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Signals: The 27 Trends Defining the Future of the Global Economy
Discover the trends shaping our world, and explore the data underlying them, in this fascinating, visual journey. In Signals , Visual Capitalist founder and editor-in-chief Jeff Desjardins and his team explore the 27 most important trends shaping the future of our global economy. This striking book draws on the oceans of data we're all surrounded by to extract insights about where we are and where we are headed―from society and demographics to the environment, digital tech, the markets, and more. It also Signals is a must-read for entrepreneurs, executives, policymakers, and regulators―or simply, anyone seeking to navigate a complex world.
272 pages, Paperback
Published December 14, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 5, 2026
In Signals, the founder of Visual Capitalist Jeff Desjardins applies a high-definition lens to the information overload tof today's world. Desjardins argues that in an era where we create more data every two years than in all of previous human history, the greatest competitive advantage is not more information, but better signal detection. The book is a masterclass in data storytelling, using striking infographics to distill complex global shifts into 27 actionable signals across seven key arenas, including demographics, the environment, and the digital world. By prioritizing visual clarity, Desjardins helps investors and leaders see the “big picture” of a world that is simultaneously aging, urbanizing, and digitizing at an unprecedented velocity.
The core of the book is built around the “signal-to-noise ratio,” a concept Desjardins uses to measure the certainty and impact of specific trends. For instance, he identifies the aging world as a high-certainty signal, a demographic graying that is mathematically inevitable and will fundamentally reshape everything from pension solvency to the silver economy of healthcare innovation. Similarly, he explores the “electrification of everything” and the “splinternet,” where the global web is fracturing into competing spheres of influence. Each chapter follows a consistent, logical flow: an origin story, a data-driven dashboard, and a deep-dive analysis of the trend’s potential impact. It is a graphic novel for the global economy that replaces dense academic prose with the intuitive power of the chart, ensuring that the reader doesn’t just read about the future but actually sees it coming into focus. Not only the content of Signals is relevant to tech investors, but even more so the skills it teaches about unearthing the trends hidden in all of the buzz swirling around us every day.
This review is originally published within the Money Book Circle in my newsletter. Sign up here for regular reviews of the hottest books on money and technology: https://igorpejic.substack.com/
The core of the book is built around the “signal-to-noise ratio,” a concept Desjardins uses to measure the certainty and impact of specific trends. For instance, he identifies the aging world as a high-certainty signal, a demographic graying that is mathematically inevitable and will fundamentally reshape everything from pension solvency to the silver economy of healthcare innovation. Similarly, he explores the “electrification of everything” and the “splinternet,” where the global web is fracturing into competing spheres of influence. Each chapter follows a consistent, logical flow: an origin story, a data-driven dashboard, and a deep-dive analysis of the trend’s potential impact. It is a graphic novel for the global economy that replaces dense academic prose with the intuitive power of the chart, ensuring that the reader doesn’t just read about the future but actually sees it coming into focus. Not only the content of Signals is relevant to tech investors, but even more so the skills it teaches about unearthing the trends hidden in all of the buzz swirling around us every day.
This review is originally published within the Money Book Circle in my newsletter. Sign up here for regular reviews of the hottest books on money and technology: https://igorpejic.substack.com/
November 23, 2023
Reminiscent of Edward Tufte's books on data visualization, https://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/ , I was too busy making sense of the bubble charts, comet charts, and staggered counts of the 27 trends, to walk away with anything more than a confirmatory analysis with supporting data. Nice mind candy while you read it, but the infographics don't stick.
July 31, 2022
Amazing book. I'm a big fan of the work of Visual Capitalist and I really like the visuals and stories they put into this book.
However, while reading this book you have to keep in mind that the world will always be uncertain, so many predictions are just big speculations.
However, while reading this book you have to keep in mind that the world will always be uncertain, so many predictions are just big speculations.
September 18, 2023
Lots of interesting information with great graphics.
April 29, 2024
Signals explores geopolitical, technology, environmental, and business trends as of its publishing in 2021. Each idea is presented at a high level. You get a brief text summary and then visual data. Lots and lots of charts and tables.
The author more or less is presenting these ideas as "here's the state of things and where they are likely to go."
The charts aren't Minard-quality but they do reasonably well to illustrate the idea they are presenting.
The author more or less is presenting these ideas as "here's the state of things and where they are likely to go."
The charts aren't Minard-quality but they do reasonably well to illustrate the idea they are presenting.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews