adidas MakerLab 2019

2019 REVIEW

“EVERYTHING IS REAL.” PABLO PICASSO

©2019 adidas AG All rights1reserved Created by Jens Bringsjord www.jensbringsjord.com

MAKERLAB 3.0

FOCUS Jordi Closa (Director, adidas MakerLab Network)

2019 started with a call to action. A call to focus and be more selective about the projects we got involved in.

The MakerLab has been a constant work in progress as we learn how to best serve our community. In the first two years we chose to be as diverse as possible to show our full potential and to appeal to a greater audience.

Our main goal was, and still is, ‘bring the power of making to everyone”.

By bringing the power of making to everyone, we did internal and external activations, prototyping support, open-source collaborations with universities, schools, other labs, team bonding working sessions, design thinking, event creation support, supplier network co/research, material innovation, incubation of new processes and techniques ... and the list goes on and on.

Only after analyzing and determining the winning stories versus the less impactful ones, we were able to decide where to focus our efforts for a greater impact.

The clear winner was the direct-to-

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business-unit support. Specifically, working together with all the key business units, helping the product prototyping processes, bringing newness in terms of processes and techniques to our ‘product’ teams.

Design and development are our primary customers but also other indirectly related teams like costing, data analytics, retail innovations, HR, IT or CTC. Put into numbers, even if we still kept our doors open to all the HQs based employees (~6000 in HZO and ~2000 PDX) to come and make, we were focusing our direct coordinated efforts to a more manageable ~1000 in HZO and ~400 in PDX). Not a small number.

That number takes into account the full product creation teams we collaborate with on a routine basis from all key BUs like Running, Football, Outdoor, Training, Originals, Statement, CORE, HBS, Future, Color, Materials, Trend, and more.

After sharpening our focus we can now draw a line directly from our support of BUs to product lines and brand stories.

A large portion of our work will always

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be busily maintaining and evolving the physical MakerLab. Our proactive efforts that were once broad and ondemand are now more purposefully aimed and KPI focused.

The Makerlab makes many contributions to Performance, Culture, and People. Our colleagues improve by the learning and sharing that we offer. We can take pride in that we are a model of company values and a healthy working atmosphere. What we’ve built of the MakerLab brand has been co-opted and given a competitive advantage to our consumer experience and brand promotion. We diligently work to keep the MakerLab running with our blood, sweat, and tears.

These contributions don’t fit the traditional monetary measurements of success but they still take substantial effort and successful coordination. We take it upon ourselves to document the impact here in this book. We try to make qualitative quantitative.

at MakerLab, took many roads to finally end up being the new Ultraboost, the new Predator, the new Hardem or the new Ozweegoo.

Makers have a space and a team around they can count on. A group of experts with one goal in mind. We help you become a better maker. A better communicator. A better-connected person. A team that doesn’t claim any ownership but is there helping you shine from the shadows. A team ready to share inspiration, knowledge, and expertise without expecting anything in return.

We continue our journey by supporting our colleagues the best way we can.

Documenting in internal-use-only presentations the products and processes that are incubated here and keep on training and coaching people to become better makers and better humans, and all this, with an honest smile on our face.

We document what the teams we support are doing with our help. Shown in pictures, videos, and quotes that what once started in a working session

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MAKERLAB 3.0

SUSTAINABLE PHYGITAL INNOVATIVE

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INSPIRE EMPOWER CONNECT

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INNOVATION WOMEN SUSTAINABILITY

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GAME LIFE WORLD

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“THE ADIDAS MAKERLAB IS THE GARAGE I ALWAYS WISHED I HAD. THEY ALLOW US TO STAY AUTHENTIC TO THE HERITAGE OF OUR CRAFTS WHILE ENABLING CREATIVE EXPLORATION THAT DEFINES THE CONSTRUCTION AND STYLE OF THE FUTURE.”

SKY ASAY DIRECTOR DESIGN OPERATIONS 3D

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MAKERLAB 3.0

EMPOWER YOUR CONFIDENCE COMMUNITY Across the MakerLab network, we equip our community to use the space by making sure equipment and materials are accessible and easy to find. We have a material stock that covers the needs of all our makers. Each department has different requirements and expectations we need to cater for. We make available the tools and equipment that can help process and materialise concepts and ideas.

