Make little, make often. This document discusses the future of UK manufacturing and proposes several ideas. It notes that half of makers have craft as a second career and most are sole traders. While craft sales remain local, makers are shifting to online sales. The document suggests opportunities exist if manufacturing embraces change, and proposes projects that could be made and funded in the UK, leveraging the creative industries and rethinking engagement with digital products.

1. Make little,
Make often.
Ideas for the future of UK manufacturing
Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino
alex@designswarm.com
@iotwatch

2. The nostalgia of making.
Gustave Caillebotte

3. The nostalgia of industrialisation?
Photo by Lewis Hine

6. Making is
a. The act of one that makes.
b. The process of coming into being
c. The means of gaining success or realizing
potential
d. The abilities or qualities needed for
development.

7. The realities of making now.
Photo by Matt Biddulph

9. For half of makers (50%), craft was a second
career.
88% of makers are sole traders.

10. Net profits remain modest and a significant
minority of makers feel they lack the general
business skills they need to grow, especially in
marketing.
Craft sales remain locally focused, with limited
exports.

11. Makers reported moderate declines in their main
selling channels, especially gallery and exhibitions
sales, and a shift towards online sales, though these
were still relatively small.
Around 30% of makers were selling through their
own website, but only 3% were selling through
social media.

13. !"#$%&'(

19. The other reality of making now.
DOesLiverpool studio

20. Making powered by curiosity.

29. RepRap

30. Makerbots

31. Bre Pettris & Makerbot thing

32. From 1 to 100.
(If you don’t want to quit your day job)

35. From 1 to 10 000.
(If you want to quit your day job
tomorrow.)

39. There are plenty of opportunities
for manufacturing if it
accepts it needs to change.

40. From 1 to 1 000?
(If you want to build a sustainable
business)

41. FRSTEE
A snowman based on your Twitter data.

42. Inition
Rapid prototyping 0.1miles away.

43. Projects that could be made &
funded here.

44. Makielab
Rapid prototyped dolls based on a virtual world.

45. Bubblino
A bubble machine that listens to Twitter.

46. Molly
A little robot that gives you sweets when you RT.

47. Little Printer
A little…printer.

48. Bakertweet
Lets bakers tell the web what they’ve just baked.

49. Good Night Lamp
Family of connected lamps.

50. Making in the UK should mean
a. Helping businesses digitise their services
b. Helping businesses sell online
c. Encouraging local platforms (Folksy)
d. Using the UK as a step to China
e. Enable new makers to meet manufacturers

51. Making in the UK should mean
f. We need to rethink academia / training
for makers.
g. We need to leverage our creative
industries
j. We need to rethink how we engage with
digital products & platforms.

52. Thank you
Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino
alex@designswarm.com
@iotwatch