economy (coninuted from model)

[design-engine]

The economic downturn got anyone worried?

Some of us are probably contractors and some permananat employees. We have to realize (and convince the customers/managers) that now is the time for innovation. Which is why I wanted to start this thread to discuss techniques for designers to effectively communicate (to the folks with purse strings) design strategy and innovation. To loosen up some spending. I wonder if this might be a good forum to bounce ideas out there or is everyone a contractor with no hope to sway opinions.

Techniques for loosening the purse strings... Let me just state that industrial designers are innovation experts and that is exactly what our customers need in this recession. As engineers we can innovate too.... No matter if you an engineer at a manufacturer or a design firm you customer is your boss or your companies client. Treat each the same.

Here are a few ideas and we should all brain storm this thing some. I don't need to say no idea is a bad idea...

Create an air of opportunity to the customer.

Now is the time to build our new product innovation team.

We need a budget for x dollars because of the recession.

our competition is not spending money on innovation in this hard time so we should.

One problem some companies have is their sales teams are not able to move any product because no one is buying. So give them something to sell. The customer has anxiety about the shaky economy. Take that anxiety away and give them something new to sell. Convince them with your new innovation, or innovation team that you can re-invigorate the sales enthusiasm. Now your talking to the business owner.

Spawn a special operations team within you company to sniff out opportunity. Learn from the buyers at Walmart and Target what is moving off the floor and bring that information back to the team. Brainstorm using that information as a base.

What do people do during a recession. They don't have a job so they do the house projects that have been on that list for years. They build a deck in the back yard or put in a garden.

Nesting was a big word after 9/11 ... what does 'nesting' mean exactly and how can we apply that term to our products or potential products or innovation ideals.

Lets keep these ideas coming ... fuel off key words like opportunity, innovation, nesting, home improvement, even anxiety. Our training organization switches gears some during recessions.

I would like to see us brainstorm Anxiety, innovation, ideation and opportunity to loosen some purse strings.


Edited by: design-engine

 

[james.lynch]

interesting Bart, I'll contribute where I can!

 

[wsylvester]

what does 'nesting' mean exactly and how can we apply that term to our products or potential products or innovation ideals





Haven't spent any time around pregnant woman Bart? me way too much

[url]http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_informati on/nesting_instinct.htm[/url]

 

[design-engine]

I originally wanted to make a positive discussion for ways we can get managers mangers to spend some money and losen up the purse strings.

[url]http://www.mcadcentral.com/proe/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=38 608&PN=1[/url]


The economic downturn got anyone worried?

Some of us are probably contractors and some permanent employees. We have to realize (and convince the customers/managers) that now is the time for innovation. Which is why I wanted to start this thread to discuss techniques for designers to effectively communicate (to the folks with purse strings) design strategy and innovation. To loosen up some spending. I wonder if this might be a good forum to bounce ideas out there or is everyone a contractor with no hope to sway opinions.

Techniques for loosening the purse strings... Let me just state that industrial designers are innovation experts and that is exactly what our customers need in this recession. As engineers we can innovate too.... No matter if you an engineer at a manufacturer or a design firm you customer is your boss or your companies client. Treat each the same.

Here are a few ideas and we should all brain storm this thing some. I don't need to say no idea is a bad idea...

Create an air of opportunity to the customer.

Now is the time to build our new product innovation team.

We need a budget for x dollars because of the recession.

our competition is not spending money on innovation in this hard time so we should.

One problem some companies have is their sales teams are not able to move any product because no one is buying. So give them something to sell. The customer has anxiety about the shaky economy. Take that anxiety away and give them something new to sell. Convince them with your new innovation, or innovation team that you can re-invigorate the sales enthusiasm. Now your talking to the business owner.

Spawn a special operations team within you company to sniff out opportunity. Learn from the buyers at Walmart and Target what is moving off the floor and bring that information back to the team. Brainstorm using that information as a base.

What do people do during a recession. They don't have a job so they do the house projects that have been on that list for years. They build a deck in the back yard or put in a garden.

Nesting was a big word after 9/11 ... what does 'nesting' mean exactly and how can we apply that term to our products or potential products or innovation ideals.

Lets keep these ideas coming ... fuel off key words like opportunity, innovation, nesting, home improvement, even anxiety. Our training organization switches gears some during recessions.

I would like to see us brainstorm Anxiety, innovation, ideation and opportunity to loosen some purse strings.
Edited by: design-engine

 

[jimshaw]

We know a lot of purse strings tighten because of a fear of the unknown. So, the question is, how do we express confidence - in ourselves and in our ideas? Confidence in the unknown? Now is the time to take chances. The barrier for entry is low, and the potential is no less now than it is when the market is expanding.


Personally, I'm filling gaps by networking. Trying to meet as many people and understand the market around us as much as possible. One day this initial investment of my time will have real, measurable returns. Recessions are the time to invest! Design firms should be investing time analyzing their surroundings, looking for trends - competitive advantages, because at some point the cash will be moving around, the loan will come in, or the operating cash will be higher because of efforts to decrease overhead. The projects will spin up and this idle time that we have to make analogies between MCAD and pregnancies will be gone...


The people who will be the most sucessful on the turn around will be those who are spending time now "back in the lab with a pen and a pad" as our good friend Dr. Dre puts it...

 

[design-engine]

Im pushing linkedin.com < a great place for you guys looking to network BTW

And facebook and myspace (design engine has a page on both)

and youtube... search 'ISDX' or 'proe'

and have been thinking about having more IDSA and other meetings at our downtown Chicago design engine studios.

What would you guys think if we had monthly meetings to share Pro/E tricks and network at Design engine?

I personally would like to see Jim Shaw lecture on CFD analysis even if he was trying to sell his time.

Any other ideas?

You Indian and Pakistani guys can join facebook and myspace too you know. Iranians might have that blocked... i know core77.com was blocked for a couple years in Iran.


I have a meeting with the IL State Senator tonight about the state of the economy and how design engine can do it's part... Wish me luck.
Edited by: design-engine