EMPOWERING TRAININGS Empowering also is transcribed through our trainings offered in the MakerLabs. We provide training on the machinery to ensure makers and self-sufficient in operating all equipment in the lab. We also teach makers to learn processing knowledge so that they get the best use out of the materials and equipment. And we create samples, boards, operation manuals, and helpful training videos to facilitate tasks and provide independence to the user.

SUPPORT ACCESS The MakerLab team is there to support anyone who walks through our doors. The

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Creator Platform is about creating the opportunity for our makers to present and share skills through cross-department workshops. We want to highlight internal skills, offer the opportunity to build confidence in leadership and share expertise and knowledge across the company. Departmental workshops are a great way for the departments to work more closely and build better communication within their team. These workshops tend to run over several days where we help facilitate the team’s needs and relieve some of the pressure on concept creation and delivery.

PROTOTYPING & DEVELOPMENT The lab is a perfect place for prototyping and operation. Sometimes our makers need a bit of extra support when using the space and equipment or are just a bit nervous about breaking the machinery when testing new ideas and processes.

We encourage and offer advice on how to experiment with the equipment safely to help execute ideas.

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INSPIRE YOUR CREATIVITY Research is at the core of everything we do in the MakerLab. It’s in our DNA. All the MakerLabs research extensively in the following areas: materials, process, technology, and collaborations. The following list gives you a variety of ways in which the MakerLab is pushing adidas to the future of product innovation.

MATERIALS Material sourcing is inspired and supported by the Creative Direction team. MakerLab provides a variety of sustainable material initiatives within the company. This, in turn, gives our Makers a greater selection of materials for prototyping purposes.

One of our main and continuous efforts is to reduce material waste. Processing solutions and waste management help lower the MakerLab prototyping footprint.

Less choice is less consumption. We educate our community on the impact of their material choices to help provide effective solutions for prototyping in a more thoughtful and sustainable way.

MATERIAL RESEARCH DOCUMENTS We create research documents combining internal and external research and share them through various communication channels, Thinkers Lab, and our online community site.

RECYCLING NETWORK We build partnerships with schools to provide them with materials that are no longer needed. And we also help build relationships with the next generation of makers.

PROCESS Help bridge the gap between technology and craft by empowering the community with processing knowledge for digital fabrication.

LEARN & SHARE We want to make people aware of the different kinds of ways we can experiment and process materials using the equipment in the MakerLabs. This knowledge can be shared through the Thinkers Lab, physical and digital workshops, online community, physical library with books on processing and manufacturing as well as our ongoing exhibition display demonstrating processes and techniques.

TECHNOLOGY We ensure that technology is always upto-date and relevant. We also partner with machine builders and manufacturers to test and trial the latest technologies.

We continue to build our network with Futures, PCT, Creative Direction and Digital Creation to help get access to machinery 13

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and technology that can empower all Makers. We also develop process workflows to bridge digital to physical concepts.

COLLABORATIONS MakerLab establishes a network of motivated individuals in-house who are open to presenting and sharing skills through workshops and collaborations that inspire the community.

THE MASTERS MakerLab finds experts in manufacturing and development who can help to improve processes and manufacturing knowledge.

We help to establish more successful pathways to help take concepts developed in the MakerLab out to production.

OUTSIDE-IN We connect with external partners and collaborators outside of adidas who we can invite to collaborate with the Maker Community through workshops and speaker series.

EVENTS We collaborate with our communication channels to help promote the MakerLab through hackathons, consumer events, and exhibitions.

INTERNAL WORKSHOPS MakerLab provides a good mix of workshops including workshops focused on Apparel, Accessories Gear, and Footwear. We also provide form workshops that include: model making, general

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prototyping. clay, foam, wire.

MACHINE WORKSHOPS To get a better experience with the variety of machines in the MakerLab, we provide machine workshops in the areas of Laser, 3D Printing, Plotter, and Vacuum Forming.

THINKERS LAB WORKSHOPS If you are looking for some creative teambuilding workshops, MakerLab provides Thinkers Lab workshops, Design Thinking, and Lego Serious Play.

TEAMBUILDING & VISITORS We are open source and welcome all who enter the space. We have activities played for visitors and teams alike including DIY Sneaker, Handycraft, Mask-making, and Sculpture.

MAKERLAB COLLECTIVE These workshops are hosted by department representatives sharing passions and professional skillsets.

MASTER CLASSES Our technical workshops include collaborations with the last department, shoe school, and sample room.

DEPARTMENT WORKSHOPS MakerLab organizes team-led workshops based on seasonal production creation.

