RS Components (RS) celebrates 10 years of DesignSparkthe company's online design platform, with the introduction of new website features and a new design to better meet the usability and functionality needs of its more than 970,000 community members. To mark its 10th anniversary, RS will also host a series of initiatives throughout 2020.
A revamped website for DesignSpark
The new design of the DesignSpark website, with localised versions in China, France, Germany, Japan, North America and the UK, has been developed taking into account feedback from users to create a more streamlined interface that makes it easier to find and use content. Since its launch in July 2010, DesignSpark has been recognised by the engineering community around the world as a high-value resource, providing design solutions and support for accelerating development time through rapid prototyping, so ideas can be turned into marketable designs quickly. The professional design suites available free of charge on DesignSpark, comprising PCB, mechanical and electrical design tools, provide the accessibility that has enabled millions of projects to be realised worldwide, involving professional engineers, technology manufacturers and students.
A growing community
With a new member every two minutes, the DesignSpark community is about to cross the one million member mark. The success of this online platform is confirmed by performance analysis that confirms high levels of online engagement and popularity for DesignSpark, such as: every 20 seconds a community member opens their professional design software; every 12 seconds design support resources such as CAD models and dimensions are downloaded; and every 4 seconds a piece of content shared by the community is displayed. DesignSpark is also an educational platform, hosting projects and competitions to inspire the younger generation to participate in STEM-related activities. Throughout the year, as part of the 10-year celebrations, several competitions will be launched on DesignSpark's website and its social channels with interactive design challenges with prizes for designers of all ages.
Mike Bray, Group VP of Innovation and DesignSpark, commented: "When we launched DesignSpark in 2010, we did so to support designers of all ages and levels - from students and hobbyists to engineers - who were facing the challenges of reduced design teams and the need to complete their designs faster in an environment of increasing competition. These goals remain valid to this day but, through active and ongoing engagement with our community and following feedback from our members, we have gone further and transformed DesignSpark into a trusted and authoritative online support platform for designers around the world."
