Design is intricately linked to culture and technology, both of which are changing rapidly. What does this mean for designers? What are the currently emerging social trends and technologies and how will they affect the way we design and use products?This panel will discuss the following trends and what they mean for designers:- The line between designer and consumer is becoming blurred. You are what you contribute. Innovation is becoming democratized as more people have a voice in the design of the products they use. The DIY mentality and arts and crafts ethic is resurging.- The cost of technology is rapidly decreasing and becoming commoditized. Rich social media will become increasingly integrated into the environment and vice versa.- Consumerism is expression. We rely on objects to define us. We can create and purchase things to help us differentiate ourselves. Selection and composition are powerful ways to create.- Media is social. There is power in numbers and aggregation. Focused communities spring up organically and are good at judging, filtering, and describing. Yet individuality within these communities is encouraged and achieved through customization.

Moderator: Laura Moorhead Sr Editor Culture, Wired