Andrew Zolli – NECC Opening Keynote
Well, the conference got off to a great start with the opening keynote by Andrew Zolli.A brilliant, globally-connected author, forecaster, and design strategist, Zolli is a dynamic leader of today’s new generation of young futurists. He has a gift for seeing patterns and strategic opportunities at the intersections of demographics, creativity, innovation, design and technology, and has been the futurist-in-residence for American Demographics, Popular Science, National Geographic, and National Public Radio’s Marketplace. He is the editor of The Catalog of Tomorrow, which explores 100 trends and technologies for the next 25 years. He is also the designer of Pop!Tech, a one-of-a-kind annual conference, “community of remarkable people,” and ongoing conversation about science, technology, and the future of ideas. Andrew started his talk discussing what he called ‘great moments in communication’ and then showed some great images depicting silly communication such as “Beware – There will be water on the Road when it has been Raining”. He then talked about the Innovation Imperative. Innovation Imperative and explored concept of what happens if we are successful in having a world where everything is possible.In that world anything that can be done by computer WILL be done by computer. Zolli argued that in this world what is left to humanity is to amplify our CREATIVITY.
He discussed how the corporate world use five styles of problem solving.
Think, Look, Play, Imagine & the newest NETWORK. He argued that each of the first four had limited success rates however thinking in networks is much more powerful. One of the most intriguing issues Andrew discussed was – Demographic Transformtion. He outlined the growing population and where people are living and were the will live in the future. He said that last year for the first time in history more peolple live in cities than not – increasing urbanization.They predict that in 2040 three of the largest cities in world will be in China and have not been established yet.
