

Session 2 Technology Foresight to Visions

10:45 - 12:15 Peter Cochrane, Prof., Co-Founder, ConceptLabs
Mobility & Wireless as Mega-Flops & Micro-Wonders
Comment: Heikki Ailisto, Research Professor, VTT
12:15 - 13:15 Lunch and Exhibition (VTT technology roadmaps, MP/ACUNU etc.)

Session 3 Technology Foresight to Innovations

Chair: Rauno Heinonen, Executive Vice President, VTT
13:15 - 14:45 Osmo Kuusi, PhD, Government Economic Research Institute VATT
Weak Signals - Mobilising Innovations and Organisational Learning
Sandra Dingli, PhD, Director, University of Malta
Creative Thinking and Innovation in Technology Foresight
14:45 -15:00 Briefing to Workshops, Toni Ahlqvist, Senior Research Scientist
15:00 - 16:00 Workshops (results to be elaborated post-conference)
16:00 - 16:45 Preliminary results from workshops
16:45 - 17:00 Conclusion
17:00 - 17:30 Informal networking and Refreshments

42
Workshop data
______________________________________________________________________________
Group 1 (moderators: Walter Derzko and Toni Ahlqvist)
Number of the image and a short Interpretation of the weak signals. What kind of an emerging
description issue does the signal represent?

18 Pet Heavens & virtual gardens This will not work without including smells that are important to pet
animals > extended senses

Virtual gardens for people, too

I cannot think who would be interested in this

Owners imagine that their pets live in a virtual world

The dog needs also a collaboration with me utilizing video conferenc-

ing

My dog will cry alone at home without this

22 A new way to see time Time perception changes form linear to something else > transition

A clock with digits is difficult to understand in many cases > interface

Too many colours

The interface is too small for my old eyes

I don’
t understand this

34 Scan your face My own face for my avatar in video conference and virtual reality

The real and virtual world get more and more mixed

Personally I’
m not at all interested

Teenagers might be interested in this

Photo © Paula Sinivuori

Figure 5. The participants of Workshop 1 are selecting the visual weak signals. Photo

43

Ideas/interpretations of the
weak signals
Smells and other senses
integrated into the interface >
extended senses in digital
world
Time perception changes
from linear to something >
transition from static to
dynamic
New interfaces in the digital
world
My face for my avatar in
video conference
Digital World Perspective
What kind of Potential products / services / business
Comments
future develop- models?
ments could the
idea / interpreta-
tion initiate in the
future?
Pet avatar
Smell important
Sensible robots that sense also with other especially for the
senses than visual field dogs
Remote senses > sends you a “smell sample”
from phone
Safety > perpetual senses > senses e.g. fires
and differing smells in your house and warn you
if there is something differing form normal >
could be used in the eMonitoring for example of
demented patients > “this morning my mother
did not touch the kettle, see if she’
s had her
breakfast”
Digital world
What could we do in
should communi-
the digital world that
cate with analogue
we could not do in
the analogue?
Adapting interfaces, my OS’
s
Power of the de-
Old fashioned interfaces to digital applica- signer is changing >
tions > lowers the entry to a digital world from top-down
production to user-
Digital technology enables quick feedback on centered horizontal
the products production
Users as producers > firms could react to
spontaneous user feedback to make person-
alized products
New user’
s + personalized products
My profile, my digital profile
My doctor avatar > searches automatically
personified medical knowledge in the internet
T-shirt with Internet connection that is pre-
sented as a image in the shirt > printed on the
intelligent fabric > own avatar could be repre-
sented in the shirt
Gangs formed in the virtual world could be
represented in the real world by gang “signs”
> T-shirts… > you identify your clan in the real
world > clans could be formed e.g. on the basis
of Second Life or Warcraft or MySpace user
group
Personalized and changing jewellery and clothes
> could be changing according to the event or
the time > could initiate new business model:
up-dating clothes and personalized gadgets
Bags that give you stuff > “find my mobile”or
“find my lipstick”
Digital shopping list connected to the bag
44
Group 2 (moderators: Peter Cochrane and Minna Halonen)
Number of the Interpretation of the weak signals. What kind of an emerging issue does the signal represent?
image and a short
description

22 new way to see sensors will be everywhere; change of perspective = different way to see the time
time

14 artificial arm

35 strings with body customisation; an expression of anarchy; mutilation

laces on body

39 mouse with a
human ear

25 extra sense
implant

46 new substance
from water

Photo © Paula Sinivuori

Figure 6. Peter Cochrane moderating Workshop 2.

