Need to Know
20 : 04 : 22

California – The disruptive sound of notifications – whether it’s an email, text or news alert – has become a subconscious part of everyday life. Now, technology monolith Google is reconsidering the role of notifications as a source of calm, not distraction.

With its Little Signals concept, the tech giant is exploring the potential of haptic design to help its users achieve balance and tranquillity while spending time online. The project, completed in partnership with industrial design studio Map Project Office, consists of six conceptual items that use movement, shadows or sound to gently alert netizens when something requires their attention.

Instead of shrill tones and distracting sounds, the Air item, for example, emits soft, pulsing vibrations that can shake the leaves of a nearby plant to inform you of a message. The Shadow device, on the other hand, conveys the importance of a notification through the length of its shadow.

As technology companies compete for consumers’ attention, this collaboration signifies a shift from the digital distractions that tyrannise our time online. By tapping into Focus Filters, Google is helping consumers feel more attuned to their environments – not their emails.

UK and Japan – Recognising a growing interest in gardening, the menswear brand is partnering with Japanese tool brand Niwaki on a utility-driven apparel collection. The collection features outerwear, trousers, shirts and accessories, with each designed to balance functionality with aesthetic considerations. One item, the Scion gardening gilet, features five front pockets ready to be filled with tools, bulbs and clippings.

Through this collaboration, the two brands are leaning into their unique approaches to design, while also catering to a new generation of gardening enthusiasts. Speaking of the partnership with Niwaki, Oliver Spencer says: ‘I think we share a desire to create objects and garments that have an intrinsically beautiful shape with a utilitarian aspect that is timeless and fit for purpose.’

As more people engage with gardening – as part of their reconnection with nature, as well as being a pandemic-age hobby – there is a renewed need for luxury apparel and tools that are stylish while also utilitarian and fit for purpose.

Across the globe, young people entering the workforce for the first time are prioritising their happiness over the financial security of being employed. According to research by consulting firm Randstad, almost half of young people would take unemployment over staying in a job they didn’t like.

The research also found that 56% of Generation Z and 55% of Millennials said they would leave their job if it interfered with their personal lives. With these figures in mind, workplaces must recognise the changing values of employees as they seek to recruit new talent. ‘Young people want to bring their whole selves to work, which is reflected in their determination not to compromise their personal values when choosing an employer,’ explains Sander van 't Noordende, global CEO of Randstad.

With Gen Z increasingly working to re-assemble and decentralise outdated societal systems, they’re looking to reframe their approach to finding work by putting their values first.