Although the process of design may be considered ‘creative’, many analytical processes also take place. In fact, many industrial designers often use various design methodologies in their creative process.
Some of the processes that are commonly used are user research, sketching, comparative product research, model making, prototyping and testing. These processes can be chronological, or as best defined by the designers and/or other team members. Industrial Designers often utilize 3D software, Computer-aided industrial design and CAD programs to move from concept to production. Product characteristics specified by the industrial designer may include the overall form of the object, the location of details with respect to one another, colors, texture, sounds, and aspects concerning the use of the product ergonomics.
Additionally the industrial designer may specify aspects concerning the production process, choice of materials and the way the product is presented to the consumer at the point of sale. The use of industrial designers in a product development process may lead to added values by improved usability, lowered production costs and more appealing products. However, some classic industrial designs are considered as much works of art as works of engineering: the iPod, the Jeep, the Fender Stratocaster, the Coke bottle, and the VW Beetle are frequently-cited examples.
Industrial design also has a focus on technical concepts, products and processes. In addition to considering aesthetics, usability, and ergonomics, it can also encompass the engineering of objects, usefulness as well as usability, market placement, and other concerns such as seduction, psychology, desire, and the emotional attachment of the user to the object. These values and accompanying aspects on which industrial design is based can vary, both between different schools of thought and among practicing designers.
Product design and industrial design can overlap into the fields of user interface design, information design and interaction design. Various schools of industrial design and/or product design may specialize in one of these aspects, ranging from pure art colleges (product styling) to mixed programs of engineering and design, to related disciplines like exhibit design and interior design, to schools where aesthetic design is almost completely subordinated to concerns of function and ergonomics of use (the so-called functionalist school).
Also used to describe a technically competent product designer or industrial designer is the term Industrial Design Engineer. The Cyclone vacuum cleaner inventor James Dyson for example could be considered to be in this category.
According to Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), industrial design is the professional practice of designing products, devices, objects, and services used by millions of people around the world every day.
People often misunderstand the industrial design process, believing that because it is “industrial,” it must only apply to raw materials, goods, or services. In fact, every object we come into contact with in our homes, workplaces, or anywhere else in our daily routines are a consequence of industrial design.
The industrial design process is the most critical element of bringing a product to market. Industrial designers and engineers must consider every aspect of a product, focusing on the product’s manufacturability as much as its appearance and functionality. The ultimate goal of the industrial design process is to finalize a design that has lasting value for the end customer.
The Role of Design Thinking
Good product design begins with the customer in mind. Even a seemingly brilliant product idea is meaningless if an adequate number of consumers fail to see its value. Design thinking is a common process used by industrial designers that puts the customer front and center, solving common problems by either innovating an entirely new product, device, object, or service, or enhancing an existing product. Design thinking is a great approach to capture those needs and let them guide the design process.
Instead of making assumptions about customer desires, design thinking involves prolific research. Product innovators and designers must gather insights by observing customer behavior and interviewing customers to understand their wants, needs, and desires. From there, designers and engineers can sketch out product ideas and build prototypes to bring ideas to life, then present them to a target audience to get feedback and validation.
By focusing on what customers want, empathizing with them to fulfill unmet needs and solve their problems, industrial designers can bring forth better products and continually hone the design process. There is a caveat, however. Design thinking goes beyond creative problem solving to design desirable products; it also equally weighs the product’s viability and feasibility.
Product Viability
During the industrial design process, designers must perform a product viability analysis to determine whether the product idea is practical, can overcome challenges, and requires support services to ensure customer satisfaction. Everything from a product’s size, weight, and fragility to its lifespan, seasonality, price point, and competition plays into product viability.
The product must be able to be manufactured, shipped, and inventoried economically. The more it costs to bring to market, the higher the price point will need to be to cover those costs and provide a decent margin for profitability. If the price point is perceived by customers to be higher than the product’s value, it will not sell well.
Industrial designers are able to use the data gathered during analysis to either scrap the product idea entirely or more commonly, refine the product design to accommodate these variables. By changing the design, materials, and/or factory, designers can transform a product idea from unlikely to perfection.
Product Feasibility
Industrial designers also analyze product feasibility during the design process to establish whether the proposed product is both desirable and in demand. Is the product idea worth pursuing? If the product is an entirely new innovation, demand may not yet be there, simply because consumers are unaware of its possibility. Nevertheless, if the product is designed thoughtfully to solve a problem or fulfill an unmet need, demand will come.
Product feasibility analysis includes focused research, such as concept tests, usability tests, and buying intention surveys. The analysis will reveal whether there is a market for your product, consumer desire for your product as is or if specific modifications would make it more desirable, the price consumers are willing to spend, and if there are competing products that have a loyal following.
The most iconic products begin with a solid industrial design process, one that exquisitely balances form and function to deliver a product people love. By combining innovation and creativity with practicality and prudence, industrial designers and engineers can strike gold, so to speak, developing a product that becomes the standard, a household name, or even legendary.