Photo by Krissana Porto

A ritual that takes place at the end of each year is that countless experts and forecasters predict their key trends for the coming year. We don’t like predictions, which tend to focus on the immediate at the expense of the more subtle but important longer-term drivers of change, yet it is always useful to keep an eye on the horizon. Here’s what we think you should be taking notice of in the New Year.

Trends take many forms. Some trends can be predicted, while others are fundamentally uncertain. It is not always easy to identify levels of predictability, and sometimes when one looks more widely, or looks at a trend from another angle, it no longer seems as predictable as it once did. Read more to learn how to start seeing trends where you didn’t before.