Importance of Industrial Design
Industrial Design is more than pretty sketches or drawings. It’s a vital part of any design process because it creates and executes product design solutions around form, usability, ergonomics, marketing and brand development. Design is the common catalyst in everything we use; it can influence everything we do.
The Industrial Designer
An industrial designer should be focused on the overall experience of the product and not just component/artifact. They should look for ways to keep the design as simple as possible, trying not to over complicate the design and the experience with that product from manufacturing through to the end user(s ), as well as the end of the product(s) life.
Not embracing industrial design early enough (is a bad thing…why?)
Many times, once an industrial designer gets involved, the project may have to go backwards to incorporate any design.
“…we often wait until the last minute to bring in designers to “apply” design or the look and feel. This is akin to baking a cake and then hiring a baker to make it taste good.” (You’re My Favorite Client, Written by Mike Monteiro)
Design begins at conception. No amount of design is going to turn the IKEA chair on the left into the Arne Jacobsen chair on the right.
Include industrial design at the very beginning during product planning
By including designers at the very beginning, they can start to ask key questions to get the most out of a design and the need of that design.
An industrial designer may see things differently and in a new light...a fresh set of eyes on something will be able to see things you may have not noticed…sometimes naive eyes see more.
Also, a knowledgeable industrial designer should understand how to utilize all phases of the design process and be grounded in core philosophies that outline their development process.
