Benjamin Redford

Good details on the dynamics for electrics and the upcoming non-SUVs

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The tech industry has been glorying in the rise of weird, experimental new hardware lately. Economic factors that could be cooling down innovation - a dampened M&A market and stricter regulation, which are making 'acquihire as an exit strategy' more challenging to start-ups - are being more than compensated for by the energising potential of AI, which has sparked a rising trend for intriguing products that try new ideas and dare to be original. Read more on the new weird - including how it’s emerging across cinema and design - in this month’s newsletter: https://lnkd.in/et2-7RhN #substack #newsletter #designfutures #thinkdifferent

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A long time ago in a galaxy far far away.... I used to be CAD Administrator for a manufacturing company. The CAD systems were huge and the CAD data was ridiculously big. It was here that I got into the admin side of CAD - - Process mapping ✅ - Process design ✅ - CAD standards ✅ - CAD templates ✅ CAD tools are only as good as the people using the system and if they are all working differently, things won't go smoothly. I'm working with a company at the moment with Great engineers ✅ Great products ✅ Great client list ✅ .... no defined process ❌ Things will get sorted because we have caught the problems early. Past stand out projects:- CASE STUDY 1 The big one that I worked on years ago was a nightmare. The lack of process was ingrained for so long that people couldn't see any other way than what they had done for years. 'We've always done it like that' - I'm sure you've heard that before 'Best practise isn't always best practise' We were running a process mapping session, mapping it out on the wall, who does what, where does it go from that, what sign-off processes there were and I asked 'What happens when you pass it through to the next department?' The answer stunned the room - Person 1 replied 'Well I take it off the line and take it to inspection' Person 2 followed up 'No we don't. We put it on the bench in the corner and wait for inspection to come and pick it up'. Two guys doing the same job on different shifts not really knowing what they were SUPPOSED TO DO and most didn't know what happened to the widgets before they got to their department or after they left. CASE STUDY 2 In brief, a company was double handing CAD data and manually inputting sizes into a different CAD system. ❌ I love a challenge and both of these were challenges, but with the right structure, knowledge and tools serious issues can be overcome CHALLENGE :: SOLUTION :: RESULTS #cadgeek #standards #templates #processes #bringingvisiontolife #kingofpostitnotes #creativecadandmediaservices

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Are trends bad for the planet? Do they fuel the problem of over consumption by creating obsolescence? Or do they help build an emotional connection with the objects we use, promoting longevity? I recently heard Tom Lloyd RDI talk very eloquently about his experiences of creating more sustainable designs through his eponymous agency, Pearson Lloyd. He comes to the topic with great passion and a depth of experience in building better products that do less harm. Something he said got me thinking though, on the topic of colour and trends. He had a page of photos, taken on a single day at Broadway market (pretty stylish place for those not familiar)- everyone was wearing pretty much the same shade of red. A great example of how colour trends can permeate quickly and widely. So the view on one hand is that colour trends fuel waste by creating obsolescence- as soon as a new colour captures the collective imagination the old colour is out! But is this how it works? Maybe buying a piece in a shade that really resonates builds a deeper connection, one you want to keep for a long time. After all, if you paint your wall a colour you love, it’s likely you’ll take your time considering your choice and you’ll keep it that way for quite some time. I do love colour, and I would find a world without it in my home or my wardrobe a very sad one indeed. Maybe the question is, how can we embrace colour, whilst promoting considered purchasing for longevity? I’m a bit on the fence on this one- does colour fuel obsolescence, or does it promote connection and longevity? What do you colour experts think? Jodie Belman The Colourful Laura Perryman #sustainabledesign #trends #colourtrends #sustainablecolour #colour

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Profit over people. It is an attack on design and engineering, and fundamentally the latest example of how we are stifling creativity in this country. The ones that suffer in this case - the local businesses, the independent shops, regular folk. One thing that needs to be clear is that this should never be used as a case to legitimise redundancies in other businesses. https://lnkd.in/ebbyAJE5 _ #industrialdesign #engineering #designtruth

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At Threedium - we continuously strive to unlock realistic representations of complex materials for real-time and interactive 3D product experiences. The higher the fidelity the more likely the end customer will bond with the product which in turn drives purchase intentions (whilst doing justice to the brand). Whether it's recreating fur or hair-like material, wool, diamonds, glass, metals through to complex animations that breathe life into product features, it's exhilirating to see how our 3D/AR platform capabilities continuously grow to provide compelling digital experiences across omni-channels. If you're keen to understand how 3D can uplift topline results whilst engaging your customers across different digital channels, drop me a message! #3D #digitaltwin #AR #ecomm #retail #omnichannel