45

Ideas/interpretations of the
weak signals
35 body customisation; an
expression of anarchy; mutila-
tion belonging to a group will
remain important as well as
visual effects ; arouses a lot
of feelings; user creative
“content”; culture of celebrity
= big brother
22 sensors will be every-
where; change of perspective
= different way to see the
time; personal sensors and
displays
14 artificial (augmented) arm,
direct linking of the nervous
system
What kind of future devel-
opments could the idea /
interpretation initiate in the
future?
risk society = continuous
sensoring of the surrounding
environment; positioning
(with all the sensors we are
carrying on) will be important;
global databases;
personalisation of data; data
sharing between personal
sensors; choice of display;
a real breakthrough! extra
power, personalisation also
with artificial organs; resolves
some safety problems (e.g.
with bombs)
46
Digital World Perspective
Potential products / ser- Comments
vices / business models?
Flashing ids, body customi- painful!
sation or personalisation, t-
shirts with electronic mes-
sages or measuring and
showing the body tempera-
ture;
personalised wearable sen- customisation, customisa-
sors tion,
customisation
personalised artificial organs, ethical issues, military appli-
telescope arm, cations;
people with a handicap are
not interested to have an
artificial arm, ear, etc.
Group 3 (moderators: Sandra Dingli and Anu Tuominen)
Number of the Interpretation of the weak signals. What kind of an emerging issue does the signal represent?
image and a short
description
11 warm textiles connecting textiles (sock and internet)
15 new beetle art personalisation and style
43 hypo allergic cats gene modifications

Photo © Paula Sinivuori

Figure 7. Sofi Salonen and Elina Hiltunen are adding their descriptions of the visual weak
signals in Workshop 3.

47

Ideas/interpretations of the
weak signals
11
connected socks, sandals
What kind of future devel-
opments could the idea /
interpretation initiate in the
future?
connected clothes
Digital World Perspective
Potential products / ser- Comments
vices / business models?
• chip implant, which
works with telepathy
• tracking functionality
(e.g. kids, friends)

• guarantee, based on
use time

• clothing that can cool

and heat using green
technology

15 personalised lifestyle • life style design studios

personalised car • life style design consult-

ants

• intelligent software

• functional materials

43 ethical advances in gene • virtual pets

manipulation
gene modifications and ani- • tamagotchi cats
mals
• gene manipulation of
people against allergies

• shared ownership of
cats (bookings on the
web)

48
Group 4 (moderators: Matti Penttilä and Hazel Salminen)
Number of Interpretation of the weak signals. What kind of an emerging issue does the signal represent?
the image
and a short
description
32: tribe virtual community independent of location; search for/recruitment of new capacities/characteristics; alien-
wanted ation/distancing from nature; medialisation of experiences; adventures in the virtual world interest more
people; subcultures, social variety; neo-communality, rise of indigenousity; new culture; escapism; yearn-
ing for simplicity; gay community; new global multiracial community
40: camera The body as an object; technocratic medicalisation; distance diagnoses emerge, soft medicine emerges;
in a pill the individual’s responsibility of his/her own health; self-monitoring; self-controlled health, constant health
monitoring; distance health care; bio terrorism (fake cameras and digital viruses); non-intrusive observa-
tion of people and objects; distance diagnosticts; medicine becomes more comfortable
8: charity ethical consumption; charity is the emerging anti-trend; scams/hoaxes; business of consciousness; is the
business consumer interested in how the profits are used?; ethics by combining individualism and market mecha-
model nisms; voluntary income redistribution; charity business; new logic of profitmaking; image emerging;
social responsibility as a growing business model; fair trade emerging: clean consciousness wanted

Photo © Paula Sinivuori

Figure 8. The participants of Workshop 4 are listening to Matti Penttilä.

