Lost in Translation

A lot of sourcing problems are actually translation problems.

A designer has a vision. An artisan has a technique. A factory has a process. A buyer has a deadline.

None of them are wrong.

But they are often speaking different languages.

The best sourcing partners aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest factories or the lowest prices.

They’re the ones who can translate between design intent, craft capability, production reality, and commercial requirements.

When that translation happens well, everyone moves towards the same objective.

When it doesn’t, even the best ideas struggle to make it into production.