The **Trend Compass** is a strategic framework that maps trends across three intersecting dimensions to guide business decision-making:
**Three Axes:**
- Longevity (Short-lived to Long-lived) - how long the trend persists in public perception
- Complexity (Simple to Complex) - the domain-specificity of the trend
- Impact (High to Low) - the (potential) influence on your business/market
**These are the 4 quadrants for the Longevity x Complexity axes:**
- **Quadrant I** (Long-lived/Complex)
- **Quadrant II** (Short-lived/Complex)
- **Quadrant III** (Short-lived/Simple)
- **Quadrant IV** (Long-lived/Simple)
**The Third Dimension**: Each quadrant exists at varying impact levels, creating 8 total zones.
The **“Target zone”** is where all three peak: **High-impact + Complex + Long-lived**. While more difficult to implement, the target zone offers the greatest competitive advantage compared to those requiring only tactical responses or passive monitoring.
![[Excalidraw/Trend Compass|Trend Compass]]
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