3 ms·

Mass customization has been just around the corner for my entire life. And I’m old. I don’t think it’s a production problem. I think the sad reality is that mo

Mass customization has been just around the corner for my entire life. And I’m old. I don’t think it’s a production problem. I think the sad reality is that most people don’t want the burden of choice that customization brings. So it will always be niche, and therefore higher cost.

m463 4y ago
I think mass customization is present and has been evolving your entire life. Maybe it's half shoe sizes, or barefoot running shoe alternatives, or shoes in a rainbow of color choices. Or custom PC builds. Maybe customization will be the end-run around the "if you want a mansion, you can only get a mcmansion like everyone else" on your street.
- bombcar 4y ago
  You can get a non-mcmansion today if you want - but you often have to be building on your own land, and not buying a building in a development, etc. And there are additional costs associated with it, but it's not INSANELY more expensive. You go from cookie-cutter to custom design, you're adding an architect at a minimum, probably 20%-50% more expensive (of course, you can go infinitely expensive if you want). Most people don't 'build' - even when they buy new they're buying pre-built, with maybe some decisions on color/appliances, etc.
- brookst 4y ago
  The term has some meaning in manufacturing -- it's usually taken to mean mass produced, but with each unit customizable for each user's order. Just having more SKUs for color/size isn't really the same thing, though that's also valuable. And of course there are places that will make exactly the shoe you want, using your choices of colors/fabric, all in a manufactured way. But it has not caught on as many expected.
fsloth 4y ago
I don’t think customization is the right way to think about this. I was thinking about structures such as facades for multi-storey multitenant buildings. I don’t think consumers will want to 3d print their porches. On the other hand, if economical, architects would love probably to use leas standard shapes even in non-luxury projects.

m463 4y ago

I think mass customization is present and has been evolving your entire life. Maybe it's half shoe sizes, or barefoot running shoe alternatives, or shoes in a rainbow of color choices. Or custom PC builds. Maybe customization will be the end-run around the "if you want a mansion, you can only get a mcmansion like everyone else" on your street.

bombcar 4y ago
You can get a non-mcmansion today if you want - but you often have to be building on your own land, and not buying a building in a development, etc. And there are additional costs associated with it, but it's not INSANELY more expensive. You go from cookie-cutter to custom design, you're adding an architect at a minimum, probably 20%-50% more expensive (of course, you can go infinitely expensive if you want). Most people don't 'build' - even when they buy new they're buying pre-built, with maybe some decisions on color/appliances, etc.
brookst 4y ago
The term has some meaning in manufacturing -- it's usually taken to mean mass produced, but with each unit customizable for each user's order. Just having more SKUs for color/size isn't really the same thing, though that's also valuable. And of course there are places that will make exactly the shoe you want, using your choices of colors/fabric, all in a manufactured way. But it has not caught on as many expected.

fsloth 4y ago

I don’t think customization is the right way to think about this. I was thinking about structures such as facades for multi-storey multitenant buildings. I don’t think consumers will want to 3d print their porches. On the other hand, if economical, architects would love probably to use leas standard shapes even in non-luxury projects.