A product development organization wants to create the next big thing, something that will disrupt their industry, dominate the market, and capture the zeitgeist. Most engineers want to make something that will change the world, something they can point to and say “I was part of this.”
If this sounds like you, you should be using computer aided design (CAD) software to drive innovation for product development. CAD software supports ideation, iteration, and prototyping necessary for innovation success.
When I was at Amazon’s Lab126 hardware division, many projects started with “Jeff (Bezos) wants to be able to .…” To turn that idea into reality, we had to generate our own ideas and concepts quickly.
CAD software facilitates ideation via techniques like freeform and freestyle surfacing and direct modeling. In freeform surfacing, you manipulate curves and surfaces in 3-dimensional space with real-time updates showing you how the final surface will look. Freestyle surfacing is like starting with a lump of clay and then pulling and pushing it into the desired shape. These techniques are more artistic and organic than traditional technical surfacing – and faster.