Industrial Designer

An Industrial Designer is responsible for helping a product go from idea to consumer-ready. They are often required to brainstorm a concept that a company has asked for directly and then provide follow-up by presenting that concept in a visual format, such as a sketch or CAD rendering. After engineering teams provide input, it is ‘back to the drawing board to implement the necessary usability requirements. As the product goes through the entire design and testing process, the Industrial Designer revisits the original product many times to make adjustments. They aid in managing the rest of a design team to fully integrate the different aspects of physical production, safety concerns, marketability, software and User Interface, etc. 

Typical Duties

• Arrange production of samples 
• Communicate with company leaders and customers 
• Create physical models of concepts in many mediums from woodworking to 3D printing
• Include aesthetic design principles with usability requirements
• Investigate alternative uses of products that are already on the market
• Oversee assistant’s work and help manage a design team
• Prepare illustrations, blueprints, and digital renderings of design concepts
• Present ideas, design modifications, and consumer use guides to research and development teams
• Research market needs and marketing procedures
• Research production costs
• Understand and develop industry standards for design and production

Additional Responsibilities

• Aid corporate entities with their image goals
• Attend and present information at professional conferences and events
• Incorporate decorative designs
• Prepare material to ‘pitch’ ideas to companies

Soft Skills

• Active listening
• Administrative
• Attention to Detail
• Creativity 
• Mathematics
• Sales and Marketing
• Technology
• Verbal and Written Communication

Technical Skills

• Desktop Publishing 
• Digital Cameras
• Email
• Internet Research/Browsing
• Video Creation and Editing
• Various types of design software such as:

1. Adobe Suite 
2. Autodesk 3ds Max
3. Dassault Systemes
4. Eko
5. JavaScript
6. Mathworks
7. QuarkXpress
8. Siemens NX

Industrial Designers usually work inside an office setting, although some of their work can be done from home. They may also travel to different facilities through the design process, including testing and design shops or client homes and facilities. 

One of the biggest sacrifices that Industrial Designers make is sacrificing time to the job. Projects may take a lot of time that is not scheduled for because of the evolving nature of the projects and the quality control needs. They are expected to work within the timeline of other parts of the design team, which can include unexpected setbacks. 

An Industrial Designer is also expected to create useful and safe products, which can be a daunting idea. They’re expected to think forward to how the designs can be used or misused, and plan ahead for those possibilities. 

Industrial Design is expected to experience an average growth rate in the next few years, although the move from manufacturing inside of the U.S. could cause that to decrease slightly. 

With new products going into the market every day, and innovation continues at a rapid pace in the technology sector, the need for designers is still stable and growing.

One of the main traits that Industrial Designers share is a very strong sense of imagination. As children, the designers were often involved heavily in make-believe play, and in building and constructing toys like Legos. They also likely had artistic talent, either in drawing and sculpting or in digital design. Even video games like Minecraft provide a solid foundation for the creation and construction of projects, products, and models.