| |MAY 20219who seek honesty, simplicity and smartness in design. This generation is looking for apparent simplicity overriding the complexity in design, say on an Apple i-watch or Micro-soft Playstation 6 (PS6). GENERATIVE DESIGNIf you have used PowerPoint lately, you will notice a new feature driven by AI that that allows you to throw imag-es, text etc. onto the slide. The software generates multi-ple options for layout. Welcome to the world of Generative design. Generative design is a design exploration process. Designers input design goals into generative design soft-ware, along with parameters such as performance, spatial requirements, materials, manufacturing methods, and cost constraints. The software explores all the possible permutations of a solution, quickly generating design al-ternatives. It learns from each iteration, intuitively under-standing what works and what doesn't. Companies like Au-todesk have already launched beta versions of generative programs. Benefits of generative design go beyond simple forms and can configure complex shapes & geometries while considering optimized materials & functions. The Airbus Group already utilises generative design technol-ogy to create optimized structures that help reduce the weight of structural components while also maintaining aircraft safety requirements. DESIGN FOR SMARTER BUSINESSESThe internet has revolutionized everything around us. This is further augmented by nano-miniaturization of electronics and a spike in the use of optical technologies. A myriad of sensor-based developments have created a new world of smart & connected products based on the Internet of Things (IoT). This creates vast new opportunities for brand owners and product developers to learn about how people actually use their products in real time and adapts future designs accordingly. Google Home, Amazon Alexa or Amazon Dash that ties up with P&G Tide are few such ap-pliances from the connected generation. Not only do they entertain, manage your life and operate your technological home; they also help you book cabs, shop and track your orders. All of this showcases new smart business ideas at play. Design for smart has reimagined how we interact with our appliances, interfaces and how we manage our ev-eryday needs for an elevated experience. DESKTOP MANUFACTURINGWe have seen a seamless shift from the world of desktop publishing to desktop manufacturing. Kitchen robotics, automation and the need to have a flexible additive & sub-tractive manufacturing system have changed the way we design things. Desktop manufacturing has the potential as the ultimate maker culture, where commercial products are bought off through online stores and printed on a ta-ble, while enthusiastic hardware hackers play with design tools and open-source hardware systems to make entirely new products. Conventional tooling-up and captive invest-ments in large plants has made way for one-off, compact and flexible manufacturing. Volumes and restrictive pro-duction methods are no longer the holy grail for design. This has accelerated prototyping and testing for small batches where changes can be implemented based on feed-back from customers. The Apple Macbook Pro series with their all all-aluminum casing is a great example of this phe-nomenon.ACT OF GOODNESSThere is an increased realization towards responsible de-sign, spurred by an increase in consumer awareness. De-signers and consumers are increasingly looking for solu-tions that are cradle to cradle, point towards a circular economy, and are driven by ethical causes. Given a choice between tow equivalent products, consumers are choos-ing the more eco-friendly options, or, alternatively, those that clearly align themselves to a cause. ECOKAARI, RE-CHARKHA & Plastic Whale are great example of this design trend. Ethical & responsible sourcing, minimum waste and a back to cradle afterlife are driving the design of a gener-ation of products from smartphones, bags, furniture and to E-vehicles.This decade is already witnessing an accelerated change led by design, making us connect smarter, more efficiently and most importantly, hoping that the change happens responsibly. Designers and consumers are increasingly looking for solutions that are cradle to cradle, point towards a circular economy, and are driven by ethical causes
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