Dancing but Uncertain of the Music

Rumsfeld’s tortuous statement describes, quite accurately, the environment andproblemstobefoundinnewproductdevelopment.Weknowalottechnologically,andthereisalotwedonotknowsociallyandpsychologically aboutcustomersandtheirbuyinghabitsandaboutconsumersandtheir usagepatterns.Thereismuchtolearnaboutthemarketplacesofthefuture. What will they be? How do they, their layouts, their services, even their décor in˜uencepurchasing?Theimpactofsocialnetworkingonsearchingcustomerandconsumerneedsistooyoungevenfordigitalnativestoassessits fullimpactonknowingcustomersandconsumers;itisasyetan“unknown unknown.”