Which path to the future of making things?

New manufacturing trends are at the frontier of product design and production, and we are entering the Future of Making Things. Companies must take an agile product development approach.

Traditionally, product designers and manufacturers have gained a competitive edge through productivity, product differentiation and process. They’ve increased productivity by lowering production costs – doing things like lowering overhead, using cheaper materials or decreasing labor costs.

They’ve differentiated by continually innovating their products, and they’ve implemented entirely new methods and processes to keep pace with competitors and customer demands.

Things are changing. The status quo is being disrupted by industry forces and technologies that are reshaping:

• How things are designed and made (production)
• What customers care about and who and where they are (demand)
• The nature of the products we make

New products are coming to market in new ways – and that trend is accelerating.

We are entering a new era of connected product development, driven by new means of manufacturing, consumer demands, and intelligent products. Companies must adopt a new process that allows an iterative and agile approach to product design, effectively transitioning from a traditional product lifecycle to one that focuses on personalization, collaboration, flexible manufacturing, customer experience and connected services.