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For years, the ever increasing camera roll on each of my phones has been peppered with photographs that represent one consistent theme. It’s held true even as the settings have changed and the types of items represented have shifted. During the day, or at night. In supermarkets, offices, planes, cars, elevators and more. There, among the sorts of photos anyone might have; friend, breakfast, a receipt and the like; you’ll find pictures of technology. Ticket stalls, check-out machines, vintage typewriters, display interfaces and more... It's the price paid for someone who's invested in seeing, with new eyes, the multitude of things we interact with everyday. You can't just see them and pass by. You have to take note of them. Bringing these invisible things into focus is the only way to understand what place they have in our world. #hcd #ethnography #humantechnology https://lnkd.in/gmhNcTrp

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At Tangible Industries, we’re redefining creativity and innovation by bridging the gap between artistry and functionality. Our mission is to create experiences that resonate with audiences, connecting them to new stories and ideas through tangible, scientifically crafted designs. Whether collaborating on large-scale installations, curating bespoke art pieces, or developing clinical trials for our medical innovations, we approach every project with a commitment to quality, imagination, and impact. Each project becomes a living dialogue between structure and story, process and possibility. It’s here, in this space of co-creation, that innovation emerges organically. We believe that innovation thrives at the intersection of diverse perspectives, and we’re proud to collaborate with a community of thinkers, makers, and visionaries. Together, we’re creating something more than just objects – we uncover the hidden beauty in the world through cutting-edge science and technology. To those who have shared in this journey: thank you for inspiring us to push boundaries and blur lines. Let’s continue to imagine, invent, and explore —tangibly. #DesignFutures #BioInspiration #ArtScience #Innovation #TangibleIndustries #3DPrinting

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Design + economics and design for disobedience has never been more relevant.

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This might be interesting to any KeyShot users out there (which applies to pretty much anyone in the design sector). As of 31st December 2024 Luxion are ending support for perpetual licenses and ongoing annual maintenance. Instead they are switching to subscription only (at approximately twice the annual cost). A couple of years ago they stopped selling perpetual licenses to new customers, so this is the expected evolution of that (I hate being right all the time, but software companies are so predictable). Apparently the reason for doing this is to invest further in cloud services. The actual reason for doing it is, I suspect, to prep themselves for a buy out. I am disappointed. I was one of the very first users of Bunkspeed Hypershot - I purchased it whilst it was still in beta. I stayed with the Luxion team as they had their bust up with Bunkspeed, and relaunched as Keyshot. I've promoted the software for years to all customers and it was for a long time our cornerstone for rendering. We duitfully paid our annual service charges to stay on the latest version. But times change. So goodbye Luxion. We won't be taking up the limited time "generous offer" for paying for 2 years reduced subs up front.Good luck with your future plans. We will not be a part of them. We are moving onto better options because whilst you have stagnated, others have improved.

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Validate Your Product Before Investing Big in Design. I spoke with the brilliant Vicki Stirling from The Startup Network last week, and we discussed how often founders invest in design and development too early. At Refract and in the past, I’ve seen this happen a lot: founders with big visions feel the need to spend huge budgets—$100K on product development, $20K on branding, $50K on a website—believing this will automatically attract users. While ambition is great, this approach can lead to wasted resources if you haven’t validated your product first and it's important to only invest the absolute necessary needed early on for that initial MVP. Here are some affordable ways to validate your product before diving into a full build: ⚡️ Build a landing page with a clear call to action. Track sign-ups, interest, and feedback. ⚡️ Create a waitlist and aim for at least 1,000 sign-ups (as Vicki suggested) to gauge real interest. ⚡️ Run small ad campaigns to test demand and gather insights. ⚡️ Develop an MVP or prototype to get early feedback without heavy investment. ⚡️ Conduct user interviews to understand what your audience really needs. The truth is, once your product hits the market, you’ll need to stay lean and iterate based on real user feedback. Going big too soon without validation can lead to disappointment. At Refract, we advise founders to validate their ideas first. Then, scaling with the right design and development becomes far more effective. Big thank you to Vicki Stirling for chatting with me last week! And definitely check out The Startup Network if you're a founder or interested in the scene.