EXTERNAL WORKSHOPS MakerLab is a sharing space. We invite external collaborators to bring in fresh ideas and learning from the outside.

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WE TREAT OUR FUNCTION AS A RESTAURANT OWNER: WE ARE NOT THE STAR CHEF — WE ARE MAKING SURE THERE’S PLATES AND FRESH PRODUCE AND THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE IS TALKING TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE. WE PROTECT THOSE CREATIVES TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST AND TAKE OUT THE LOGISTICS AND COMMUNICATION AND THAT WORKLOAD OFF THEIR SHOULDERS. IT GIVES THEM TIME TO CREATE AND FIND FLOW AND FOCUS IN WHAT THEY’RE DOING AND KNOCK DOWN BARRIERS THAT WOULD CREATE BLOCKS.

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MAKERLAB 3.0

CONNECT AND COLLABORATE NETWORKING SKILLS & EXPERTISE Understanding the skills and potential of each individual can help us to network expertise in the community. We want to encourage peer to peer support and help highlight potential in-house collaboration partnerships.

CREATORS UNITED Department workshops help to encourage interaction and debate with groups that might not otherwise meet or work together, encouraging a more democratic culture where we can all share and learn from each other’s experiences.

FASTER FEEDBACK Cross-functional focus groups are helping to bring together ideas and topics from the different teams in a more immediate way.

This, in turn, creates a faster feedback loop between the different departments.

ONLINE COMMUNITY The MakerLab website and our online communication channels are helping our global network become better connected than ever before, enabling the community to access information about workshops and training. It also helps bring Makers together across the network to connect and share ideas. The online workspace has been used as a point of reference for other

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platforms, as an example of service, design and pioneering display of information.

DEPARTMENT WORKSHOPS MakerLab is helping improve communication between teams and speed up development time.

LOCAL MAKER NETWORK We are actively looking for local Makers and manufacturers to partner with to expand our prototyping potential. Through our external network page on our website, we are helping to connect the community with local craft businesses outside when it is not possible to develop projects within the MakerLab. BRAND AMBASSADORS We often facilitate photo shoots, workshops, and tours with our athletes and ambassadors. This has been a great way to connect with the wider adidas community and share the way our product creation teams are designing the products of the future.

BUSINESSES Hosting tours with other businesses is helping us to grow our network of companies and potential collaborations for the future.

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SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITIES By inviting schools to participate in workshops and tours we setup better connections to local schools and universities to help inspire the next generation of creatives. These collaborations also bring a new pool of talent and ideas to be pitched internally.

CONSUMERS Through external MakerLab events, hackathons, and Maker shows we want to continue to engage with the consumer by including them in our open-source culture.

MakerLab HZO Offer in 2019 BU Support FTW 8% Workshops 1%

Trainings (Sewing, Lazer, etc.)

46%

Design Thinking / DIY 8% External Network & Suppliers 7%

BU Support ACC 3% BU Support 26%

3D Digital 12%

BU Support APP 12%

BU Support Graphics 2% BU Support CAM 1%

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MAKERLAB 3.0

WE INSPIRE, EMPOWER & CONNECT Throughout the MakerLab network, we inspire products, empower people, and connect the world. Our goal is to be an empowering open platform for experimentation where creativity has no limits.

HUMANIZE LEARNING MakerLab has been developing an online learning platform that offers a structured series of educational videos offering a curriculum in prototyping and fabrication.

MakerLab is a space where you can get support when you need it but also wants its Makers to be self-learners throughout the process. Our team is equipped with a variety of existing resources from Google, documented workshops that are shared, research presentations, machine trips and tricks, and product prototyping tips.

We encourage Makers to be self-learners because it encourages learning at one’s own pace without the fear of being judged. There are also online forums that encourage peer-to-peer teaching which encourages sharing and interaction. This, in turn, provides data on learning patterns and further progresses the MakerLab. PHYSICAL LIBRARY Our MakerLab Libraries provide inspiration for any new or current project. We have a

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variety of books with design and fashion focus as well as magazines that focus on design, engineering, manufacturing, fashion, textiles, and electronics. The library also contains a variety of physical samples to experience and sample boards, machine settings, and guides to get the most out of the space.

The library gives you easy access to information more quickly than browsing online and find high-quality research sources. The library also provides an element of self-teaching, encouraging you to master your skills and confidence. This helps inspire and encourage all of Maker’s creativity in the lab.

