How do I spot weak signals and what do I do with them?

According to futurist Elina Hiltunen, a weak signal is an early symptom of change – something that has already happened, but feels strange, surprising, ridiculous or even outrageous, and can be interpreted as a sign of a larger potential transformation. [Source]

I’m constantly spotting weak signals, and I find them everywhere: on social media, in the news, newsletters, entertainment, art and culture, human behaviour and everyday conversations. Especially when it comes to social media posts, I find it important to check the source – to look for an article or news story covering the same topic and apply a bit of source criticism. I want to avoid falling for misinformation, which social media is unfortunately full of. In short: I make sure the signal is something that has actually happened.

My phone’s camera roll fills up almost daily with screenshots of news and social media posts. I review these finds more closely and begin grouping them into categories. I follow all kinds of signals, because surprisingly often I find myself thinking: everything is connected.

Categorisation is a key part of the process
I try to file every find under a specific category, such as work life, wellbeing, architecture, urban life, art and culture, or consumer behaviour – just to name a few. Often it’s obvious where a signal belongs, but sometimes it’s more interesting to ask: could a work-life-related signal actually belong under wellbeing? What changes if we examine it from an unexpected angle?

Example: A young American man graduated high school in 2024 without being able to read, and sued the school for it. This could be filed under culture or wellbeing – but I chose to look at it through the lens of work life.

One category is for the randoms. I place observations there when they don’t seem to fit anywhere else. I let them sit and wait – until they might find their context, their bigger picture.

I actively follow whether something I’ve observed pops up again in another form. When I start seeing similar signals elsewhere, I know it’s part of an emerging trend – something I can start analysing more deeply, even strategically.

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