49
 Digital World Perspective
Ideas/interpretations What kind of future developments Potential products / services / Comments
of the weak signals could the idea / interpretation initiate in business models?
the future?
40: camera in a pill also other objects can be observed/given old people’ s health monitoring ethical issues,
diagnoses than humans; pill could have on a regular basis; disposable holes are too big
more sensors, not only vision (detecting camera pills -> continue analys- before nano pills;
gases, radiation) and could be able to ing in the sewage system; when they are
communicate with each other and hu- organisation ambience agent too small, they
mans; the camera pill could get a virus that can be brought into a space disappear
and start squirting out wrong amounts of and which plays music/submits
medicine; sensing the atmosphere of e.g. lights e.g. to lower stress / tells
organisations a joke when needed (stress
level indicator)
32: tribes virtual organisations where you can work new kinds of work-related com-
and travel without going anywhere (living petence maintaining services;
on the island); virtual offices; extreme (virtual) travel agency;
escaping to a deserted island/Hawaii on
your lunch break;
sense of time different in the virtual world
(away from 10 minutes but it feels like
much longer);
our brains could be connected to the
Internet so we can work globally through
an virtual community;
people don’ t need to be born at all be-
cause they could be plugged into virtual
sensory systems to develop and then just
live in womb-like environments
8: charity business people get tired of charity business and unethical businesses stand out;
want to just consume; unethical is the new businesses have to be trans-
trend; consumers want to have control parent about where the profits
about how their money is used go

50
Participants of the workshops in the Technology Futures Forum (TFF)
1st of December 2006 at VTT

Ahlqvist, Toni VTT R&D

Ailisto, Heikki VTT R&D
Cochrane, Peter ConceptLabs, Co-Founder
Derzko, Walter University of Toronto
Dingli, Sandra University of Malta
Eklund, Pentti VTT R&D
Enkovaara, Heidi VTT Busines Solutions
Halonen, Minna VTT R&D
Hanhike, Tiina Ministry of Labour
Heinonen, Sirkka VTT R&D
Heinonen, Rauno VTT Strategic Research
Hiltunen, Elina Helsinki University of Technology
af Heurlin, Martti Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, TEKES
Holopainen, Mari Ministry of Trade and Industry, Technology Department
Hämäläinen, Jari VTT R&D
Hämäläinen, Timo Finnish National Fund for Research and Development Sitra
Höyssä, Maria Finland Futures Research Centre
Kalliokoski, Petri VTT Business Solutions
Kangas, Sonja VTT R&D
Kangaspunta, Seppo Ministry of Trade and Industry , Technology Department
Keskinen, Auli Ministry of the Environment
Kivelä, Susanna Finland Futures Research Centre
Kokkala, Matti VTT Strategic Research
Koljonen, Tatu VTT Strategic Research
Koppinen, Seija VTT Strategic Research
Kuosa, Tuomo Finland Futures Research Centre
Kuusi, Osmo VATT
Kyläkoski, Pirjo Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, TEKES
Lahti, Pekka VTT R&D
Launonen, Raimo VTT R&D
Laurén, Leena-Maija Finland Futures Research Centre
Leskinen, Matti The Finnish Society for Futures Studies
Lind, Irma VTT Communications
Luoma, Tuija VTT R&D

51
Ollila, Johanna Finland Futures Research Centre
Pelkonen, Jarno Nokia, Corporate Strategy
Penttilä, Matti VTT R&D
Pirttimäki, Antti VTT R&D
Rissanen, Maija-Leena Vaisala
Saijets, Heli Ministry of Labour
Salonen, Sofi The Finnish Society for Futures Studies
Salovaara, Irma VTT Business Solutions
Sinivuori, Paula VTT R&D
Soininen, Juha-Pekka TT R&D
Suokas, Jouko VTT Business Solutions
Suuntala, Mikko Vaisala
Tuomikoski, Tuomo Elektrobit
Tuominen, Anu VTT R&D
Tuovinen Jussi VTT R&D
Vähä, Pentti VTT R&D

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