“New cell?” “Yeah. Just designed it last night.”

We all want products that are tailored for us; that fit our needs and requirements and express who we are. But what would happen if you wanted a BMW with three tailpipes, a laptop with an embedded e-reader, or a touch screen mobile phone that is moulded like your thigh to fit snugly into your jeans pocket? Even though these products are highly customisable and come in a huge number of different brands and models, all the customisation available can only get you so far. My belief is that the level of customisation that customers ask for today will lead to them designing their own products.

In fact, companies are already encouraging it as a way of building a deeper relationship with their customers. The step from creating your own Lego model to designing the appearance of your next mobile phone might seem tremendous, but is not as staggering as it might appear.

As 3D CAD technology is becoming more user-friendly, and doesn’t require an engineering degree or immense training, more industrial design will become user generated and crowd-sourced. Most 3D software also has a simulation module, to allow you to test whatever you have designed before actually producing it. With ever increasing oomph, whether it sits in your home or in a server rack, you will be able to simulate the functionality of the products you and your friends have designed in a more realistic manner – provided, that  user friendly interfaces continue to develop as they ghave been. And as the economies of scale diminish with digital production, small scale industrial production is actually becoming economically viable.

So why not produce it yourself? The price of 3D printers continues to drop, and it might only be a matter of time before they’re as common as a dishwasher in the average home. Better not put your dirty dishes in there though, you might end up with a whole new set of plates.