PEER-TO-PEER TEACHING AND LEARNING We encourage team-learning which motivates representatives in the teams who can help take responsibility for enriching the skills within the team. We also continue to grow the Collective. Our community workshops have been a huge success in empowering our Makers. We continue to find more motivated individuals who are open to sharing their skills with the community.

Teaching other Maker’s a new skill, gives

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you, on an individual level, a greater relationship across teams highlighting skills and skill deficits that may exist across the company. It also encourages cross-department communication and learning. While the teacher focuses on the instruction of the skill to be learned by participants, the MakerLab team helps supports the use of the machinery and equipment.

MakerLab PDX Offer in 2019 Workshops 8%

BU Support FTW 15% Trainings (Sewing, Lazer, etc.)

41%

External Network & Suppliers 11%

BU Support 36% BU Support APP 18%

3D Digital 4%

BU Support ACC 2% BU Support Graphics 1%

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MAKERLAB 3.0

ADVANCED CONCEPTS As a new team with high expectations set for them, the Advanced Concepts team is a key focus team for the Makerlab.

We share a lot of the same reasons for being as the ADV team: - Align resources and sharpen focus - Create new capabilities for BU - Drive brand and business priorities - Accelerate and deliver innovation - Close the gap between future and BU’s In 2019 the Advanced design team becomes a fixture in the Makerlab. Everything from researching processes, proving protos, design exploration, coordinating workshops, and extra training was provided by the Makerlab staff as support. HZO staff has focused on the footwear team with some support on apparel. The PDX team has contributed to apparel, bras, and sustainability topics. Makerlab Brooklyn is the first line of support for the ADV team since they are led from Brooklyn.

We provide help with our expertise in manufacturing and making as well as contributing our own concepts and discussion.

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CREATIVE DIRECTION From Brooklyn and PDX to the CDE in HZO each season we work with the Creative Direction teams from their initial exploration all the way to its implementation on the inline product.

This quarter, besides our assistance with samples for the Creative Direction Exhibition, the PDX and BCF teams contributed samples around different innovative processes with which they’ve been experimenting. Two very impressive samples were created using 3D printing to make engineered uppers. The other sample was a Superstar created entirely out of homegrown bio TPU. Both were processes that we’ve extensively researched as part of our efforts to stay ahead of the state of the art.

MakerLab HZO was asked by Denis Dekovic from the BCF to help out with the Direction team’s call out to give Boost a facelift. Key designers were brought in for a day of experimentation and discussion.

The Makerlab staff multiplied all or those ideas by coming up with new ways of mocking up with raw Boost pellets. Game changer.

Since we’ve been part of the CDE creation process we’re experienced, educated, and ready to help as the direction is applied to the inline product.

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MAKERLAB 3.0

BU FOCUS: CATEGORY WORK Each team was selected based on company priorities and/or by request from the team.

In addition to our basic offering to the general public, we focused our efforts on collaborating with each of these teams one-on-one.

Teams included: MIFS/Speed Factory, Advanced Design & Development, Core & Neo, Creative Direction & BCF, Running, Training BU’s.

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RUNNING CROSSOVER The running design team is frequent visitors in the Makerlab. Their marketing and development teams, not so much. We worked with the Design team to coordinate a mock design process with the other 2/3rds of their triad to show the value of design exploration and making processes.

The “mock� process got real very quickly as the participants took the exercise to heart and came up with work that has now been incorporated into the design of the actual shoe. Design VP Sam Handy was there for the final design review and applauded the exercise saying that these crossovers should be part of their official process.

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YKK ZIPPER WORKSHOP YKK is one of the leading trim suppliers. If you have a zipper on your garments there is a chance that it was manufactured by them.

Together with their application experts, Vecihe Yavuz and the MakerLab team have organized and led a series of workshops this year to promote discussion and awareness around YKK products and zippers in general.

The workshop proved to be a great way to engage with suppliers, building strong relationships as the foundation of future collaborations.

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DIGITAL MATTER_S The pace of digital transformation is exponential. Innovations, tools, and services are changing the way we live.

From creation to consumption, our relationship with product experience has been evolving faster than ever.

To anticipate change and foster innovation, we need to keep exploring and upskilling.

Finding the most suited learning path to our goals might be overwhelming though.

Digital Matter_s strives to bring clarity and light on the internal learning opportunities through the lens of our colleagues’ work.

The internal potential of our community is incredible. The knowledge you are looking for to elevate your work is at your reach and we want to help you find it.v

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YOU

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