Overview
Industrial Designers plan, design, develop and document industrial, commercial or consumer products for manufacture with particular emphasis on ergonomic (human) factors, marketing considerations and manufacturability, and prepare designs and specifications of products for mass or batch production.
Day-to-day
- determines the objectives and constraints of the design brief by consulting with clients and stakeholders
- undertakes product research and analyses functional, commercial, cultural and aesthetic requirements
- formulates design concepts for industrial, commercial and consumer products
- prepares sketches, diagrams, illustrations, plans, samples and models to communicate design concepts
- negotiates design solutions with clients, management, sales and manufacturing staff
- selects, specifies and recommends functional and aesthetic materials, production methods and finishes for manufacture
- details and documents the selected design for production
- prepares and commissions prototypes and samples
- supervises the preparation of patterns, programmes and tooling, and the manufacture process.
To become an Industrial Designer
You usually need a bachelor degree in industrial design, engineering or product design to work as an Industrial Designer. Some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification.
Skills employers are looking for
