Manufacturing Magazine January 2016 | Page 17

ERA OF CONNECTION product lifecycle management tools .
As the connected future continues to take shape , there are a few key areas to focus on :
• Education : The next generation of product development professionals must now consider how to build devices for a dynamic environment . They will require the know-how and insight to manage this complexity , and make their products more resilient and valuable . Communitybased learning and knowledge centres that promote sharing of ideas are also important .
• Ecosystem : Industry leaders should be encouraged to not only bring new talent into their organisations but also partner with complementary technology businesses . This will help them to produce genuinely disruptive solutions for the connected future and develop a robust ecosystem at which they can sit at the centre . Combining expertise from multiple sources will accelerate innovation and strengthen the industry as a whole .
• Access to Technology : Putting design capabilities into anyone ’ s hands through programmes that offer free access for educational institutions and startups is enabling larger organisations to democratise the creation of tomorrow ’ s connected devices . In addition , introducing subscriptionbased licensing models gives these same organisations access to design solutions at a lower cost of entry . Helping students and entrepreneurs capture , analyse and utilise data from their products is a necessary step for fuelling the development of tech that will bring our connected future to life .
The future awaits Connectivity is redefining product design , and the proliferation of connected consumer products will touch many more parts of our lives than it does now — probably in areas we haven ’ t even thought of yet .
It will be exciting to see how compelling software tools help usher in this new era . The connected future awaits .
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