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:
Al Dean – Editor-in-Chief, DEVELOP3D
I’m starting to think that 2013 is the year when everything will change with regards to mobile and web-based design. The cloud offers so much potential in terms of flexible working, greater collaboration and a set of tools that support the design and development process.
At present, many of the tool developers are looking at the cloud as a new way to deliver their products to users. The days of the heavy, local only client are numbered — there’s no real reason why ‘CAD in the cloud’ can’t work. What has to shift is the structure beneath it. It’s no good just putting your existing apps on a server somewhere and giving people access.
No-one really just wants their dad’s CAD tool that runs in a restrictive set of browsers.
What 2013 will see is the introduction of a new set of tools with a collaborative structure that offers something over and above what’s in the market today. Adoption can only grow from users realising the benefits of the cloud, but only when a set of tools is delivered that gives them that something extra.
al@x3dmedia.com
