Scaling Digital Creativity: A Bottom-Up Approach To Digital Product Creation

[Featured image provided by Timberland DPC Team]

The fashion industry is on the brink of a complete digital overhaul, spearheaded by Digital Product Creation (DPC). This shift will require a hybrid blend of  digital technology and traditional fashion practices, and its objective is to open up new avenues in design, manufacturing, and consumer interaction. 

However, moving towards a digital-focused approach is complex. Even as it builds on long-held, traditional fashion skills, it requires a well-thought-out strategy to incorporate cutting-edge digital tools and digital assets – one that favours a bottom-up collaborative approach over top-down directives. 

The core of this approach is going to lie in involving end-users – the people who will use these digital tools daily – ensuring that the technology that gets adopted, and the processes that are changed as a result, all aligns well with the real needs and operational realities of stakeholders in design, development, sourcing, sales, marketing, and a range of other disciplines. .

But how can a brand or retail business actually put   a bottom-up approach  to DPC into practice? How can engaging end-users tie into the broader digital strategy in a way that  promotes scalability and innovation? And as fashion brands step even further into the digital realm with virtual photography, real-time rendering, AR / VR experiences and more, how can they ensure that the digital tools and assets deployed across the value chain enhance, rather than hinder, creativity and efficiency?

Based on my own first-hand experience, I wanted to explore the strategic and human-centric principles that I believe will be essential for successfully integrating and scaling Digital Product Creation in fashion. And I wanted to lay out an industry roadmap towards not just greater adoption of DPC, but greater realisation of value from it.

The Imperative For Bottom-Up Digitalization 

In fashion,  drives towards digital transformation have typically been led by top-down strategies and edicts from senior management. This approach, however, can end up overlooking the unique requirements of individual departments. 

A more impactful method is empowering department heads and process experts to lead DPC initiatives based on their real-world experience, and to give those subject matter experts and champions the ability to influence everything from scoping and solution selection to training and extension. 

Industry data demonstrates that brands with a completely digitalised value chain generally perform better, as compared to companies that have approached the same challenge through a narrower lens, landing them with a more fragmented digital estate.

For DPC to scale effectively, then, it’s crucial to involve end-users when choosing tools and forming and formalising digital strategies. Their practical experience and insights are key to finding digital tools that address real challenges at different, discrete stages of the value chain. Additionally, having a well-planned integration framework is important. It creates a smooth workflow that reduces hurdles, boosts productivity, and encourages  a culture of continuous improvement. 

So the goal is not, in this hybrid world, to treat traditional expertise and digital skills as independent entities. And neither is it to compartmentalise the deployment of digital tools in individual process areas. Instead, fashion organisations should be aiming to envision a broad-scale transformation of their entire value chain, and then to separate it into individual areas where a stand-alone return on investment can be realised, but where a compounded ROI occurs when those areas are integrated with one another.

A prime example of this is seen in cross-departmental pilot projects. In these projects, teams from different departments collaborate on the digital transformation of a specific product line, such as casual wear or sportswear. The project typically starts with a small group, perhaps in the design department, using digital tools for initial concepts and prototypes. This small-scale implementation allows for quick feedback and iterative improvements. Successes and lessons learned are then shared across departments, from production to marketing, gradually scaling the digital process. 

This collaborative, bottom-up approach not only streamlines the digital transition but also significantly improves operational efficiency as well as contributing to better product outcomes across   newness, trend, quality, fit, and much more. 

These kinds of pilot projects are where many brands begin their DPC journeys, and they can serve as a model for broader digital adoption, demonstrating how gradual, inclusive strategies can lead to successful digital integration. But at the same time, these pilot projects are also often where DPC strategies stall; there are many brand and retail businesses who were successful in rolling out 3D tools to their design and development teams, for example, but far fewer who were then able to extend the benefits of that roll-out into production, sales, marketing, and other business units.

Implementing Digital Product Creation as a business-wide mindset and culture change, then,  is an evolving process that thrives on regular feedback and continuous adaptation – not treating isolated applications as the end of the journey, but as individual steps towards a much broader horizon. 

