Imagine the future
A day in the life of Elena
Strategic foresight is about modelling different future scenarios based on the changes we can detect today. Many of the trends we spot today sound like science fiction but could become an integral part of daily life in - say - 10 years from now. Let’s imagine a day in the life somewhere during the 2030 decade, through the eyes of Elena.
06:52 AM - The wake-up time had been set autonomously by the built-in digital assistant on Elena’s personal phone, based on input received from her sleep quality tracker and the tasks and meetings set in her personal agenda by her digital assistant. With a click, Elena approves a software-update of the smart smoke and CO-detectors in her house, monitored through her home-insurance app.
07:10 AM – To start the day well, Elena goes for a quick morning run. While running, different body functions (temperature, blood pressure, heart rate) are monitored and current values are transmitted to Elena’s digital healthcare provider as part of continuous health monitoring programme she subscribed to in order to reduce the cost of her health insurance policy. She has peace of mind that her electronic health records are stored in secured data vault.
8:25 AM - The robotaxi arrives right on time at her doorstep to take her to her first meeting of the day, the location of which was automatically shared with the car’s navigation system. From the moment she steps into the taxi, she’s covered with the pay-by-ride policy of the robotaxi. The electric taxi is shared with other passengers: a more sustainable alternative which diminishes congestion in rush hours and reduces the insurance cost.
9:00 AM - Elena joins her two other colleague-engineers, who just like herself are self-employed ’gig-workers’, engaged on a construction project located on the other side of the globe. Elena has a life policy that protects her in case of adverse events. It automatically adapts to the different stages of her life and is linked to her healthcare plan. Moreover, in the context of this gig, the employing company is contributing to her private pension scheme.
1:30 PM - In a virtual cloud-based space, the functionality of the mock-ups for the construction project, created by a 3D printer overnight, is tested and adapted to emulate real materials. Coordination with the client abroad is organised in the metaverse-like virtual showroom created for the project.
4:15 PM - Time to catch up on her accounting. Elena has never possessed a physical wallet. Banknotes and coins are also a thing of the past for her and her friends. Almost all her private and professional transactions are processed and stored digitally in blockchain-based systems.
6:30 PM - After a day saturated by digital interactions of different kinds, she leaves her team and sets off for a refreshing walk back home… old style!
