James tracks and predicts behavior change, whether among consumers or employees. In his tenure at Forrester, he successfully forecast the rise of online shopping in 1998 and more recently predicted the arrival of Amazon’s Echo platform before it existed. His models succeed because he focuses on an understanding of core human needs and motivations, using that foundation to predict why, when, and how people will try new things. In February 2013, James published his book Digital Disruption: Unleashing the Next Wave of Innovation. Currently, he is the research director for Forrester's Future of Work team, guiding a team of analysts to not only identify changes in the world of work but also prepare clients in every industry to approach these changes as opportunities instead of threats.
Previously at Forrester, James ran Consumer Technographics® North America, Forrester's unparalleled consumer research effort. In addition to keynoting at industry events and Forrester forums, James is routinely sought after for comment by such publications as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.