This method requires  that strategies stay aligned with team requirements in individual areas (something that is only possible with the direct participation and ongoing engagement of those specific teams) and also helps shift wider workplace culture towards more modern practices – whether those sit in sourcing and sustainability, or in fit simulation, costing, eCommerce, or a large spectrum of other use cases. 

Key to this transformation is the involvement of employees. When they actively participate and their insights are valued, it minimises resistance and cultivates a supportive, collaborative environment – a requirement when a technology initiative is as all-encompassing as digital product creation has become. 

The DPC initiative also requires rethinking existing processes, often leading to a complete revamp of traditional methods that needs to take place either alongside the existing development calendar, or in the small brackets of time that are available between cycles. Adopting a measured, Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approach allows for a gradual and potentially more effective transition, since it removes the need for all work to aim for a single cut-off and go-live date by which every functional elements and every desired capability must be in place. 

Simultaneously, enhancing cooperation with supply chain vendors and shifting from a top-down to a more flexible bottom-up strategy encourages creativity and collective effort. It is easy to frame digital product creation initiatives as being brand-first in both their requirements and their value, but the reality is that the most successful transitions have been value-chain-wide, since many of the world’s best-known brands rely on their vendors for both physical and digital production support. 

Supermind And Open Innovation

Thomas Malone’s concept of Superminds describes  a powerful synergy between human and machine intelligence. It suggests that when human cognitive abilities are combined with the computational power of machines, the resulting ‘supermind’ is more capable than either on its own. This fusion is particularly significant in the context of DPC strategies and open innovation, since human creativity and machine calculations are being paired to accelerate a workflow that was otherwise entirely manual.

Automation has the potential to take over routine, repetitive tasks as a result of enterprise-wide adoption of DPC, thereby freeing human minds to focus on more complex aspects of fashion design and production – aided by 3D tools, digital assets, and the collaboration they unlock. This allocation of tasks allows human talent to engage more deeply in areas where they excel — creativity, critical thinking, and nuanced decision-making.

Pairing the Superminds concept with open innovation can also lead to a potent mix. Open innovation refers to the process of embracing external ideas and technologies, as well as internal ones, in the pursuit of advanced solutions. When Superminds are applied within an open innovation framework, it can create  a collaborative ecosystem. This environment is ripe for innovative thinking and problem-solving, as it harnesses a diverse range of perspectives and skills – precisely the kind of approach that has been demonstrated to drive the best results in bottom-up DPC strategies.

For instance, a fashion company might organise an internal contest to identify areas where technology can solve common challenges – especially where those are based on the brand now having digital twins of their materials, components, products, and even their supply chains. 

Working from this new digital foundation, employees across departments could then be encouraged to propose solutions that combine  their expertise with technologies like AI or 3D. One team might suggest using AI for trend analysis to assist designers, for instance, while another could advocate for 3D modelling to improve garment fitting and then using AI for grading directly on avatars. These ideas can be  tested through pilot projects and, if successful, integrated into the company’s broader DPC strategy. 

This approach not only solves immediate operational issues but also fosters a culture of innovation, showing how the synergy of human and machine intelligence can drive the evolution of the fashion industry – just as it has when we shifted from designing on paper to borrowing best practices and CAD tools from other sectors.

Cultivating A Growth Mindset And Embracing Authentic Leadership 

But moving towards a digital and scalable DPC framework isn’t just about technical or strategic changes. It’s also about (re)shaping the culture within the organisation, encouraging a growth mindset among teams. A growth mindset means being eager to learn, staying strong when faced with challenges, and always striving to improve.

For success in scaling DPC, it’s vital to encourage this growth mindset, and to emphasise how having access to virtual prototypes, having the ability to drastically shorten the time between initial idea and visualisation, or having access to a common language and a tool for collaboration and accountability with suppliers, can change the way individual people think about growth. 

