We asked 13 movers, shakers and thinkers from different industry sectors what they reckon the big trends, developments and challenges will be in their sector in the coming year. This is what they had to say:
Martyn Day – Consulting Editor, DEVELOP3D
If you are reading this, I guess the Mayans were wrong after all! Making predictions is a tricky art, so let’s see… in the US, the ‘Makers’ are certainly making their presence felt, sustaining a whole culture where product design, manufacture and funding are becoming available to individuals with good ideas.
Kickstarter, one of the key drivers for this mini-revolution, is coming to the UK. This online crowd funding platform has helped many people with ideas make products, start firms and employ people. I sincerely hope that there is the same entrepreneurial spirit in the UK as the US and that we get a similar impetus to make and produce some new ‘Dysons’.
The other power house driving this is the rise of ‘Techshops’ or hackspaces, where all the latest tools and training are on hand to produce prototypes and refine ideas. The government needs to start funding these workshops. At $500,000 a shot, they’re great investments for the future of UK designs.
martyn@x3dmedia.com
