Virtual Economic Indicators

by Steve Ormonde on 04/12/10 at 5:38 pm

The phrase “economic indicator” has become immensely popular as folks look to understand where our economy is heading and, more importantly, has the “great recession” ended.  Leading indicators like building permits, initial jobless claims and manufacturers orders are watched intently with hopes for a positive change that would signal the beginning of a recovery.

At Focus 360, we have similar indicators that I will call “virtual economic indicators”.  For example, when we are coming out of a slow economic period, we at Focus 360 tend to see an increase in projects that require virtual tools to expedite the planning and approval process.  If the economy is humming along, we see a diverse mix of virtual requirements including planning, sales and marketing tools like 3d renderings and 3d animations.  Finally, when the market is at its peak, we tend to see an increase in virtual tools for marketing and selling affordable high-density projects like podium mixed-use buildings and high-rise condominiums.

So it is in that spirit that I can report to you my non-statistical, semi-quantifiable, really just gut level Q1 results:  We are experiencing a continued increase in visual analysis, 3d architectural renderings and 3d architectural animations for the planning process.  In addition, we are seeing a dramatic increase in projects that require sales and marketing tools such as virtual model homes.

So, based on my experience, it seems as though we have reached the bottom of an economic cycle and are seeing the initial stages of a recovery.  The real question now is can it be sustained?  What are your thoughts?