With the right foundations, a bottom-up DPC strategy – properly integrated – can then  help teams to step out of their comfort zones, explore new ideas, and adapt quickly to digital changes. This could  create a culture where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, and success is a shared achievement. 

At the same time, the role of leadership changes significantly when new initiatives and new ideas rise up from the grassroots and are allowed to germinate and grow. Effective leaders in this digital era are those who can motivate their teams to strive for excellence, and who focus on what more can be accomplished once digital tools and digital assets are in place..

In the DPC world, good leaders share their knowledge and promote a culture of teamwork and ongoing improvement. They spark curiosity, drive, and excellence in their teams, pushing the organisation forward in the digital journey. This kind of leadership provides a strong foundation for innovative thinking, problem-solving, and smooth adoption of digital tools and methods.

Together, a growth mindset and strong leadership drive the progress towards scaling DPC. This combination not only propels the digital transformation forward but also builds a resilient, innovative, and collaborative culture within the organisation, which is crucial for success in the digital era of the fashion industry.

The ADKAR Model And Change Management 

Navigating the shift to digital comes with its fair share of resistance and hurdles. Here, the ADKAR model (which stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) can, in my experience, provide  a solid framework to manage this change. It helps create a favourable environment for end-users to adopt new digital tools while reducing resistance. The steps of the ADKAR model serve as guiding markers, helping the organisation move through the rough patches of change towards successful digital adoption and improved efficiency.

In this scenario, using a framework like ADKAR is essential to handle the human side of change. However, it’s also important to go beyond just structured frameworks and include employees in the change process by valuing their ideas and feedback. When employees see their ideas being considered, and when they are actively involved in shaping the plan, they are more likely to move from resisting the change to accepting and actively participating in it. They go from being mere spectators to active players in the change process.

ROI Through End-To-End Implementation 

Discussing Return on Investment (ROI) in DPC extends beyond theoretical concepts; there is a lot of debate in fashion about what digital transformation truly looks like, and how brands will need to take advantage of new channels, new mediums, and new frontiers. But the practical reality matters more in the short term, and a robust DPC strategy is one that prioritises the employment digital tools that deliver quantifiable value today, and that go on to synergise and evolve across the value chain. 

Reflecting on the earlier example of cross-departmental pilot projects, these initiatives can be seen as early victories that demonstrate the economic viability and ROI of such strategies once they are scaled. For instance, a pilot project focusing on a specific product line like activewear can yield tangible results. When these projects are scaled up, they often lead to significant financial gains. A study supports this, indicating revenue increases of 9% to 25% and cost reductions of 8% to 28% with the expansion of digital solutions. These figures underscore the financial advantages of a well-executed, bottom-up DPC strategy, highlighting its potential not just for cost savings but also for revenue growth.

To achieve ROI in Digital Product Creation, a brand must adopt an adaptable strategy that accommodates new tools and technological advancements while aligning with its operational practices and strategic goals. 

This approach doesn’t mean indiscriminately adopting every new tool; rather, it involves a careful selection of technologies that specifically address the brand’s unique challenges and opportunities. This methodology highlights the value of pilot projects as platforms for testing innovative solutions and demonstrating the practical ROI achievable through a well-planned digital transformation.

Conclusion 

As fashion embraces digital product creation as an enterprise-wide transformation, instead of a standalone project confined to design and development processes, a bottom-up approach is, I believe, going to be the key to realising the wider value that exists beyond digital sampling, or beyond replacing product photography. While a long-term viewpoint and executive sponsorship matter a great deal, the most important currency here and now is the first-hand knowledge, expertise, and talent of the people who will be tasked with using 3D and DPC tools to change their own slice of the value chain in a way that benefits the stakeholders whose work comes after theirs.

This strategy ensures that technology integration and selection are driven by practical user insights, contributing to the growth of  a digital ecosystem that resonates with the unique demands of different job roles, specialisms, and perspectives. The goal is to create a digital space that not only adapts to but also enhances the industry’s creativity and innovation – and to score that goal, everyone in the industry must be aligned in a common direction.