The fashion supply chain is still struggling to shorten turnaround times to be able to more accurately match consumer demand. But technologies including product lifecycle management systems are poised to help.

In a new report from Sourcing Journal, sponsored by Lectra, two-thirds of respondents noted they had improved their efficiency over the last three years. Among that cohort, 41 percent named an investment in product development tools as the driving force behind their progress.

However, technology is not a panacea to improve processes. Much of the success of a digital integration relies upon having the right culture and training in place to make the most of tools such as 3-D prototyping. There is also an opportunity for companies to foster more effective communication and collaboration, whether among internal teams or with external suppliers and factories.

To achieve a more thorough transformation, a corporate-wide shift towards data-driven decision making is needed.

Download the Product Development Survey Report to learn:

• To what degree fashion companies are investing in technology
• How companies are using PLM systems in their organizations
• How firms could be better leveraging digital tools
• The role that training plays in achieving efficiency
• The biggest challenges that companies are facing when it comes to quality and fit
• How 3D prototyping has made the product development process more disruption-proof