Design thinking, first step on Advanced Manufacturing journey

Over the past 50 years manufacturers in most developed western economies have faced an ever rising tsunami of low cost productive capacity unleashed by the developing world. Many have chosen to off-shore their operations (if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em), while others have chosen to ratchet up the knowledge intensity of their products and productive processes. Nearly every major economic development agency within the western world identifies Advanced Manufacturing as a key opportunity area. But, what does Advanced Manufacturing mean? To some, its electronics, to others its 3D printing, talk to someone else its bio-technology. Yes, advanced manufacturing does relate to these things, but it also relates to design led processes.

Advanced manufacturing encompasses a very broad set of enabling technologies, processes and practices adopted to improve productivity and competitiveness. Hence, Advanced Manufacturing is as much about process as it is products and technology. Frequently cited examples of Advanced Manufacturing include:

• 3D Printing;
• Use or application of advanced materials;
• Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (creation of cyber-physical systems that combine data analytics, robotics and automation to create intelligent factories);
• Biotechnology; and
• Nanotechnology.

All of the above are well and good, and frequently identified, however the aspect that is so often missed is ‘design led innovation’.

Design led innovation in where many established manufacturers should focus their efforts to transition to an Advanced Manufacturing future. Moving from a traditionally based manufacturing business to one that incorporates cyber physical systems can be highly disruptive and challenging. However, applying design thinking to existing products and processes is a very good way to start the journey.

Design thinking is an approach that focuses on the customer or end user’s experience and matching customer’s needs when developing new products. Consumers (whether final or intermediate) expect that products and technology will be easy to use and responsive to their needs. Hence, manufacturers adopt design thinking can be at the forefront of innovation.

The design thinking process can be summarised in a number of simplified steps:

• Discover: understand who is the customer and what they need. Empathise with your customers, and consider what would make their life easier;
• Define: identify the problems or challenges customer would like solved. This might take the form of collaborating with your customer;
• Develop: formulate potential solutions, step back and consider whether they address the problem, or whether the problem needs to be re-framed. Once again, collaborate with your customer to develop and test potential prototypes;
• Deliver: provide a product or service that responds to customer requirements.

The above steps are a shorthanded summary of the design thinking approach, but highlight the importance the customer and customer collaboration. But it’s a two ways street, in complex processes reaching out to your suppliers to collaborate can pay equal dividends.

Not all customers have the same requirements, hence manufacturers need to move away from supplying generic or ‘one size fits all’ products.

Understanding customer needs through engagement and collaboration and subsequently tailoring a solution to their problem requires high level skills. An example might be the difference between a structural steel supply that supplies standard lengths of I-beam versus one that can interrogate a set of plans, design and deliver a site specific structural solution. Bringing in design talent and capability is and will be a new employment growth frontier. Research and development is rarely done by PhD’s, but rather skilled technicians collaborating together.

Design thinking is an important first step to transitioning traditional manufacturing to Advanced Manufacturing. Developing 3D Printing, advanced materials, biotechnology and nanotechnology along with systems and process integration and diagnostics through Industry 4.0 is important, however there are many existing businesses that need to be able to transition, and design thinking offers insights into how they might take their first steps.