In what other industries or areas would Threadless’ community-driven product development model work well? And not so well?
I think the Threadless model could work in industries where customization and consensus could create good products. For instance, I think the personal computer industry could benefit from this model. Of course there has to be parameters and limits, but Dell has successfully customized computers from its inception. I also believe home construction company’s can take a look at this model. I think construction companies could greatly benefit from the model identified in this case, particularly because of the economic down turn. Homebuyers are more apt to purchase new home they know many people would like to have, while still paying a good price.
I don’t think this model would work well with in the automobile industry. The assembly lines and set-up times would be too difficult to overcome.
