ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the three strategies that form the foundation of this book:
Strategy 1: Working with existing production.
Strategy 2: Product redesign and new product design.
Strategy 3: Digital business innovation.
In addition to developing design for additive manufacturing skills sufficient for designing with 3D printing, the authors recommend product designers work on strategic business thinking within a company. This involves identifying the stage of adoption of 3D printing where a company may be, where the benefits and drawbacks may be for that company in investing in the technology, and what would the most successful way be to achieve a level of integration appropriate to their situation.The second part of the chapter then describes the conversations of an imagined manufacturing company working through the three stages of 3D printing technology adoption with the advice of product designers from a fictional design consultancy. The intent is to frame the pathway a company might take, along with articulating some of the problems the product designer might face as a consultant or in-house designer, such as resistance to change from within the company, and a lack of understanding of the complexities involved in integrating the technology into a business model. The script of these conversations follows key stakeholders in the organisation as they meet over time with their consultant to discuss the stage of technology adoption the company has reached. The fictional firm is used throughout later chapters to help illustrate how a product designer could implement some of the strategies with companies of different size and motivation.
