What once took months now takes weeks. What used to take weeks takes days. The development time needed to bring products - be it computer software, heavy machinery or high fashion clothing - from conception to market is falling rapidly, driven by ever more sophisticated digital technologies.

Furthermore, the use of photorealistic images and metaverses such as Second Life, the online digital world, to test-market the results is giving designers a new level of confidence that they are on the right track.