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COVID-19 has forever changed the way man functions, interacts and works. It has affected almost all sectors of society from hospitality and construction to education and business. Even Product Design Services and manufacturing has not been immune to these changes. There has primarily been a considerable shift in the way designers and manufactures work. Technology has seeped into this sector and perhaps fast paced the sector’s digital transformation. Following which there has also been a noticeable change in the way consumers behave i.e. the way they buy, what they buy and how. This in turn has affected the product design companies in marketing and selling their products.
In the current article we will be looking at some of the trends that will be seen in product development and manufacturing post COVID-19:
Increased use of digital technology:
With the onset of COVID-19 companies and product design teams were forced to find new ways to connect and keep the work going. There has been an exponential rise in the number of companies using videoconferencing tools like zoom, skype, google meet etc. Luckily a lot of product design companies already used CAD Drafting Services to create product and machine designs. CAD makes it possible for one person to work on a design and easily share it with other stakeholders involved in the process. It also makes it possible for the other person to check the history and determine the steps involved. The modern day cloud based CAD programs even enable various members located across different geographical locations to work together effectively. COVID-19 has significantly altered the level of technology used by the sector and increased its confidence in what technological impact can help achieve. Perhaps the future will see more and more of technology being used to increase the level of productivity and quality.
More work from home capabilities:
In the beginning of 2020 when COVID-19 first started affecting countries at a global scale a lot of companies opted to let their staff work from home in order to prevent the spread of virus. What was then a new and unique business model has now become quite successful. In fact, a lot of major companies across the globe like google are considering keeping a part of their team as work from home permanently. It would enhance their safety especially for individuals who are at high risk and at the same time allow the company to save up on office expenses.
Increased innovation and convergence:
Any product design and manufacturing process are driven by the market forces. Companies have had to evolve in order to meet the new demands created by the environment. Since going to shops now carry inherent risks most consumers today opt to shop online which has motivated product design companies to increase their online presence. Moreover, it has also become important the new product is not just useful but also aesthetically pleasing as compared to its competition online. The margins have also changed as before since people now can compare different products online and do not give importance to products that can be available in their local shops. Similarly, customers are becoming more concerned for their health and safety and hence packaging is now crucial. In fact most products design companies catering directly to customers will have to start packaging in boxes that can withstand rigorous disinfection. It is also means making strategic choices about what materials, layers, shape etc.
With the second wave of COVID-19 affecting almost every part of the globe it is slowly coming into focus that the world is not returning to normal anytime soon. The changes brought about as a result of the pandemic are here to stay at least in the near future. Product Design Companies will have to start adapting these changes may it be in terms of their own functioning or in terms of customer demands. The current scenario is difficult but it also shows the tenacity and strength that underlies human nature. Hopefully soon the situation will become better and what we learnt from it will carry us forward to more success.