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🚗Revolutionising People's Driving Experiences🚗 With great excitement, I am pleased to reveal my latest project, which focusses on the Polestar 2's Human machine interaction and how it's connected car technology can be transformed with the integration of Apple Car Play. This isn't an ordinary case study- rather, it explores the potential of omni-channel infotainment systems to enhance the driving experience in the future. Check out my post for more on how an integration of Apple's ecosystem with Polestar 2 could transform the driving experience with its innovative technology and intuitive design. Read:- https://lnkd.in/gi4q2Jik Feel free to drop your thoughts and feedback in the comments below -I'd love to hear your take! #Polestar2 #UserInterface #CarTech #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #DrivingExperience #TechInnovation #ConnectedCars #UXDesign #Automotive #UIDesign #HMI

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What do Paul Scholes and Service Designers have in common? 🥁🥁 ….they are playmakers The best midfielders / Service Designers are those that: > spot the gaps and opportunities > predict how situations will play out > keep a wide view of the action > link up play, connecting the team from back to front > create moments of magic Though often both often unseen, they can be the game-changers in setting others / the org up for success What would you add to the above? P.S #GGMU 👹🔴🏆 #Design #ServiceDesign

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Yes! THIS!! It's not just about the function, it's also about the application, causality, and ethics. Unfortunately not things they teach enough (if at all) in engineering and design schools. #design #engineering #technology #ethics

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3 latest Design Gossip to find new opportunities: 1. Spatial Design & Extended Reality in the VR world may have some exciting opportunities for innovation coming up 2. "Expend your design thinking on solving the right problems, that is key" Suggested to follow the podcast where the great Dan Norman spoke to our Indian podcaster Ansh Mehra 3. ProtoPie is a tool that can have some significant advantages over Figma when it comes to complex Prototyping Thank you Mayank Singh for these small nuggets, your passion for design is contagious. Goodluck from Design Devotion for your future! :)

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Are you using the power of #interactive #design to showcase your technical expertise? Instead of taking a linear route through a presentation, why not deliver a more engaging #customerexperience by embedding rich media such as video content, animations or motion graphics to bring your technology alive? It's a really agile and powerful way of conveying your capability: in those important pitches where you need to be perceived as an industry leader, or at events/expos where it's important to deliver understanding. #sales #presentations #digital

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Site review of the week: Path Robotics A disciplined design that knows its place. “Must-haves” for an effective tech/product website: ✅ Clear product imagery ✅ Adequate spacing and layout ✅ Effective and CLEAR copy ✅ This one accomplishes all those, and isn’t trying to be something it’s not. I actually really like this approach. There’s a few things I would change in terms of nitpicking, but there is beauty in simplicity. Clean typography, next to a high-res product photo, against a high-contrast background communicates (shocker) quite well, and animations or 3d mockups aren’t always necessary for an effective presentation. Rating: 7.5/10 What do you guys think? Too minimal, or just right? __ If you’re new, I’m Andy 😊 I design + build websites that actually return on the investment, and I'm sharing my journey building MMG Design along the way. ___ #webdesigner #brandbuilder #columbusohio #columbusohiowebdesign

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🚿 A shower thought from this morning – on cake mix, robots, and existentialism. When Betty Crocker first launched their cake mix in the 1940s, all you had to add was water. Stick it in the oven, and bingo - you've got a cake. Easy as p̶i̶e̶ cake The thing is, it didn't sell. It fulfilled the promise. You had a cake. The problem was – the cake essentially made itself. It was missing a secret ingredient. EFFORT. -- This morning I was thinking about the human effects of reducing effort through AI and automation – particularly in creative projects. As creative tools get smarter, more and more people can produce music and art without ever needing to know how to 'bake'. It democratises something that was once inaccessible. Everything they need is in the box. Just add water. However, the creative product isn't necessarily the goal – it's the reward. The effort is the investment – and without the investment, there's no return. Sure they'll get the metaphorical 'cake' at the end of it, but will they feel like THEY made it? -- Betty Crocker solved the problem with an egg. They removed the powdered egg from the mix – so that you had to add one. You choose the egg (chicken or alligator – it's up to you) You crack it. You mix it. You touch it. Just enough effort to put the maker into the making. People wanted to add their own secret ingredient — a little egg shaped piece of themselves. It worked. Sales improved, and a commercial failure became a much loved household name. -- To design better products and services, we need to deeply love and understand the people we're making them for. Humans aren't just looking for consumer ease and convenience. They have much deeper desires to fulfil – like meaning and marking their existence on reality. Let them bake the cake.

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