Automation is often touted as a panacea for fashion’s product development challenges—such as wasted materials and lengthy timelines—but how companies prepare to integrate artificial intelligence is just as important as the adoption itself.
First, companies must consider why they are automating and how it will fit into their workflows, rather than automating for the sake of it. In a recent fireside chat, design software firm Browzwear’s head of strategic solutions consulting Kristen Ohlsson explained that teams should begin with a specific goal and use case instead of trying to address everything all at once. “It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of a new technology, but the most successful projects are those tied to specific pains,” she told Sarah Jones, senior editor, strategic content at Sourcing Journal.
Next is ensuring that data management is solid so machine learning draws its insights from the right information. Fashion firms should also protect their intellectual property by picking partners with secure data handling policies and monitoring AI’s integrations with platforms like product lifecycle management (PLM) systems that contain proprietary data.
Product developers should also optimize their systems before laying AI on top of less-than-ideal workflows. Lars Villumsen, strategic solutions architect consultant director at Browzwear, noted companies tend to build workarounds into their processes, so firms on an automation journey should ensure these don’t carry over into AI solutions.
In product development, automation alongside a connected design ecosystem—such as 3D tools and a PLM—can ensure that the right data is added to tech packs for factories or pull design assets. It can also help companies iterate quicker. For instance, one Browzwear client used AI to build out 24 new colorways of a garment, saving well over 100 hours of work. Villumsen suggested starting with this type of small AI test that offers “quick wins,” while building solutions with a long-term strategy and scalability in mind. “Make sure that you support not just your current business, but also the business you could have going forward,” he said.
AI can assist with repetitive design tasks, but it is not a replacement for human design talent. “People are your most valuable resources, and using their time on tasks that don’t actively engage their design talent or creativity or fit and sizing expertise is really a missed opportunity, and it costs businesses time and money,” said Ohlsson. “They really understand your customers best, and so their energy should go toward designing and making the decisions on product that will resonate with your market.”
Watch the video to learn more about building an automation-ready design ecosystem.
Hear more about artificial intelligence at Sourcing Journal’s Fall Summit on Nov. 12. Register here.
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