Navigating the design to manufacture journey: Optimising product Value - Design for the Circular Economy

Turning an idea into a scalable, commercial product is a challenge that faces many entrepreneurs, innovators and SMEs. Developing a new product, new functionality or new customer experience can be difficult, and the design to manufacture process must be given careful consideration to ensure that development costs and timelines are managed effectively.

Navigating this process can be daunting and good communication between stakeholders is vital. By understanding what designers and manufacturers care about, it will be easier to establish the good relationships and processes that will avoid costly, time consuming changes further along the development process.

The KTN in partnership with Product Design Scotland have curated and exciting and informative a lunchtime programme – join us each week for an opportunity to hear from representatives across the design to manufacture space. Experienced innovators and specialists will give their own perspectives on the challenges and important considerations that should inform early stage product development.

Grab a tea and a sandwich and join Abi Hird and Alastair McInroy each Wednesday for expert insights, stimulating debate and an opportunity to join our diverse and vibrant community collectively focused on navigating the design to manufacture journey.

What to expect

Our aim is to build community. Attendees are expected from across the innovation, consultancy and contract manufacturing space.

• Innovators – SMEs, spin-outs, academics
• Technology providers/systems integrators
• Design consultancies
• Contract manufacturers
• Investors

Each one-hour online meeting will include three presentations from thought leaders on a specific aspect of the design to manufacture journey. This will be followed by an interactive Q&A session and an opportunity to connect. Across the whole series we will be using meeting mojo to facilitate connections enabling relationships to flourish. Grab a coffee and come and join us!

This Week’s Design for the Circular Economy Theme

Sustainable design is not a trend. It has more to offer than ‘feel good’ appeal. Making solid business sense for an economic point of view and from a resilience perspective, careful consideration of how your product is made, material sources and how it’s lifetime can be extended can: enable you to offer more value to you customers; result in higher margins internally and; reduces environmental impact. Win, win, win!!

Circular Economy and sustainable design is high on the agenda of Government, Policy makers and Funders. If you want financial support for your ideas, thinking long-term and about environmental and societal impact is increasingly important.