Future Runoff

Definition

Future runoff is a term used to describe the propensity of an object to lose value outside of a certain context or situation. For example, a glow stick at a concert costs $5, but has a $2 value outside post-event. The contextual value of the glow stick is high, but its inherent value is quite low. Similarly, items which once had value in a certain time period (the newest model of a mobile phone or new vehicle, for instance) may have no value in only a few years. Deprecating value is a result of quickly developing object-based economies. Future runoff may result in unintentional planned obsolescence, especially when a product is produced by a team of developers with high hopes for a software's longevity.